INTERNATIONAL CANCER EXPERT CORPS INC

ICEC aims to build capability and capacity for cancer care by mentoring Associates in ICEC Centers, in resource-limited settings. An Associate is a leader (in concept the local “champion” or if part of a Center, possibly the Principal Investigator). Through education and training, ICEC Experts assist Associates in collaborative investigation, that will help the global community improve cancer care outcomes.

Participation in ICEC is by application, including required commitments and metrics, for accomplishment and progress.

Progression to becoming a ‘Full Member’ requires passing an appropriate ‘Cooperative Group’ type site visit, based on the ability of the ICEC Associate and Center to conduct guideline and/or protocol-based care, on established standards. This enables participation in global research, the type and topic to be determined by the Associate and Center. Participation in research begins early on, including biomarker studies, guideline-based training, and education and clinical trials.

Metrics are critical for the implementation science aspect of ICEC, for measuring progress as well as to share information and methodologies with others.

Upon achieving ‘Full Member’ status, many of the ICEC Centers have the opportunity to become regional Hubs, thereby geometrically expanding the reach of ICEC.

Prevention and sound health policies are key components to reducing the incidence and consequences of cancer. Given the number of people who already have and will be diagnosed with cancer, treatments are needed to provide a cure and/or relief of symptoms.

To help fill the huge gap in cancer care, ICEC aims to establish person-to-person sustainable relationships at a global level such that mentors and partners can work effectively together, to help create and increase workforce capacity and capability.

The Experts working with ICEC include the broad range of expertise needed to address public health oncology. The problem requires expertise from medical, health system, business, workforce, economic and ethical perspectives.

Expertise is listed in three general categories of Expert Mentors– medical, science non-medical and supporting disciplines- recognizing there is overlap.

For each of these categories, there is an Expert Panel consisting of a leader and members, the goal of which is to have 20% of their time committed to ICEC activities (8 hours per week, on average). The full-time equivalent (FTE) concept is used so that five people contributing 20% of their time would be 1 FTE. Presently, there are a limited number of ICEC centers/associates, hubs and experts.

ICEC committees oversee the application process and the functioning and progress of the experts, center, associates and hubs.

The ‘Career Path’ subcommittee of the ‘Experts Committee’ work with academic institutions to develop proposed metrics, for promotion along a career path in global health. Participation in this career path program is voluntary by the institutions, but the availability of metrics and leadership from academic institutions as well as interested practices facilitate this type of activity becoming a recognized career path.

The focus of the ICEC is to establish sustainable partnerships and relationships to enable the provision of cancer care to health disparities populations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and also in rural underserved areas in resource-rich countries that have similar access issues to those in LMICs.

The mentors are organized in expert panels, based on discipline and expertise. Thus, there is a global network of associates and experts, sharing information and approaches towards establishing cancer care in LMIC.

The infrastructure or “nerve-net” are the Hubs, which provide resources, personnel, and connectivity among the associates and experts to allow them to focus on their cancer care mission.

Sufficient infrastructure that Hubs possess is needed to facilitate recruitment, to conduct day-to-day operations and to establish appropriate metrics for individuals and institutions. Hubs guide progress and build mutually beneficial relationships among organizations, individuals, cultures and countries, working to help solve the global cancer health disparity problem.