Report from a symposium on catalyzing primary and secondary prevention of cancer in India.
OBJECTIVE
Oral, breast, and cervical cancers are amenable to early detection and account for a third of India's cancer burden. We convened a symposium of diverse stakeholders to identify gaps in evidence, policy, and advocacy for the primary and secondary prevention of these cancers and recommendations to accelerate these efforts.


METHODS
Indian and global experts from government, academia, private sector (health care, media), donor organizations, and civil society (including cancer survivors and patient advocates) presented and discussed challenges and solutions related to strategic communication and implementation of prevention, early detection, and treatment linkages.


RESULTS
Innovative approaches to implementing and scaling up primary and secondary prevention were discussed using examples from India and elsewhere in the world. Participants also reflected on existing global guidelines and national cancer prevention policies and experiences.


CONCLUSIONS
Symposium participants proposed implementation-focused research, advocacy, and policy/program priorities to strengthen primary and secondary prevention efforts in India to address the burden of oral, breast, and cervical cancers and improve survival.
Research Triangle Institute Global India Pvt. Ltd, Suite 405, Paharpur Business Center, 21 Nehru Place, New Delhi, 110019, India. skrishnan@rti.org.
Suneeta
S
Krishnan
Centre for Chronic Conditions and Injuries, Public Health Foundation of India, Sector 44, Gurgaon, 122002, India. preet.dhillon@phfi.org.
Preet K
PK
Dhillon
Harvard Global Equity Initiative, Harvard University, 651 Huntington Avenue, Room 632, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Afsan
A
Bhadelia
Independent Public Health Consultant, 2C Alsa Terraces, 26 Langford Gardens, Bangalore, 560025, India.
Anna
A
Schurmann
Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, 37, S. P. Mukherjee Road, Kolkata, 700026, India.
Partha
P
Basu
Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, 110029, India.
Neerja
N
Bhatla
Biocon Foundation, 20th KM Hosur Road, Electronic City, Bangalore, 560100, India.
Praveen
P
Birur
RTI International, 701 13th St NW #750, Washington, DC, 20005, USA.
Rajeev
R
Colaco
Indian Institute of Public Health-Delhi, Public Health Foundation of India, Plot 47, Sector 44, Gurgaon, 122002, India.
Subhojit
S
Dey
University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
Surbhi
S
Grover
CanSupport, KanakDurgaBastiVikasKendra, Sector 12 R. K. Puram, Near New CGHS Dispensary, New Delhi, 110022, India.
Harmala
H
Gupta
Rajasthan Cancer Foundation, B-113, 10 B Scheme, Gopalpura Bypass, Jaipur, 302018, India.
Rakesh
R
Gupta
V Care Foundation, A102, Om Residency, J W Road, Near Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel (East), Mumbai, 400012, India.
Vandana
V
Gupta
RTI International, 3040 Cornwallis Rd., PO Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC, 27709-2194, USA.
Megan A
MA
Lewis
Institute of Cytology and Preventive Oncology (ICMR), I-7, Sector-39, Noida, 201301, India.
Ravi
R
Mehrotra
American Cancer Society, Inc., 250 Williams Street NW, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
Ann
A
McMikel
Center for Public Policy, IIM Bangalore, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore, 560076, India.
Arnab
A
Mukherji
American Cancer Society, Inc., 250 Williams Street NW, Atlanta, GA, 30303, USA.
Navami
N
Naik
RTI International, 701 13th St NW #750, Washington, DC, 20005, USA.
Laura
L
Nyblade
Indian Institute of Public Health Bhubaneswar, Public Health Foundation of India, Infocity Road, Patia, Bhubaneswar, 751024, India.
Sanghamitra
S
Pati
Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (Government of India, Ministry for Science and Technology), Millennium Avenue, Jagathy, Thiruvananthapuram, 695014, India.
M Radhakrishna
MR
Pillai
Center for Global Health, National Cancer Institute, 9609 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD, 20892-9760, USA.
Preetha
P
Rajaraman
Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Dr. M.H Marigowda Road, Bangalore, 560029, India.
Chalurvarayaswamy
C
Ramesh
All India Institute of Medical Science, Gautam Nagar, Ansari Nagar East, New Delhi, 110029, India.
G K
GK
Rath
RTI International, 701 13th St NW #750, Washington, DC, 20005, USA.
Richard
R
Reithinger
International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO-IARC), 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69372, Lyon Cedex 08, France.
Rengaswamy
R
Sankaranarayanan
Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project, 3rd Floor, DMS Annex New Building 259 Anna Salai, Teynampet, Chennai, 600006, India.
Jerard
J
Selvam
Tamil Nadu Health Systems Project, 3rd Floor, DMS Annex New Building 259 Anna Salai, Teynampet, Chennai, 600006, India.
M S
MS
Shanmugam
Centre for Chronic Conditions and Injuries, Public Health Foundation of India, Sector 44, Gurgaon, 122002, India.
Krithiga
K
Shridhar
Cancer Foundation of India, 47/2D, Selimpur Road, Kolkata, 700031, India.
Maqsood
M
Siddiqi
RTI International, 701 13th St NW #750, Washington, DC, 20005, USA.
Linda
L
Squiers
RTI International, 1440 Main Street, Suite 310, Waltham, MA, 02451-1623, USA.
Sujha
S
Subramanian
St. Johns Research Institute, 100 Feet Road, Koramangala, Bangalore, 560034, India.
Sandra M
SM
Travasso
S.T.N.M Hospital, NH 31A, Gangtok, Sikkim, 737101, India.
Yogesh
Y
Verma
Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Dr. M.H Marigowda Road, Bangalore, 560029, India.
M
M
Vijayakumar
Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7411, USA.
Bryan J
BJ
Weiner
Public Health Foundation of India, Delhi NCR, Plot No. 47, Sector 44, Gurgaon, Haryana, 122 003, India.
K Srinath
KS
Reddy
Harvard Global Equity Initiative, Harvard University, 651 Huntington Avenue, Room 632, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
Felicia M
FM
Knaul
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control*
Advocacy; Cancer; India; Policy; Prevention; Symposium