title: Fighting Global Disparities in Cancer Care: A Surgical Oncology View.
abstract: Cancer is the second leading cause of death globally after cardiovascular disease. Long-term cancer survival has improved in the Western world due to early detection and the use of effective combined treatment modalities, as well as the development of effective immunotherapy and drug-targeted therapy. Surgery is still the mainstay for most solid tumors; however, low- and middle-income countries are facing an increasing lack of primary surgical care for easily treatable conditions, including breast, colon, and head and neck cancers. In this paper, a surgical oncology view is presented to elaborate how the Western surgical oncologist can take part in the 'surgical fight' against global disparities in cancer care, and a plea is made to strive for structural solutions, such as a partnership in surgical oncology training. The pros and cons of the use of eHealth and mHealth technologies and education programs for schools and the community are discussed as these create an opportunity to reach a large portion of the population in these countries, at low cost and with high impact.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. h.j.hoekstra@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Harald J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Hoekstra
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Radboud University Medical Center, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Theo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wobbes
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.|Association of Surgeons of the Netherlands, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heineman
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, National Cancer Center, Dharmais Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haryono
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.|Faculty of Medicine, Universitas of Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
authors.forename: Teguh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aryandono
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Charles M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Balch
mesh_terms: D014943:Global Health; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011379:Prognosis; D000071077:Surgical Oncology