Australia launched a new international development project in partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to advance 'Rays of Hope' in the Asia and Pacific region. The project 'Strengthening Cancer Care by Training Radiation Oncology Health Professionals in Consistent and Accurate Data Collection through Oncology Information Systems' is led by Australia's Associate Professor Mei Ling Yap, Senior Staff Specialist Radiation Oncologist at Liverpool and Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centres. The initiative is delivered through the Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development and Training Related to Nuclear Science for Asia and the Pacific (RCA).
The global incidence of cancer is rising rapidly. Over 70% of diagnoses are made in low- and middle-income countries with close to 60% of cancer deaths in 2020 occurring in the Asia and Pacific region. As a result, cancer cases requiring radiotherapy are predicted to rise steeply over the next twenty years in these areas. The goal is to improve radiation oncology outcomes for Asian and Pacific country patients.
Improving access and use of quality oncology information systems in the Asia and Pacific region, has the potential to inform better cancer care patient outcomes. The project will provide regional training courses and workshops in collecting and acting on quality metrics, analysis of data networks and linkages, and will explore the scope for an Asia and Pacific data network to share information on cancer outcomes across participating countries without identifying patients.
In May 2024, Dr Yap organised and delivered the first project coordination meeting with participation from countries across the Asia and Pacific region. Those who attended identified success factors for the project, including the standardisation and harmonisation of data, collaboration across the region and the use of detailed surveying to ensure the design of a region-specific approach.
Meeting participants discussed the definition of a minimum standard dataset for radiotherapy, looking at current examples from the Australian system which included patient demographics, cancer diagnosis, degree of spread and treatment intent.
Dr Yap said 'Unless we can measure, we can't improve. We know that the Asia-Pacific is the region with the highest number of cancer diagnoses per year in the world. Every day, rich data are routinely collected in clinical information systems in cancer centres across the Asia Pacific, which could potentially be analysed to inform policy and practice. If these cancer data can be successfully harmonised and standardised, a data-driven approach can improve cancer care in the Asia-Pacific region'.
Ms Natascha Spark, Senior Manager for International Affairs at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology, ANSTO, was pleased to participate in launching the project. "This new Australian led project builds on over 50 years of RCA projects in improving cancer patient outcomes in the Asia and Pacific region, and we look forward to further progress in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals in human health, gender and global partnerships through this collaboration."
ANSTO plays a key leadership role in coordinating national participation in IAEA RCA regional collaborations to progress the UN SDGs in human health, environment, climate change, agriculture and industry.
