WHAT IS THE MARYLAND COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CONTROL PLAN?

Cancer is a disease that affects everyone in Maryland. Each year, more than 31,000 Marylanders are diagnosed with invasive cancer, and countless family members, friends, and co-workers support these patients through their journeys. While the death rate from cancer in the United States has steadily declined since its peak in 1991, cancer continues to be the second leading cause of death in the United States and in Maryland, behind heart disease.

The purpose of the Maryland Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan (Cancer Plan) serves as a guide for professionals who are involved in planning, directing, implementing, evaluating, or performing research on cancer control in Maryland. It is also a resource for all Marylanders (individuals and families, health care providers, communities, and organizations) on cancer control topics.

Comprehensive cancer control is a strategic approach to cancer control involving communities and partners working together, combining resources, and coordinating efforts to maximize impact in controlling cancer, including:

Reducing risk,

Detecting cancers early,

Improving treatment, and

Enhancing survivorship.

The 2021-2025 Cancer Plan continues to focus on goals, objectives, and strategies to promote implementation, and provides consolidated, cross-cutting content and topic areas.

Objectives in the Cancer Plan are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time-bound (SMART) and based on available data sources. Most objectives are relevant to multiple cancer sites. Strategies in the Cancer Plan are updated from the 2016-2020 Cancer Plan or based on recent evidence, and when possible, they focus on policy, systems, and environmental changes to impact populations versus individuals.

HOW WAS THE CANCER PLAN DEVELOPED?

The Cancer Plan represents the coordinated efforts of the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) as well as 49 public and private stakeholders from across the state. Development of the 2021-2025 Maryland Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan occurred in phases:

MDH engaged subject matter experts to review and update the 2016-2020 Cancer Plan,

The updated Cancer Plan was presented to partner stakeholders for review,

MDH incorporated partner feedback,

The revised Cancer Plan was presented to partner stakeholders for additional comments, and

MDH finalized the Cancer Plan in the fall of 2020.

Additionally, the MCC, a statewide coalition of volunteers and organizations working to implement the Cancer Plan, will review the objectives and strategies, and select priority projects to work on in the coming years.

 

WHO SHOULD USE THE CANCER PLAN?

The Cancer Plan is intended for use by all cancer control professionals throughout the state, including health care providers; public health professionals; academics; representatives of community, nonprofit, and advocacy organizations; volunteers; and others. The goals, objectives, and strategies can be tailored to many settings to help guide cancer control activities.

See the Current Cancer Plan

 

PREVIOUS CANCER PLANS

2016-2020 Maryland Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan ​

2011-2015 Maryland Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan

2004-2008 Maryland Cancer Plan


CANCER PLAN COMPANIONS

Resources Related to Cancer Plan Topics 

Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change in the Maryland Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan
Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change in Cancer Control Presentation 
Community-Clinical Linkages in the Maryland Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan
Patient Navigation in the Maryland Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan

PROGRESS REPORTS

Cancer Control Success Stories: 2017 Progress Report
Cancer Control Success Stories: 2016 Progress Report
Cancer Control Success Stories: 2015 Progress Report
Cancer Control Success Stories: 2014 Progress Report
Cancer Control Success Stories: 2013 Progress Report
Cancer Control Success Stories: 2011/2012 Progress Report  

PUBLISHED ARTICLES

An Assessment of Hospital-Based Palliative Care in Maryland:  Infrastructure, Barriers, and Opportunities

Comparing the Maryland Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan with Federal Cancer Prevention and Control Recommendations

 

 

 

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