Christos Tsagkaris

Switzerland

Safeguarding cancer care during crises: Lessons from the Institute of Cancer and Crisis

Christos Tsagkaris1, Jemma Arakelyan2

Abstract

Background

Crises challenge health systems and highlight the essential role of civil society in maintaining care beyond formal structures. While emergency responses often prioritise trauma, infectious disease, and acute care, the convergence of disease outbreaks, armed conflicts and financial and geopolitical instability call for preparedness to maintain the continuity of care for chronic conditions. This is particularly relevant for cancer, one of the leading causes of death worldwide, where delays and interruptions in care can rapidly translate into worse outcomes. The authors report on the rationale and work of the Institute of Cancer and Crisis, a civil society organisation aiming to conceptualise and impelement structured, and fundamental rights-based approaches to safeguarding oncology care during crises.

The Institute of Cancer and Crisis (ICC) was established in 2021 in Yerevan, Armenia, in collaboration with the City of Smile Charitable Foundation. ICC brings together expertise from oncology, public health, behavioural sciences, and crisis management to respond to these challenges through an integrated approach combining research, advocacy, and international collaboration. Since its establishment, ICC has led key initiatives, including the Global Summit on War and Cancer (2023), which convened international experts and resulted in a manifesto outlining priorities for protecting cancer care in conflict-affected populations. In parallel, ICC conducts applied research on the direct and indirect effects of crises on cancer care delivery and health systems, with the aim of informing humanitarian action, preparedness planning, and policy development. Advocacy efforts focus on ensuring that noncommunicable diseases–and cancer in particular–are systematically included in emergency preparedness and response frameworks.

ICC’s mission–that every cancer patient should receive appropriate and uninterrupted care, regardless of the crisis they face–reflects a commitment to human dignity, equity, and clinical continuity. This approach stresses the need for crisis and disaster-oriented capacity building across health and care disciplines and provides a scalable model of civil society involvement in crisis preparedness.