he National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)—an alliance of leading cancer centres—and the NCCN Foundation have announced plans to make every book in the library of NCCN Guidelines for Patients available in Spanish; with select editions available in additional languages as well.

NCCN publishes the NCCN Guidelines for Patients library through funding from the NCCN Foundation.

It now features more than 70 books with easy-to-understand information about prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and supportive care for nearly every type of cancer.

The patient guidelines are based on the continuously updated, evidence-based, expert consensus-driven recommendations from the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines^®) which are used by health care providers worldwide.

They have been recognised with numerous awards as a trustworthy and user-friendly source of information for people with cancer.

The NCCN Guidelines for Patients are available to view or download for free online at NCCN.org/patientguidelines or via the NCCN Patient Guides for Cancer App. Non-English editions can also be found at NCCN.org/global. Printed books are available for a nominal fee via Amazon.

“Our commitment to making sure every patient guideline is available in Spanish showcases our dedication to ensuring everyone can access high-quality cancer care resources,” said Gena Cook, Founder & CEO, Kaliper Health, Chair, NCCN Foundation Board of Directors. “Our work is already well underway, with at least 20 books available in Spanish right now, and more to come. We have a list of additional high-priority languages based on global population representation. We want to make sure this vital information is understandable for everyone who needs it worldwide, including non-English speakers with cancer within the United States.”

All translations are completed by interpreters who specialise in medical texts and understand the nuances of healthcare information.

In addition to Spanish, there are currently NCCN Guidelines for Patients available in:

“The NCCN Guidelines for Patients were accessed more than 1.4 million times last year with about a fifth of those users located outside the United States,” said Crystal S. Denlinger, MD, Chief Executive Officer, NCCN. “We always strive to improve how we deliver crucial health guidance and expand the reach for any resources that can help us improve and facilitate quality, effective, equitable, and accessible cancer care worldwide.”

Patrick Delaney, Executive Director, NCCN Foundation, added: “The NCCN Foundation is fortunate to be able to collaborate with a diverse group of international organisations who recognise the need for equitable access to cancer patient information. We are incredibly grateful for the philanthropic support that makes it possible for us to offer these essential resources free-of-charge for all who need them.”

The NCCN website also features several resources for people facing cancer and caregivers, including live and recorded webinars, suggested questions to ask health care providers, links to advocacy and support groups, and much more.

Source: NCCN.org