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National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) is an alliance of twenty-one cancer centers, most of which are designated by the National Cancer Institute (of the National Institutes of Health) as Comprehensive Cancer Centers. It is a non-profit organization with offices in Fort Washington, PA. All 21 of the cancer centers that belong to the NCCN are in the United States.

Mission and main activities

The mission of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) is "to improve care, with respect to cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up." The main activity of the organization is the development and publication of practice guidelines for oncology care. These guidelines are developed by oncology physicians at the member cancer centers and are based on research evidence from clinical trials and other studies. NCCN also develops guidelines for patients. According to the organization, the goal of developing these guidelines "is to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of oncology care." NCCN on April 1, 2009 has launched a consumer website. Their cancer treatment summaries will help you and your family make treatment decisions that are right for you.

Publications

NCCN has several publications aimed at oncology practitioners:

• The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology are a set of practice guidelines for oncology developed by expert panels of oncologists. The guidelines published by NCCN cover 97% of cancers and are updated on a continual basis. The NCCN oncology guidelines are the most widely used guidelines in oncology practice and are used in over 115 countries. Information in the guidelines is based on a review of scientific evidence from oncology trials and studies.

NCCN has information for patients:

NCCN has created cancer patient treatment summaries for some of the cancers described in the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. The patient treatment summaries below cover about 70 percent of all cancers in adults. We will add new treatment summaries frequently throughout 2009 and 2010 and will continually update the existing summaries.

References

• Wood EH (Jul 2004). "The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)". J Med Libr Assoc. 92 (3): 382–3.  
• "New developments from National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) outlined recently" Physician Law Weekly August 1, 2007
• "New Guidelines Updates from National Comprehensive Cancer Network" Cancerwatch Online, Volume 13 Issue Number 3, March 2004
• Mustian KM, Morrow GR, Carroll JK, Figueroa-Moseley CD, Jean-Pierre P, Williams GC (2007). "Integrative nonpharmacologic behavioral interventions for the management of cancer-related fatigue". Oncologist 12 (Suppl 1): 52–67. doi:10.1634/theoncologist.12-S1-52. PMID 17573456.  
• NCCN and ACS Team Up to Provide Easy to Understand Information on Cancer Treatment Options. ([1])

External links

• National Comprehensive Cancer Network
• National Comprehensive Cancer Network Consumer Website