Implementing a best-practice model

In high income countries, there has been a dramatic increase in childhood cancer survival rates in little more than a generation. Before this, survival rates in high income countries were broadly similar to those in low income countries today.

This improvement has largely been due to the development of specialist cancer treatment units, which co-operate at national and international levels to share best-practice.

In low income countries where such units rarely exist, the model used by high income countries needs to be implemented through twinning programs. These copy best-practice for fast, efficient and proven results and are then extended until eventually a national program can be sustained with little or no outside support.