The National Comprehensive Cancer Network is a resource for health care professionals who diagnose and treat cancer patients. The NCCN is made up of a network of 21 of the world's leading cancer centers. The NCCN develops and maintains guidelines for cancer treatment. These guidelines are a powerful resource for your doctor. In the fight against cancer, knowledge of what works best is a powerful weapon. The NCCN provides the knowledge your doctor needs to find the right treatment plan.
Features
The NCCN works to improve all areas of cancer care so that patients can have a better quality of life. The network develops resources that present valuable information about cancer treatments to members of health-care systems. It promotes continuous quality improvement and recognizes the significance of creating clinical-practice guidelines. These guidelines are intended for use by patients, clinicians to decide on a treatment plan.
Member Institutions
Each year health-care professionals at the NCCN member institutions treat more than 160,000 new cancer patients. These institutions work to integrate new programs to improve patient care, research and education. Member institutions are chosen due their large volume of cancer patients with access to the latest technologies, clinical trials and therapies. Work done at these institutions is responsible for numerous advancements in the area of cancer care. For example, through the work of the member institutions the multidisciplinary approach to cancer care was established. This approach is now a widely accepted method of treatment and ensures that all possible needs of the patient are addressed.
Development of the Guidelines
The NCCN guidelines are developed through the collaboration of professionals at the member institutions. The clinical trials and research conducted at these institutions help to keep the guidelines up to date. As new advancements are made in the area of cancer care, the guidelines are updated to reflect the most current and effective treatments. The NCCN guidelines are developed by 44 panels of experts. These panels are made up of more than 800 clinicians and cancer researchers from the member institutions. These professionals donate their time to revise and update the guidelines to reflect new information.
Using the Guidelines
Your doctor uses the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines to help decide the best approach to diagnosing, treating, managing and monitoring your cancer at every stage. The NCCN also provides information about cancer drugs and a library of chemotherapy order templates that have been designed to improve the safe and effective use of drugs in cancer care. Using the guidelines allows your doctor to see what type of care has worked the best in the past and what new options now exist.
Copies of the Guidelines
To get a copy of the guidelines, visit the NCCN web site, www.nccn.org. Access to the NCCN guidelines is not limited to health-care workers. Patients are encouraged to read the information provided and to ask their doctor if they have questions about their treatment plan.
Tags: cancer care, cancer patients, NCCN guidelines, treatment plan, about cancer, area cancer
