By Fiona Ness, General Manager, Communications, National Screening Service
‘Better together’ was the spirit of the biennial International Cancer Screening Network Conference earlier this month, when delegates from all over the globe met to discuss new and emerging challenges in cancer screening. We were amongst the 300-plus clinicians, researchers and screening programme managers sharing knowledge and presenting research at the conference in Aarhus, Denmark, from 18 to 20 June.
Conference themes included new technologies, tests, procedures and evaluation in cancer screening; communication issues, strategies and outreach; informed choice and understanding and communicating benefits and harms; equity and screening priorities from a global perspective; emerging cancer screening programmes; quality assurance; and risk-based / personalised screening.
The programme was split into several parallel sessions of different formats, including working groups; keynote presentations; plenary and parallel sessions; and guided poster walks where attendees presented their research posters as part of a moving exhibition.
On day one, the New Technologies Working Group led by Professor Harry De Koning of the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam discussed the evolution of current and future cancer screening programmes with the introduction of new technologies for all preventable or curable cancers. It looked at the effect of new technologies on metrics, individualised cancer risk, and interventions, and their effects on screening organisation, delivery and evaluation. Parallel sessions and presentations provided more detail on the evolving technologies and new processes under discussion.
Strategies used to enhance informed decision making and influence equity in screening and uptake rates, meanwhile, were the focus of an open workshop on communication issues in cancer screening. This problem-solving small group session was led by Christina Barrufet and Andrea Buron of Spain’s Hospital del Mar.
On Day 2, the opening plenary session explored the potential future scenarios for the use of Multiple Cancer Early Detection tests as a stand-alone or complementary screening test. The benefits, challenges and risks were outlined by NHS-Galleri Trial lead, Professor Peter Sasieni. He also discussed the ethical considerations, evidence and evaluation required before implementation can be considered.
On Day 3, the power of stakeholder engagement was evident in a parallel session which looked at how best to mobilise stakeholders to strengthen screening programmes and aid people’s understanding of their risk of disease. There was a strong focus on the under-utilised role of other healthcare professionals in increasing uptake, especially the role GPs can play in encouraging uptake of bowel screening amongst their eligible patients.
Equity is a focus of the ICSN, and this, said Chair-Elect Dr Christine Campbell, includes ensuring a diversity of geographical and disciplinary perspectives at the conference, while maintaining scientifically rigorous and relevant content. She outlined the Network’s support of the continued funding of international travel grants for researchers from low- and middle-income countries seeking to share and learn at the conference into the future.
At the closing session, Professor Nóirín Russell, Clinical Director of CervicalCheck, received an enthusiastic response as she announced Ireland as the host country for the next ICSN conference in 2027. She invited delegates on behalf of our National Screening Service to experience céad míle fáilte in Dublin in two years’ time.
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- ICSN2025 was hosted by Professor Berit Andersen of the University Clinic for Cancer Screening at Randers Regional Hospital and the Department of Public Health Programmes, Denmark Central Region. It was led by International Cancer Screening Network Chair, Dr Miriam Elfström of the Center for Cervical Cancer Elimination, Karolinska Institute, Sweden, and supported by Chair-Elect Dr Christine Campbell of the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.