News Details

NCCN Guidelines Provide Oncologists Worldwide with Current and Up-to-Date Information on the Latest Treatment Options for Cancer Patients – Complete Library of Practice Guidelines in Oncology Now Available On-Line at www.nccn.org

ROCKLEDGE, PA, February 19, 2002 - Today the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) announced that the NCCN Complete Library of Practice Guidelines in Oncology are now available through the Internet, as well as on CD-ROM. The NCCN Guidelines are recognized as the standard for clinical policy in oncology in the United States.

"Creating the infrastructure to allow the NCCN Guidelines to be on the Internet and accessible to oncologists worldwide has been a huge undertaking, but well worth it," explained Rodger Winn, MD, Chairman of the NCCN Guidelines Steering Committee. "Physicians and other medical professionals will now have immediate access to the most current Guidelines for oncology treatment, limited only by the time required for review by the NCCN panels." The NCCN Guidelines are the result of a rigorous consensus-driven approach that integrates annual review and evaluation of available scientific evidence with the expert opinion of the world's leading clinicians who have disease-specific expertise. The Guidelines address the management of over 98 percent of all cancers encountered in oncology practices.

Last year, the NCCN launched its Complete Library of Practice Guidelines in Oncology on CD-ROM for the first time as one convenient resource, replacing over 1,000 printed pages of clinical algorithms and text. In addition to providing an alphanumeric key code that allows users to access the Guidelines on the Internet, the updated CD-ROM contains a more intuitive layout of individual Guidelines by grouping clinically relevant information.

"Response from practitioners in the US and abroad has been overwhelmingly positive," stated William T. McGivney, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of the NCCN. "We provide the entire professional oncology community with treatment recommendations based on a blend of evidence-based medicine and the expert medical opinion of our member institutions."

The newly-released comprehensive library includes Guidelines for cancer diagnosis and treatment, supportive care (e.g. pain, fatigue), and cancer prevention and early detection. Over 600 of the world's leading oncologists make up the 44 panels that have developed the more than 100 Oncology Guidelines.

"The landscape of cancer treatment is constantly changing and we are committed to keeping oncologists on the leading-edge. This is critical to providing the best care for the patients we serve," emphasized Dr. McGivney.

Copies of the Complete Library of NCCN Oncology Practice Guidelines on CD-ROM can be ordered online at www.nccn.org or by telephone at 215-690-0300.

Founded in 1995, the NCCN is dedicated to advancing the missions of its member institutions in education, research and patient care. As part of its mission, the NCCN serves as the most authoritative source of cancer care information for health professionals based upon the expertise and input of its world-renowned clinicians.