Comprehensive cancer control is an integrated and coordinated
approach to reducing cancer incidence and death through prevention, early
detection, treatment, and rehabilitation, while also attending to the special
needs of patients requiring end-of-life care. This is achieved through a broad
partnership of public and private partners whose common mission is to reduce the
overall burden of cancer.
In 2001 the Pennsylvania Department of Health initiated an unprecedented
partnership to develop the Commonwealth’s first-ever comprehensive cancer
control plan. Representatives of government, healthcare delivery organizations,
healthcare providers, healthcare consumers, community-based organizations,
community leaders, researchers, voluntary organizations, and industry convened
in Harrisburg for the Future Search Conference – a dialogue to discuss the past,
present, and future of cancer control in the Commonwealth.
During this historic meeting, participants envisioned a framework for action to
ease the burden of cancer in Pennsylvania. Nine areas came forward from this
discussion:
The PA CCC Plan is a statewide blueprint for all sectors of Pennsylvania –
public, academic, private and volunteer – to work together to meet the growing
challenge of cancer control. The PA CCC Plan provides a clear, unifying vision
of cancer-related priorities and the steps that must be taken to reduce the
impact of cancer on the people of Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania is a state fortunate to have a wealth of resources and expertise to
meet the challenge, and out of this collaborative effort to develop the PA CCC
Plan, the Pennsylvania Cancer Control Consortium (PAC³) was formed.
