Determinants of successful implementation of population-based cancer screening programmes

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

  • Lynge, Elsebeth
  • Sven Törnberg
  • Lawrence von Karsa
  • Nereo Segnan
  • Johannes J M van Delden
To facilitate the future implementation of population-based cancer screening programmes in European countries, we summarised the experience gained from existing programmes across Europe. We listed points that citizens, advocacy groups, politicians, health planners, and health professionals should consider when planning, implementing and running population based cancer screening programmes. The list is general and is applicable to breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening. It is based on evidence presented in the three European Union guidelines on quality assurance in cancer screening and diagnosis, supplemented with other literature and expert experience presented at a European Science Advisory Network for Health workshop. The implementation of a cancer screening programme should be divided into the following seven phases: (1) before planning, (2) planning, (3) feasibility testing, (4) piloting or trial implementation, (5) scaling up from pilot to service, (6) running of full-scale programme, and (7) sustainability. For each phase, a substantial number of specified conditions have to be met. Successful implementation of a cancer screening programme requires societal acceptance and local ownership along with the best evidence-based practise and verification of adequate performance in each phase of implementation.
Original languageEnglish
JournalEuropean Journal of Cancer
Volume48
Issue number5
Pages (from-to)743-8
Number of pages6
ISSN0959-8049
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012

ID: 38295056