Cancer remains the second leading cause of death in our state, accounting for approximately 1 in every 4 deaths. This disease touches us all whether as a cancer survivor, caregiver, family member, or friend. The South Carolina Cancer Plan 2017-2021, developed by the South Carolina Cancer Alliance in collaboration with DHEC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, South Carolina Central Cancer Registry, and other state, regional, and local partners, outlines goals, objectives, and strategies to help reduce the impact of cancer in South Carolina.
Every five years, the South Carolina Cancer Alliance, largely funded by state and CDC federal funds, leads the efforts to develop the five-year South Carolina Cancer Plan (the Cancer Plan). The Cancer Plan serves as the official road map in the fight against cancer in our state. The South Carolina Cancer Plan 2017-2021 is the state’s third cancer plan and serves as a companion to South Carolina 20-Year Trends and Incidence, Mortality, and Survival Report and others currently under development.
The Cancer Plan is organized to address each of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program (NCCCP) priority areas: primary prevention of cancer; early detection and treatment; public health needs of cancer survivors; policy, system, and environmental changes; health equity as it relates to cancer control; and outcomes demonstrated through evaluation. Content on each of these topics includes goals, specific objectives that support the goals, strategies to achieve the objectives, sources of data that will be used to assess achievement of the objectives, and plans for monitoring progress towards achievement of objectives.
Fortunately, South Carolina has made notable strides in the fight against cancer, but we must continue to work together to save more lives and reduce disparities in our state. The Cancer Plan is a tool designed to highlight cancer prevention methods, improve the treatment and ease the suffering of those with cancer, and encourage community action to enact policies and regulations that decrease cancer occurrences.