Abstract 41P
Background
Rare cancers constitute a heterogeneous group of diseases that, although individually with a low incidence, correspond to 20-25% of new cases of malignancies as a group. Despite this fact, rare cancers – including sarcomas – are often overlooked in National Cancer Control Plans (NCCPs), National Non-communicable Chronic Disease Plans (NCDs), and National Rare Diseases Plans (NRDPs).
Methods
We performed a qualitative review of NCCPs, NCDs, and NRDPs from South American countries, gathered from each ministry of health or equivalent website, and the International Cancer Control Partnership (ICCP) portal. Following an initial assessment of whether rare cancers were mentioned in the documents, we proceeded with an in-depth analysis to provide a descriptive review of how rare cancers and sarcoma were addressed.
Results
We reviewed documents from 12 countries within South America – 7 NCCPs, 9 CNDs, 4 NRDPs. Two countries had no documents to be reviewed. Rare cancers are rarely addressed specifically in any of the documents reviewed. For 5/10 countries with documents reviewed, rare cancers were not mentioned specifically in any of the documents analyzed. The document that provided a more in-depth assessment of rare cancers was NCCP from Argentina, which describes a project for telemedicine for rare cancers and, specifically, a pilot project for sarcomas to improve diagnostics, access to multidisciplinary discussion, and appropriate care. Table: 41P
| Country | Definition | Organization | Effective referral | Histopathological imaging | Research | Access to orphan drugs | Pop based databases, registries, biobanks |
| Argentina | X | X | X | X | X | - | X |
| Bolivia | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Brazil | - | X | - | - | - | - | - |
| Chile | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Colombia | x | - | - | - | - | X | - |
| Ecuador | - | - | - | - | - | X | - |
| Guyana | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Paraguay | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Peru | - | X | - | - | - | X | X |
| Suriname | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Uruguay | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Venezuela | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Conclusions
The limited inclusion of rare cancers in the majority of NCCPs/NCDs/NRDPs from South America suggests a lack of awareness and understanding regarding their unique aspects. It is key to enhance the national policy frameworks that tackle the challenges faced by patients diagnosed with rare cancers – including sarcomas – positioning NCCPs as essential strategic documents in this effort.
Clinical trial identification
Editorial acknowledgement
Legal entity responsible for the study
The authors.
Funding
Has not received any funding.
Disclosure
R. Carmagnani Pestana: Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: Bayer, Servier, Astellas; Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker: Bayer, Servier, Pfizer, Amgen, BMS, Merck, Knight therapeutics; Financial Interests, Institutional, Invited Speaker: Servier; Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Leadership Role: LACOG, SBOC. B.B. Lopes David: Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker, Participation in the scientific program of the Americas Oncologia International Symposium (08/2019). Air ticket and Accommodation: COI Institute/Americas Oncologia; Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker, Satellite symposium at the Brazilian Congress of Orthopedics: Deciphera; Financial Interests, Personal, Other, Scholarship. Project Manager - SELNET Consortium: Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori; Financial Interests, Personal, Other, Senior Medical Advisor in Sarcomas for Latin America: Orphan DC; Financial Interests, Institutional, Other, Project Manager, Scholarship. Observational study for Quality Assessment of Sarcoma as a model to improve diagnosis and clinical care of rare tumors through a European and Latin American multidisciplinary Network (SELNET) HORIZON 2020-SC1-BHC-2018-2020/H2020-SC1-2018-Single-Stage-RTD: Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori; Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Member, Promotion of training and research, continuing education, health policies, professional defense, national and international relations: SBOC - Brazilian Society of Clinical Oncology; Non-Financial Interests, Personal, Member, Member-FellowStructured educational pathway that spans careers from medical student through to taking on leadership responsibilities. ESO has offered young oncologists an expanding array of educational opportunities, from oncology basics to specialist courses and fellowships, delivered face to face or online: ESCO - College of the European School of Oncology. C. Mello: Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Role: Boehringer Ingelheim, Servier, Addium; Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker: Servier, Addium. M.L. Gonzalez Donna: Financial Interests, Personal, Research Grant: ASCO-Pfizer. R. Ramella Munhoz: Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker: BMS, MSD, Sanofi, Novartis, Merck Serono; Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: Sanofi; Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker, Invited speaker: Pfizer; Financial Interests, Institutional, Invited Speaker: Roche, Novartis, Bayer, Agenus, Pfizer. M. Zapata: Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker: Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Biotoscana, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Janssen, MSD, Merck-Serono, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi. C.L. Martins: Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker: MSD, AstraZeneca; Financial Interests, Personal, Advisory Board: MSD, AstraZeneca. M.R. Chacon: Financial Interests, Personal, Invited Speaker: Novartis, BMS, Elea, MSD. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.