Eight priorities for Canada’s cancer system
sub title
Priority 1
Decrease the risk of people getting cancer
Help people to stop smoking or not start in the first place and live healthier lives
- Keeping people smoke-free
- Maintaining healthy body weight
Adopt proven practices known to reduce the risk of cancer
- Increasing HPV vaccination
- Implementing HPV screening for cervical cancer
- Increasing genetic testing
Prioritize rapid access to appropriate diagnosis for those suspected of having cancer
- Reducing wait for diagnosis
- Diagnosing cancer earlier
Strengthen existing screening efforts and implement lung cancer screening programs across the country
- Increasing participation in colorectal cancer screening
- Implementing lung cancer screening
Set best practices and standards for care delivery and promote their adoption
- Implementing multidisciplinary care
Eliminate low-benefit practices and adopt high-value practices
- Optimizing care at end of life
- Optimizing screening and appropriate follow-up
Design and implement new models of care
- Expanding models of care
Provide better services and care adapted to the specific needs of underserved groups
- Increasing access to culturally safe care
- Increasing support to help patients navigate the system
Ensure rural and remote communities have the resources required to better serve their people
- Increasing access to virtual care
- Increasing access to supportive care services
Ensure care can be delivered between provinces, territories and federal jurisdictions when needed
- Improving access to timely care for people who need to travel between jurisdictions
- Improving access to transportation and general support for those needing to travel between jurisdictions
Integrate the full spectrum of information and support services to ensure people are fully supported throughout the cancer experience
- Improving availability of information and support
- Improving access to shared medical records
Address the limited and unequal access to palliative and end-of-life care across Canada
- Improving access to quality end-of-life care
- Improving access to culturally safe palliative care
Support children, adolescents and young adults at key transition points in their unique cancer journeys
- Improving care for adolescents and young adults with cancer
- Improving transitions for adolescents and young adults with cancer
Priority 6
Culturally appropriate care closer to home
This priority and the associated Peoples-specific actions were identified by First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Efforts made in these areas will help drive needed changes in outcome and experience for all First Nations, Inuit and Métis.
Priority 7
Peoples-specific, self-determined care
This priority and the associated Peoples-specific actions were identified by First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Efforts made in these areas will help drive needed changes in outcome and experience for all First Nations, Inuit and Métis.
This priority and the associated Peoples-specific actions were identified by First Nations, Inuit and Métis. Efforts made in these areas will help drive needed changes in outcome and experience for all First Nations, Inuit and Métis.