BASIC DATA OF THE RESEARCH PROGRAM
- ARRS CODE: P3-0429
- TITLE: Slovenian research programme for comprehensive cancer control SLORApro
- PROGRAM LEADER: Prof. Vesna Zadnik
- DURATION: 1.1.2022 - 31.12.2027
- APPLICANT RESEARCH ORGANISATION: INSTITUTE OF ONCOLOGY LJUBLJANA
- PARTICIPATING RESEARCH ORGANISATIONS: University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine
- FINANCING: Slovenian Research Agency
Cancer is a growing public health challenge in Europe and globally, with substantial and persistent inequalities in the incidence, mortality and survival within and between countries. The primary purpose of the new SLORApro research programme is to ensure evidence-based comprehensive cancer research and cancer control in Slovenia. At the same time, we want to transfer the acquired knowledge and experience to the management of other chronic non-communicable diseases, as well as to participate in the establishment of new standards for monitoring the quality of patient care in the Slovenian national health system. The SLORApro research programme thus represents a new comprehensive research approach in the field of chronic non-communicable diseases control in Slovenia and beyond.
Research activities are planned at all levels of healthcare and cancer control - activities are proposed seperately for research in the fields of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. Two additional working areas spanning through all levels address the assessment of cancer burden, which represents the basis for all further activities, and research into socio-economic inequalities that are observed in Slovenia as well as globally.
Specific objectives of the SLORApro research programme are:
1. Analysing the national cancer burden using the Slovenian Cancer Registry data, and placing indicators in the international context.
2. Identifying the most important cancer risk factors in Slovenia and proposing evidence-based primary prevention measures.
3. Monitoring the effects of existing national cancer screening programmes and supporting the evidence-based introduction (or cencellation) of new ones.
4. Through clinical cancer registries developing quality performance indicators (for diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care) for different cancer types, ensuring their monitoring, analysis and appropriate interpretation, which represents the basis for proposed improvements of the health system.
5. Identifying and analysing factors that are important for improving the quality of life of cancer patients and survivors, for reducing the burden of late effects of disease and treatment, and for improving the survival of cancer patients.
6. Exploring socio-economic inequalities in the risk factors, in the cancer burden and in the health care management of cancer patients in Slovenia and proposing possible measures to reduce these inequalities.
7. Developing and introducing to the Slovenian public health landscape new methods and technologies for collecting, computer processing, analysing and interpreting health data.
8. Identifying examples of good practice at the primary, secondary and tertiary level of cancer prevention, which could prove relevant in the study of other non-communicable diseases or to the management of the national health system.