WHO and ASCO Join Forces to Bring Better Cancer Care to Patients Worldwide

WHO’s 2026 global cancer report estimates that roughly 92% of people worldwide will be affected at least once in their lifetime when the impact on close family members is included.

A cancer diagnosis reaches far beyond the person receiving it, changing family routines, putting pressure on household finances and bringing difficult treatment decisions. WHO's 2026 global cancer report estimates that roughly 92% of people worldwide will be affected at least once in their lifetime when the impact on close family members is included.

The greatest health, social and economic burdens fall on low- and middle-income countries, where access to good-quality cancer care remains limited, and patients can suffer harm that could have been prevented. Getting through the hospital door is only part of the challenge; the care available there needs to be safe, effective and suited to patients' needs.

The World Health Organization and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) have signed a collaboration agreement to address these gaps, bringing workforce training, access to clinical trials and stronger standards of care into a shared programme of work. The partnership will support governments in improving services, with better access and survival as its broader goals.

Training that reflects the realities of local care

Cancer professionals need training that helps them respond to the conditions they encounter in their own hospitals and communities, including the resources available and the needs of the people they treat.

WHO and ASCO will combine their global networks and educational expertise to strengthen core cancer-care skills through online and in-person learning. ASCO's existing Global Courses will help inform the training, which will be developed in consultation with WHO Member States and adapted to individual countries.

Dr Julie R. Gralow, ASCO's Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President, described the agreement as an opportunity to bring WHO's global health leadership together with ASCO's clinical and educational experience. She identified a stronger oncology workforce, support for research and wider access to evidence-based care as central priorities.

Opening more doors to cancer research

The agreement places access to clinical trials alongside everyday cancer care, recognising the need to build research capacity in countries with different resources and cancer burdens.

WHO and ASCO will work with Member States to help national research priorities reflect the cancers and care challenges affecting their populations. Proposed activities include online forums where national stakeholders can discuss how to strengthen clinical trials, supported by virtual and in-person training for research teams.

Regional collaboration is another part of the plan, creating opportunities for countries to work together on cancer research rather than developing their capacity entirely on their own.

Making quality count inside every facility

The partnership will also focus on what patients experience at the facility level, where policies and professional training have to translate into dependable care.

WHO will contribute its experience supporting national cancer programmes, and ASCO will draw on its quality-care certification and training programmes. Their joint work will bring quality improvement programmes to countries where they are expected to make the greatest difference, with accessibility and accountability forming part of that effort.

Dr André Ilbawi, Team Lead of WHO's Cancer Programme, stressed that access alone cannot meet patients' needs when the care provided is poor. He called for stronger policies and services so that people affected by cancer receive care that meets appropriate standards.

Turning the agreement into care families can trust

The collaboration puts governments and health professionals at the centre of implementation, linking international expertise with decisions about how cancer services are organised within countries.

Its three priorities address connected problems: professionals need practical skills, research needs to reflect local needs, and facilities need systems that support safe, effective treatment. Families will feel the value of the agreement through improvements in the services they can actually reach and rely on.

The announcement sets out planned work rather than reporting results from a clinical study. Its significance rests on the commitment to make quality a priority across the global cancer agenda and help countries turn that commitment into better care.