A multidisciplinary task force of lung cancer experts has published a new statement focusing on harmonised standards for lung cancer registration and lung cancer services in Europe.
The statement, published in the European Respiratory Journal, highlights the need for a single dataset for use in pan-European data collection, as well as a manual of standards for European lung cancer services.
The task force included 25 members from nine countries around Europe, with specialised interests across the lung cancer field, including pathology, pulmonology, radiation oncology, medical oncology, thoracic surgery, palliative care, a lung cancer specialist nurse, and a medical statistician. Patients’ views were also represented through the European Lung Foundation’s lung cancer patient advisory group.
An evidence search and review of existing lung cancer manuals was conducted to assess the quality and breadth of current manuals. Based on this review, the task force agreed upon several core principles for the development of European standards, including:
- The primary audience for care manuals is professionals involved in lung cancer care in Europe, but they are also important for patients and their carers
- New manuals must aim to harmonise and improve standards throughout Europe, with emphasis on multi-disciplinary team work and patient-centred care
- Manuals should consider infrastructure and organisation of lung cancer services, as well as standards for lung cancer services at each stage of the lung cancer pathway
- Standards should be divided into essential and advanced. The evidence base for which grouping a standard belongs to is to be graded into three levels: guideline; literature review and assessment; and good practice
- Terminology should be standardised, as differences can lead to differences in interpretation across Europe
The statement continues to outline further recommendations for a pan-European manual of standards for lung cancer services and how they might be implemented across Europe.