Honorary Senior Lecturer and Consultant Clinical Oncologist
Professor in Global Health and Social Medicine
Reader in Global Health and Social Medicine
Vice Dean (International) and Director and Global Lead, Cicely Saunders Institute of Palliative Care, Policy & Rehabilitation
Professor of Health Services Research & Rehabilitation
Professor of Breast Cancer
Head of Operations, Conflict, Health & Science
Academic Director of King's Clinical Trials Unit
Director, Institute of Cancer Policy and Co-Director of the Centre for Conflict & Health Research
Professor in Cancer Epidemiology
Value, affordability and universal health coverage in global cancer
Since our leadership of the seminal Lancet Oncology Commission Delivering Affordable Cancer Care in High-Income Settings in 2011 we have developed a substantial global program on research into health system cancer economics, value of technologies (in particular medicines, radiotherapy and surgical devices), health technology assessment, value, prioritisation and consensus building e.g. Choosing Wisely India, and innovative financing for global cancer in some of the world’s most vulnerable populations e.g. refugees. Our work has been instrumental in understanding the macroeconomics of cancer (direct costs, as well as productivity losses due to premature mortality and morbidity) and their relationship to improving outcomes (value). We also work with WHO (Essential Medicines for Cancer Committee) and other organisations (e.g. ESTRO) to study the economic impact of technologies in specific contexts and link to different models of social protection, including in-depth ethnographic studies of affordability and cost of illness.
Cancer and palliative care in conflict
We are world leaders in research in the development and delivery of cancer and palliative care in conflict ecosystems through our work with the R4HC-MENA and R4HSSS. Over the last five years, we having been developing capacity and capability for cancer research germane to conflict-humanitarian settings including novel financing with partners in Turkey, Jordan, Pakistan, Palestine and Lebanon. In addition, formative work has been undertaken to understand the unique system issues for delivering cancer care to refugees. Lastly, we have a number of ongoing clinical intervention studies in conflict settings, for example, integrated palliative outcome scale. We are currently supporting WHO on cancer intelligence for the Ukrainian conflict (see Activity tab).
Conflict & Health Research Group
COVID-19 and Cancer Global Taskforce
The Covid-19 and Cancer Taskforce is a global group of cancer leaders spanning the disciplines of cancer across the care continuum from prevention, early detection, treatment and palliative care, to representatives of cancer centre networks and advocacy groups. The taskforce, led by GOG, has been studying the immediate impacts on cancer patients, services, and healthcare workers in high and low & middle income settings as well as treatment decision making and patient/doctor interactions. We also directly address risks for longer-term impacts on cancer outcomes, inequalities, cancer research capacity and affordability of care by developing new approaches to build resilient cancer services with readiness to respond to pandemics, especially in low- and middle-income countries whose cancer services are especially vulnerable in the face of this unprecedented public health challenge.
COVID-19 and Cancer Global Taskforce
Global cancer research systems
GOG works with partners around the world to support the development of research capacity and capability, an essential part of national cancer control programs and delivering more affordable and better patient outcomes. We have a long-standing partnership with Tata Memorial Centre and the National Cancer Grid of India to support research capacity through the CReDO (International Collaboration for Research methods Development in Oncology) program, as well as capacity-building programs in the Middle East and Sub Saharan Africa, particularly Zambia and Ghana. GOG also has a very active research program using research intelligence tools (scientometrics) to analyse cancer research systems. Our cancer research mapping has been utilised by a wide range of Lancet Oncology and World Bank DCP3 Commissions to inform national and global policy.
The International Collaboration for Research methods Development in Oncology (CReDO)
Innovative technologies for global cancer
GOG has a wide range of clinical studies and programs ongoing including artificial intelligence (AI) based radiotherapy treatment planning and the development of virtual reality surgical simulation for cancer surgery with LMIC partners across the globe. The Group also has significant expertise and ongoing projects in low-cost diagnostic technologies such as Cyto-sponge for Barret’s oesophagus and a range of technologies for cervical screening. This work is underpinned by programs of public policy and health systems analysis to understand the implementation and impact of cancer technologies once they enter cancer systems. GOG particularly works with WHO IARC (International Agency for Research on Cancer) with its technology implementation science programs. GOG has created collaborations with leaders in the field of technology development such as Southern Methodist University and MD Anderson with major partners across over a dozen LMIC countries.
Virtual Reality Surgery Simulator (VRSS)
Global cancer services and systems
GOG studies how different models of health (cancer) system design impact equity in access, travel burden and patient outcomes in collaboration with our partners at LSHTM. We have supported many countries in examining their cancer care systems as part of national cancer control planning. In addition, we have major programs in cancer services and systems especially for urological and bowel cancers , as well as work on cancer surgical systems and new models of service design to deliver radiotherapy. Our current work focuses on how optimising the structure and function of health services improves cancer outcomes in a range of different LMIC settings using patient focused measures. Our work in health (cancer) services and systems is aligned with broader studies around the political economy of cancer care and evolving nature of cross national border cancer care. GOG has supported systems research for both adult and childhood cancers. In the latter, we work closely with major organisations such as SIOP and the World Health Organisation.
