Projects / Programmes
Slovenian research programme for comprehensive cancer control SLORApro
January 1, 2022
- December 31, 2027
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 3.08.00 |
Medical sciences |
Public health (occupational safety) |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 3.03 |
Medical and Health Sciences |
Health sciences |
cancer epidemiology, cancer burden, risk factors, screening programmes, quality of care indicators, quality of life evaluation, survival, cancer registry
Data for the last 5 years (citations for the last 10 years) on
September 24, 2023;
A3 for period
2017-2021
Data for ARIS tenders (
04.04.2019 – Programme tender,
archive
)
| Database |
Linked records |
Citations |
Pure citations |
Average pure citations |
| WoS |
593 |
24,171 |
23,582 |
39.77 |
| Scopus |
538 |
30,902 |
30,262 |
56.25 |
Researchers (27)
Organisations (2)
Abstract
Cancer is a growing public health challenge in Europe and globally, with substantial and persistent inequalities in the incidence, mortality and survival within and between countries. The primary purpose of the new SLORApro research programme is to ensure evidence-based comprehensive cancer research and cancer control in Slovenia. At the same time, we want to transfer the acquired knowledge and experience to the management of other chronic non-communicable diseases, as well as to participate in the establishment of new standards for monitoring the quality of patient care in the Slovenian national health system. The SLORApro research programme thus represents a new comprehensive research approach in the field of chronic non-communicable diseases control in Slovenia and beyond. Research activities are planned at all levels of healthcare and cancer control - activities are proposed seperately for research in the fields of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. Two additional working areas spanning through all levels address the assessment of cancer burden, which represents the basis for all further activities, and research into socio-economic inequalities that are observed in Slovenia as well as globally. Specific objectives of the SLORApro research programme are: 1. Analysing the national cancer burden using the Slovenian Cancer Registry data, and placing indicators in the international context. 2. Identifying the most important cancer risk factors in Slovenia and proposing evidence-based primary prevention measures. 3. Monitoring the effects of existing national cancer screening programmes and supporting the evidence-based introduction (or cencellation) of new ones. 4. Through clinical cancer registries developing quality performance indicators (for diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care) for different cancer types, ensuring their monitoring, analysis and appropriate interpretation, which represents the basis for proposed improvements of the health system. 5. Identifying and analysing factors that are important for improving the quality of life of cancer patients and survivors, for reducing the burden of late effects of disease and treatment, and for improving the survival of cancer patients. 6. Exploring socio-economic inequalities in the risk factors, in the cancer burden and in the health care management of cancer patients in Slovenia and proposing possible measures to reduce these inequalities. 7. Developing and introducing to the Slovenian public health landscape new methods and technologies for collecting, computer processing, analysing and interpreting health data. 8. Identifying examples of good practice at the primary, secondary and tertiary level of cancer prevention, which could prove relevant in the study of other non-communicable diseases or to the management of the national health system.
Significance for science
The SLORApro research programme will contribute to the advancement of science and professional practice in many fields: public health, epidemiology, oncology, occupational medicine, health informatics and biostatistics. The most important expected contributions to the development of science and professional practice are: 1. Overview of the cancer burden in the country and placement of Slovenian cancer burden indicators in the international context. 2. Identification of socio-economic inequalities in risk factors, cancer incidence or in patient treatment and care. 3. Development and introduction of a national socio-economic inequality indicator and promotion of its general application also outside the field of healthcare. 4. Identification of the most important cancer risk factors and quantification of their impact in Slovenia. 5. Identification of the population at higher risk of cancer and preparation of population-specific proposals for preventive measures and timely diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care. 6. Quantification and monitoring of the effects of national cancer screening programmes. 7. Assessment of cancer patients' treatment quality. 8. Assessment of the differences in patients' quality of life during and after different types of treatment. 9. Overview of and research on the burden of late effects of disease and treatment. 10. Identification of the health care system elements that impact the survival of Slovenian cancer patients. 11. Development and introduction of new epidemiological methods, focusing also on the possibility of application and use of those methods in other health care fields. 12. Development and introduction of new procedures for the collection and processing of health data that can be used in other health care fields. 13. Introduction and development of innovative approaches in health informatization. 14. Development and implementation of national clinical registries for different types of cancer. 15. Development and introduction of new methods for monitoring quality of cancer treatment and care.
Significance for the country
The project will have a significant impact on society by achieving the following objectives: 1. Better understanding of cancer in society and better systemic cancer control. 2. Reduced inequalities in society. 3. Greater collaboration between research society, civil society, policy makers and private sector. 4. Promotion of Slovenia as an exemplary country with a well-established and successfully implemented national cancer control programme. 5. Education, guidance and training of new researchers and upgrading the existing ones. From both an economic and a social point of view, improving systemic cancer control is the most important deliverable of the proposed program. From a societal point of view, the importance of providing appropriate oncology care is invaluable, as cancer is one of the key health problem of Western population nowadays. Therefore, comprehensive, high-quality and uninterrupted care of cancer patients is one of the crucial tasks for our entire society. Progress at the population level can be achieved only when primary, secondary and tertiary prevention programmes are implemented equitably in all population groups. Better understanding of cancer, its risk factors and connected social behaviour can be achieved with better collaboration between research society, civil society, policy makers and private sector. Achievements in cancer control is becoming an example of good practice for other chronic non-communicable diseases, which cause more than 80% of all deaths. Only systematic comprehensive cancer control can enable long-term cancer burden reductions. At the highest European level, this was recognized in 2021, when the European Commission launched the Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, which encompasses all levels, from cancer prevention to cancer treatment and care, and set its implementation as one of the key priorities in the field of health. In Slovenia, the first five-year National Cancer Control Plan (NCCP) was introduced in 2010, and the third NCCP 2022-2026 will soon be submitted to the Government of the Republic of Slovenia for adoption. Slovenia is one of the few European countries that has recognized the need to establish and implement a coordinated, nationally managed and comprehensive health programme for cancer, which is also sustainably funded. Within this programme, poorly regulated areas of cancer control are recognized and addressed correspondingly. This show that cancer control has been high on Slovenian's society agenda. By establishing the proposed research programme, this area will be built up and strengthen further. The proposed research programme will provide an evidence-based and in-depth overview of the situation in the field of cancer control in Slovenia, and further it will define areas for improvement and support the implementation of the NCCP. The SLORApro research programme is also actively supported by the NCCP. Topicality of the programme content, the integrity and the possibility of its direct use in practice will further increase the reputation of Slovenia as a country with a well-organized system of oncological health care and exceptional integration of oncology-related professions and society. The research group includes several leading Slovenian experts and university teachers in the field of public health, epidemiology, oncology, occupational medicine and biostatistics. Among experienced researchers, middle-generation researchers and those who are just entering public health research area, a stable balance has been established. Younger researchers will be involved in research work at all levels of the programme, since the design of the programme enables regular communication with experienced researchers.
