HELPFUL GUIDELINES TO NAVIGATE A CANCER DIAGNOSIS

**WORLD CANCER DAY WAS FEBRUARY 4^TH**

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Getting a cancer diagnosis is a life-changing event. Appointments take over the calendar, and the onslaught of new information can be overwhelming. At least 20 million people are diagnosed with cancer worldwide every year—two million in the U.S. alone—with breast, lung, prostate, and colorectal cancers accounting for around 50% of all new cancer cases.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network^® (NCCN^®) is a not-for-profit alliance of 33 leading academic cancer centers in the United States that develops evidence-based, expert consensus-driven cancer care recommendations used by health care providers worldwide. The clinical recommendations that doctors rely on are also available in free, plain language versions for patients and caregivers, making it easy to understand while providing the comprehensive information needed to make shared decisions about treatment.

The library of NCCN Guidelines for Patients^® currently contains more than 70 different books, featuring tailored recommendations for more than 50 types of cancer—including breast, colon, lung, and prostate—plus supportive care topics like managing cancer-related distress, nausea and vomiting, and special considerations for adolescents and young adults across all cancer types. There are also patient guidelines devoted to detection, prevention, and risk reduction, including the latest recommendations for colorectal, lung, and breast cancer screening. Finally, survivorship topics like late and long-term effects of treatment as well as healthy living recommendations are covered.

In this interview, Chief Executive Officer at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Crystal S. Denlinger, MD, discusses what NCCN is doing to help people navigate a cancer diagnosis. She also shares how the guidelines are developed and how patients can benefit from this free resource.

For more information please visit: nccn.org/patients

MORE ABOUT CRYSTAL S. DENLINGER, MD:
Crystal S. Denlinger, MD, is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). She joined NCCN in April 2021 as Senior Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer and was successfully recruited as CEO in 2023, following a national search. Dr. Denlinger oversees all NCCN programs and activities, including maintaining the library of NCCN Guidelines^® and advancing global collaborations, new oncology research, peer-reviewed publication, patient information, and cancer policy. Dr. Denlinger was previously involved with NCCN for many years as chair of the NCCN Guidelines Panel for Survivorship and serving on a number of other panels, including the Esophageal/Gastric Cancers Panel, the JNCCN—Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Editorial Board, and on various abstract committees and ORP RFP committees, including chairing two committees. She was named an NCCN Young Investigator Awardee in 2012 and received the NCCN Rodger Winn Award in 2018 for exemplifying leadership, drive, and commitment in service to developing clinical practice guidelines.

Produced for: National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)