Lived experiences and patient perspectives in global cancer
The growing incidence of cancer that low- and middle-income countries face is raising social, cultural, political, ethical, and economic challenges of global cancer that require research beyond the traditional biomedical-clinical nexus. GOG pursues social science studies led by Dr Carlo Caduff [https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/carlo-caduff] committed to qualitative research methods that foreground the narratives and perspectives of a wide range of stakeholders (i.e. patients, family members, medical practitioners at all levels and from many systems of medicine). Our aim is to give voice to the lived experiences, motivations and constraints of all who are touched by cancer and involved in cancer care. This approach humanizes and adds richness to our understanding of cancer in heterogeneous and complex settings across the world. As part of this work stream, we have also contributed to building social science research capacity in the global south.
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Begum, M., Lewison, G., Wang, X., Dunne, P. D., Maughan, T., Sullivan, R. & Lawler, M., 1 Feb 2023, In: International Journal of Cancer. 152, 3, p. 470-479 10 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1002/ijc.34279
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Ahmed, F., Kutluk, T., Kirazli, M., Yurduşen, S., Cemaloğlu, M., Boufkhed, S., Şengelen, M., Aydın, B., Sullivan, R. & Harding, R., Dec 2022, In: Journal of Cancer Policy. 34, 100361. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcpo.2022.100361
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Gouveia, A. G., Viani, G. A., Bratti, V. F., Pavoni, J. F., Sullivan, R., Rosa, A. A., Booth, C. M., Aggarwal, A., Hanna, T. P. & Moraes, F. Y., 1 Nov 2022, In: International Journal of Radiation Oncology Biology Physics. 114, 3, p. 545-553 9 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrobp.2022.06.074
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Sullivan, R., 14 Sep 2022, (Accepted/In press) In: The Lancet. Global health. 26 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Purushotham, A., Nayak, P., Oswal, K., Pramesh, C., Ranganathan, P., Sullivan, R., Caduff, C., Advani, S., Kataria, I., Kalkonde, Y., Mohan, P. & Jain, Y., 8 Sep 2022, (Accepted/In press) In: JCO global oncology. Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
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Freeman, V., Hughes, S., Carle, C., Campbell, D., Egger, S., Hui, H., Yap, S., Deandrea, S., Caruana, M., Onyeka, T. C., IJzerman, M. J., Ginsburg, O., Bray, F., Sullivan, R., Aggarwal, A., Peacock, S. J., Chan, K. K. W., Hanna, T. P., Soerjomataram, I., O'Connell, D. L., & 2 othersSteinberg, J. & Canfell, K., Sep 2022, In: Journal of Cancer Policy. 33, 100340. Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcpo.2022.100340
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Aggarwal, A., Han, L., van der Geest, S., Lewis, D., Lievens, Y., Borras, J., Jayne, D., Sullivan, R., Varkevisser, M. & van der Meulen, J., Sep 2022, In: The Lancet Oncology. 23, 9, p. 1211-1220 10 p. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(22)00398-9
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Henderson, R. H., French, D., McFerran, E., Adams, R., Wasan, H., Glynne-Jones, R., Fisher, D., Richman, S., Dunne, P. D., Wilde, L., Maughan, T. S., Sullivan, R. & Lawler, M., Sep 2022, In: Journal of Cancer Policy. 33, 100342. Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcpo.2022.100342
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Carle, C., Hughes, S., Freeman, V., Campbell, D., Egger, S., Caruana, M., Hui, H., Yap, S., Deandrea, S., Onyeka, T. C., IJzerman, M. J., Ginsburg, O., Bray, F., Sullivan, R., Aggarwal, A., Peacock, S. J., Chan, K. K. W., Hanna, T. P., Soerjomataram, I., O'Connell, D. L., & 2 othersCanfell, K. & Steinberg, J., Sep 2022, In: Journal of Cancer Policy. 33, 100338. Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcpo.2022.100338
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Fox, L., Sullivan, R., Mukherji, D. & Van Hemelrijck, M., 10 Aug 2022, In: Frontiers in Public Health. 10, 988736. Research output: Contribution to journal › Editorial › peer-review. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.988736
UKRI Global Challenge Research Fund grant (£7M) to build research capacity and capability across Middle East and North Africa
NIHR grant (£4M) to strengthen systems and services in NW and NE Syria
Welcome Trust and Medical Research grants (£1M+) to develop low-cost virtual reality to support surgery capacity in LMIC
Global Alliance for Chronic Disease grant (£2M) to support implementation of affordable, equitable and integrated multi-cancer early detection package in India
Welcome Trust (£1M+) Artificial Intelligence to Automate Radiotherapy to Treat Advanced Cancers
Welcome Trust (£1M+) Grid oncology: remaking cancer care in India
ISSF (£1M) African Prostate Cancer Disparities in Outcomes
STFC (£1M) Cloud-Based Electronic Platforms in Support of Complex Radiotherapy Planning and Research Capacity
eCancer
GOG partners closely with eCancer, a free to publish and free to access multi-media platform, that is both a publisher and a developer of free educational content with a specific focus on global cancer in LMIC. Through eCancer we create free content including briefings on topical global cancer issues, new educational content, and intelligence resources for example on COVID-19 and Cancer. We also work with eCancer to bring global webinars on ‘hot topics’ and virtual conference proceedings from all the major global meetings including eCancer patient and Spanish portals for Latin American faculty.
