Guidelines for Cancer care from the Association of Radiotherapy and Oncology of the Mediterranean area (AROME): A new concept for overcoming disparities.

On behalf of AROME network:

A Al Halabi, O Arsovski, D Azria, M Barchana,Y Bashar, Y Belkacemi, A Benider, A Bensalem, Z Bernstein, N Bese, N Bouaouina, K Boualga, H Boussen, K Bouzid, L Cals, MP Chauvet, M Filipovic, J Gligorov, M Hamdicherif, M Hery, B Jeremic, K Kerrou, D Koroveshi, A Kuten, F Lokiec, N Mandel, H Nasrallah, M Ozsahin, A Sallaku, H Sancho-Garnier, K Thabet, C Turkan, P Tsoutsou, M Valli, M Ychou, A Zouhair.

Background:

 Guidelines application is clearly one of the most important actions that impact quality of care and survival. Because of medical and resource disparities, diverse incomes and cultural backgrounds, international guidelines for several cancers can not be easily applied in many countries. AROME is a network that focuses mainly on multidisciplinary collaboration for cancer care training and promotion of educational programs around the Mediterranean area (MA). The aim of this report is to point out the first AROME guidelines concept.

Methods:

AROME network in collaboration with UICC have addressed cancer epidemiology in the MA. Breast, Cervix, Lung, Head and Neck, Bladder, and Colorectal cancers were identified as the most frequent. Thus, AROME organized an international workshop devoted to establishing guidelines according to this epidemiology. The method used was a formalized consensus with a concept of two levels of recommendations: 1- minimum requirements, defined as the minimum practice that oncologist should be able to perform in order to provide the minimal acceptable cancer care in today's standards; and 2- standard of care, in order to provide optimal state-of-the-art cancer care which might require high level of human and financial resources.

Results:

 AROME's approach has established the first adapted guidelines to the MA resources. The conclusions of the six working parties will be reported. Minimal requirements will be discussed and compared to international guidelines. The Standard Guidelines will be discussed regarding the resource categories in different countries and the impact of such approach on influencing political decisions to allow new resources with the aim of improving the level of quality of cancer care in the MA.

back