The development of situation assessment and trend monitoring model of cancers in Thailand.

This study is aimed to develop appropriate models for situation assessment and trend monitoring of cancers in Thailand. This study used system approach and was carried out during 1991-1993. It is composed of two parts : Part I was a review of cancer surveillance systems of Thailand and other countries. Results of the first part were used as direct inputs for Part-II study. Pats II was solicitation of experts’ opinions. Experts included public health specialists, cancer specialists, and to solicit their ideas on how the cancer surveillance system should look like. The questionnaire survey was followed by a brain-storming session where the results of the survey were presented and shaped to reach a consensus of opinion that past experiences of cancer surveillance systems faced several difficulties including duplicate reporting, inaccurate/insufficient diagnoses, unknown or unfamiliar abbreviations used in writing the surveillance report cards, and clinical diagnoses inconsistent with and/or lacking supports of pathological findings. Experts’ conclusion was that cancer registry. In particular, cancer registry should start as hospital-based to be later expanded to population-based registry. In addition, development and research activities are needed to obtain supplementary information on risk factors and risk groups for cancers and to develop appropriate indicators for evaluation.