Support for the National Cancer Control Programs
Serving as a cancer control policy think-tank, NCC currently supports a wide range of cancer control activities in close cooperation with the Ministry of Health & Welfare, thereby contributing towards reducing the national cancer burden. The planning, management and evaluation of the cancer control programs are being conducted by the NCC primarily through the National Cancer Control Research Institute (NCCRI), one of the NCC's three divisions.
Following are some of the major cancer control programs currently underway in Korea:
National R&D Program for Cancer
Control
Regional Cancer Center Support Program
This
cancer-oriented R&D program was initiated in 1996 when the
Ministry of Health & Welfare formulated its comprehensive
10-year plan for cancer control. The projects it has supported
are very wide in terms of subject, ranging from epidemiological
approaches to the development of state-of-the-art therapeutic
technologies. NCC plans, manages and evaluates the initiatives
by funding them.
National Cancer Registration
Program The Korea
Central Cancer Registry (KCCR), a hospital-based national
cancer registry, was set up in 1980 and has been registering
cancer occurences since then. The KCCR first started collecting comprehensive
cancer-related information for the whole population of Korea in
1995 when population-based regional cancer registries were
introduced under the aegis of the KCCR. The information collected
through this program is used in the planning of national
cancer strategies as well as research. The NCC currently
functions as the Headquarters for the National Cancer Registry.
National Cancer Screening Program Initiated in 1999 by the
government, the National Cancer Screening Program
(NCSP) provides targeted population with free screening
services for five common cancers - stomach,
liver, colorectum, breast, and uterine cervix. The NCC provides
the government with policy alternatives and recommendations
to improve the program in terms of both quantity and
quality.
Cancer Patients Management Program The home-based cancer patient
management program was designed in 2001 to provide low-income
cancer patients at home or in nursing homes with a variety
of medical care services, including consultations, pain
control, nursing care and medication, free of
charge. Health care providers in public health centers such
as nurses, physicians, other health professionals take
part in this program. Also, the government launched the terminal cancer patient
care initiative in 2005 to help palliative care units in
local areas improve the quality of palliative care for terminal
cancer patients through education and other kinds of support.
Regional Cancer Center Support Program
The government has strived to reduce regional disparity
in cancer care services by building up the cancer care infrastructure
and enhancing accessibility to
cancer care services. Currently, a total of nine university
hospitals in nine provinces are designated as regional cancer
centers (RRCs). If designated a RRC, a hospital is provided
with financial support to build up its cancer care facilities
and conduct cancer control activities at the regional level.
Financial Aid Program for Cancer
Patients The financial
aid program for cancer patients was introduced to relieve
the financial burden of low-income patients. starting
with leukemia
patients under 18 in 2002, the program has expanded its coverage to include
medical aid beneficiaries and low-income National Health Insurance
beneficiaries.
Operation of National Cancer
Information Center & Tobacco Quitline Program NCC started to provide a comprehensive cancer information
service by opening the National Cancer Information Center
(NCIC) in April 2005. The center was designed to give cancer
patients and their family members the most up-to-date, evidence-based
information on all types of cancer through a call center
service at 82-1577-8899, web site (http://www.cancer.go.kr),
and publications.
NCC also runs a call center that offers evidence-based information about the relationship between smoking and cancer and helps smokers quit. Well-trained counselors are available to answer smoking-related questions at 82-1544-9030
NCC also runs a call center that offers evidence-based information about the relationship between smoking and cancer and helps smokers quit. Well-trained counselors are available to answer smoking-related questions at 82-1544-9030
