The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has announced a significant initiative to break down language barriers in cancer care. The organization, along with the NCCN Foundation, is embarking on an ambitious project to translate their entire library of NCCN Guidelines for Patients into Spanish, with select editions available in additional languages.
This move aims to empower cancer patients and caregivers worldwide with accessible, high-quality information. The NCCN Guidelines for Patients, a comprehensive collection of over 70 books, cover various aspects of cancer care, from prevention and screening to treatment and supportive care.
Gena Cook, Chair of the NCCN Foundation Board of Directors, emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, “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.”
The translation effort extends beyond Spanish, with patient guidelines already available in 16 other languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, and Vietnamese. This multilingual approach reflects the NCCN’s global reach, with about a fifth of the 1.4 million users who accessed these guidelines last year located outside the United States.
Dr. Crystal S. Denlinger, CEO of NCCN, highlighted the organization’s commitment to improving healthcare accessibility, saying, “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.”
The translated guidelines are available for free online at NCCN.org/patientguidelines and via the NCCN Patient Guides for Cancer App, ensuring wide accessibility for patients and caregivers across the globe.
See “Cancer Guidelines by NCCN Are Being Translated in Spanish and Other Languages” (October 3, 2024)