eCancer
Journal of Cancer Policy
The Journal of Cancer Policy is GOG’s own brand cancer policy journal. Launched in 2015 it has provided a platform for a wide range of research, commentaries, and major series reflecting the plurality and depth of global oncology. The Journal of Cancer Policy is an international journal that publishes research and reviews on global cancer policy. The journal encompasses all aspects of cancer policy from prevention and public health through all modalities of control and cure, palliative care, and survivorship. It provides a platform for policy research and discussion around the world from New Zealand to Niger.
Journal of Cancer Policy
Better to light a flamethrower, than curse the darkness
London Global Cancer Week
As founding members of UK Global Cancer Research Network the Global Oncology Group and Institute of Cancer Policy are hosting two major sessions at LGCW from 14 to 19 November.
On 15th November join us for an examination of cancer care – the balance of costs with the Royal Society of Medicine and on 17th November we will co-host with The Lancet an update on the Women and Cancer Commission
London Global Cancer Week website
Royal Society of Medicine events
Lancet Commission on Diagnostics
The ICP joined an international group of experts to examine the state of Global Diagnostics and provide recommendations to improve the support of this critical area as part of Universal Health Coverage.
Lancet Commission team
October 2021 Report
AORTIC
The Global Oncology Group through the Institute of Cancer Policy is an active member of the African Organization for Research and Training In Cancer (AORTIC). In addition to GOG research capacity building projects across SSA from virtual reality surgical simulation to palliative care, the GOG believes in investing in African partners, contributing to their organizational financial models towards operational independence and sustainability of their own efforts to build research and policy capacity and capability.
Learn more about AORTIC
Supporting Ukrainian Cancer Care
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has created a profound cancer (and NCD) humanitarian crisis. The Global Oncology Group is providing critical health intelligence for cancer and palliative care during this crisis through the creation of a health security intelligence group. This group brings together global cancer experience from the Global Oncology Group at the Institute of Cancer Policy and the Cicely Saunders Institute for Palliative Care. Professor Richard Sullivan is a member of the WHO Cancer Emergency Committee and co-chairs the European Cancer Organisation and American Society of Clinical Oncology Ukrainian network. The King’s group is also assisting with estimates and analysis on the pathways Ukrainian cancer patients are taking through Europe and the capacity/capability of cancer centres in host countries to manage what has been a rapidly increasing additional burden. Much of the insight we are bringing to this crisis has been drawn from our work with colleagues in Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan and Palestine over the last five years on the Research for Health in Conflict program looking at cancer care within the Syrian conflict and during the war in Afghanistan.
Learn more about the impact of ECO-ASCO on cancer treatment of the War in Ukraine.
Learn more about our group’s work on analysing Ukrainian cancer care.
Read about our previous work on the Research for Health in Conflict program.
Building performance metrics for the City Cancer Challenge Foundation
With most of the urban growth expected to take place in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), cities are uniquely positioned to build resilient cancer health systems from the ground up. The City Cancer Challenge Foundation model leverages the entrepreneurship and leadership of cities to co-create new ways of working to drive equitable access to quality cancer management services.
Institute of Cancer Policy, Global Oncology Group is proud to be working with the Foundation to develop an evidenced-based, three-tiered set of long-term performance indicators which, when implemented, support cancer centres in establishing a critical path of data collection to underpin monitoring and evaluation of cancer treatment and palliative care in a longitudinal manner and a key step towards incremental improvement of services and sustainability.
This work will be implemented with the support of expert discussions groups drawn for the Global Oncology Group. We anticipate delivery of phase 1 reports to the City Cancer Challenge Foundation in May, with follow up work to consolidate recommendations for cancer centres in LMICs by October 2022.
Learn more about the ways that The City Cancer Challenge Foundation works with cities.
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)
UK Global Cancer Research Network (UKGCRN)
European Cancer Organisation (ECCO)
World Health Organisation (WHO)
National Cancer Grid of India (NCG)
Journal Cancer Policy (JCP)
Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM)
Global Surgery Foundation