Networks in global cancer—potential synergies and opportunities

The burden of cancer has increased rapidly worldwide in the past decade, especially in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). In 2016, 15 million new cancer cases and about 9 million deaths from cancer were reported worldwide—an 18% increase relative to 10 years previously.1 However, worldwide, and especially in LMICs, health systems have failed to effectively respond to the rapid epidemiological transition that has brought high burden of cancer,2 with a huge shortfall in coverage of cancer services, cost-effective prevention, and medical, surgical,3 and radiotherapy services4.