Cancer care in Belgium
The quality of cancer care in Belgium, as measured by five-year survival for treatable cancers such as breast cancer, cervical cancer and colorectal cancer, is better than the EU average.1 However, cancer remains one of the most common causes of death. Incidence and prevalence of cancer have been rising along with an ageing population and more effective treatment solutions.2 The most frequently reported cancers for males are, respectively, prostate cancer, lung cancer and colon cancer. For females the most frequent cancer is breast cancer, with more than one third of reported cases, followed first by colon cancer and lung cancer.3 The challenge to improve cancer care and ensure sustainable cancer care remains high on the agenda and calls for action.
All.Can Belgium initiative
All.Can Belgium is a multi-stakeholder platform working to mobilise the Belgian cancer care community in order to achieve specific, implementable and ambitious projects. The aim is to achieve sustainable, efficient, innovative and patient-centred cancer care. All.Can Belgium brings together patient and care representatives, healthcare professionals, health experts, health economists, policymakers and industry representatives who are committed to this objective.
All.Can Belgium has five main goals:
- Align stakeholders on a joint vision on cancer care and create stakeholder support for this vision
- Initiate and realise projects to deliver on the vision
- Propose solutions that contribute to more efficient and innovative cancer care
- Proactively provide input to the policy debate
- Create societal support for the vision.
The scope of the All.Can Belgium initiative includes the following dimensions:
- The value and adoption of innovative, improved approaches in cancer care
- Resource allocation
- Patient access
- Quality of care.
Activities and milestones
- All.Can Belgium became an official All.Can national initiative on 11 June 2018
- Memorandum and vision document. These documents contain key messages from the All.Can Belgium community on patient centricity and innovative, sustainable cancer policies. They lay the foundation for the solution-oriented projects that are being developed with key stakeholders in cancer care
- All.Can Belgium had their event at Solvay Library in Brussels on 14 March 2019
- Publication of key findings for Belgium from the All.Can patient survey June/July 2019
References
- OECD/European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. 2017. Belgium: Country Health Profile 2017, State of Health in the EU. Available here: https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/belgium-country-health-profile-2017_9789264283299-en [accessed: June 2018]
- Cancon. 2017. European Guide on Quality Improvement in Comprehensive Cancer Control. Available here: https://www.iccp-portal.org/sites/default/files/resources/Cancon_PolicyPaper2_032017.pdf [accessed: June 2018]
- Stichting Tegen Kanker. Kanker in cijfers. Available here: https://www.kanker.be/alles-over-kanker/kanker-cijfers [accessed: June 2018]
Executive Board of Directors
Dr Pia Cox
Executive Officer
Professor Dr. Ahmad Awada (Chair of the Board)
Jules Bordet Institute
Gilles Poncé
Bristol‑Myers Squibb
Frédéric Maddaléna
University Hospital St Luc (UCL), Brussels
Dr Willemart Bernard
University Hospital St Elisabeth (UCL), Namur
An Cloet
MSD Belgium & Luxembourg
Prof. Dr. Anne Rogiers
CHU Brugmann
Benoit Mores
MLOZ
Jean-Michel Luyckx
Novartis
Dr Véronique Le Ray
Foundation against Cancer
Members
Professor Dr. Jan van Meerbeeck
Antwerp University Hospital
Dr Marc Vanden Bulcke
Sciensano (Kankercentrum)
Olivier Grégoire
Health economist
François Perl
Solidaris
Thomas Limberopoulos
Roche
Dr Kevin Punie
GZA Ziekenhuizen
Mitchell Silva
Patient Centrics ~ Esperity
Robert Henkinet
Janssen
Professor Dr. Ingel Demedts
Thoracic Oncologist AZ Delta
Johan Thibo
Prolong vzw
Florence Duvieusart ( in memoriam)
ALK Positive Belgium
André Stoop
NCSLC survivor
François Daue
Solstisse
Professor Dr Thierry Berghmans
Thoracic Oncologist Institut Jules Bordet
Dr. Kristof Cuppens
Thoracic Oncologist Jessa Ziekenhuis
Ina Gesquiere
AstraZeneca
Anne De Middelaer
Gynca´s
Jo Jansen
Amgen
Prof.Dr. Paul Van Schil
IASLC
Dr Philip Lerut
Dr. Henry Paridaens
All.Can Belgium interviewed Prof. Dr. Ahmad Awada, Chair of All.Can Belgium’s Board of Directors
COVID-19 Patient Survey
All.Can Belgium has launched a patient survey to investigate the impact of covid19 on cancer patients.
All.Can Belgium – COVID response
Learn about the latest developments with regards to All.Can Belgium’s response to the COVID-19 crisis.
All.Can Belgium Press Release
All.Can Belgium officially launched at historic Solvay library
On 14 March 2019 the Belgian All.Can initiative held its launch event in Brussels.
Registration opens for All.Can Belgium launch event
All.Can Belgium has announced the agenda and opened registration for its official launch event.
All.Can Belgium announces official launch event and newsletter
All.Can Belgium has developed a newsletter ahead of its official launch event in March 2019.
National All.Can initiative launched in Belgium
Belgium has launched its own national All.Can initiative, joining other countries across the world.
Past events
All.Can Belgium launch event
14 March 2019
Brussels, Belgium
OPTIMOC: optimizing the MOC at Belgian oncology departments
Read more here.
COVID-19 Patient Survey
All.Can Belgium has launched a patient survey to investigate the impact of covid19 on cancer patients. Read more here.
Vision document
The All.Can Belgium vision document reflects on Belgian needs in relation to efficiency and innovation in cancer care. It is based on a multi-stakeholder approach, brings ideas and suggestions to policymakers, and aims to inspire everyone concerned with better cancer care.
- Download the All.Can Belgium vision document
Efficiency and sustainability in innovative patient centred cancer care
Memorandum
Optimising cancer care requires firm and collaborative actions across the whole cancer care continuum. The All.Can Belgium memorandum presents 10 key steps in such an approach in line with the initiative’s vision.
- Download the memorandum in English
Efficiency and sustainability in innovative patient centred cancer care - Download the memorandum in French
Efficience et durabilité des soins oncologiques innovants axés sur le patient - Download the memorandum in Dutch
Efficiëntie en duurzaamheid in innovatieve, patiëntgerichte kankerzorg
All.Can patient survey Belgium
All.Can Belgium would like to thank the 391 Belgian respondents who took part in the All.Can patient survey, and the organisations that helped to distribute the survey. The results show that despite the high quality of cancer care, we need to continue to innovate for greater efficiency and patient centricity.
- You can download key findings from the All.Can patient survey in Belgium here.
- The results are integrated in the All.Can international patient survey report that you can find here.
All.Can Belgium newsletter
- View the first issue: January 2019
- View the second issue: June 2019
Disclaimer:
The All.Can initiative is made up of leading representatives of patient organisations, policymakers, healthcare professionals, science and industry. All the publications produced under the initiative reflect the consensus of All.Can members who have full editorial control. The All.Can initiative in Belgium is financially supported by Bristol Myers Squibb (Sustaining partner and founding member), MSD (Sustaining partner and founding member), Novartis ( Sustaining partner),Roche (Funding member), Janssen (Funding member) ,AstraZeneca (Funding member) and Amgen ( Supporting member). None of the content developed in discussions and activities of the All.Can initiative contains direct or indirect references to specific medicinal products or therapies. Use of content from this website is permitted provided that the source of information is clearly mentioned.