Rapid Fire Session 2014 World Cancer Congress

The International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting (ICCR) – from clinical need to international partnerships and global goals (#403)

John Srigley 1 2 , Fredrik Bosman 3 4 , Beth Chmara 5 , James Dvorak 5 , Lynn Hirschowitz 6 , Meagan Judge 7 , Avril Kwiatkowski 1 , Jean Simpson 5 , Kay Washington 5 , Mike Wells 4 6 , David Ellis 7
  1. Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, Toronto, Canada
  2. Canadian Association of Pathology, Toronto, Canada
  3. WHO Monographs, IARC, Lyon, France
  4. European Society of Pathology, Belgium
  5. College of American Pathologists, Northfield, Ill, USA
  6. Royal College of Pathologists, London, UK
  7. Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia, Sydney, Australia

Background and Context:

Datasets or checklists for the pathology reporting of cancer have been produced in a number of countries in the last 2 decades both at a national and institutional level. These have been driven largely by clinical need, yet the same data aggregated at the population level, is critical for public health management and intervention. Although many datasets have common elements, there has been no previous attempt to develop internationally agreed, evidence-based standards for the reporting of cancer – a pre-requisite for clinical practice as well as national and international benchmarking for cancer control.

Aim:

To develop a process for the production, dissemination and implementation of international evidence-based pathology cancer datasets (IPCD).

Strategy/Tactics:

The International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting (ICCR) was established in 2011 between the Pathology Colleges and Associations of the USA, UK, Canada and Australia. Cancer datasets from various organisations are harmonised and updated by internationally recognised pathologists and subjected to evidentiary and worldwide review, followed by publication in peer-reviewed journals.  Key international cancer organisations endorse and participate in the process.

Programme/Policy Process:

Four datasets have been published and posted to the ICCR website to date and a further 6 are under development.  The International Agency for Research in Cancer (IARC) has partnered with ICCR to synchronise the publication of subsequent ICCR datasets with future WHO Tumour Classification volumes.  The ICCR is involved with the major staging organisations and the European Society of Pathology (ESP) has recently joined ICCR as a founding member, bringing over 68 countries and more than one billion people under a common process.

Outcomes/What was learned:

The ICCR has developed an efficient process for the production of internationally standardized and evidence-based cancer datasets.   Engagement with key international cancer and pathology organisations ensures their adoption worldwide.