Back to Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan​

CDOC Chair, Sora Park Tanjasiri, DrPH, MPH and CDOC Co-Chair Alison K. Herrmann, PhD​

Dear Californians,

This is the fifth iteration of California's comprehensive cancer control plan issued by the California Dialogue on Cancer (CDOC), and the first to span 10 years. We are deeply grateful for your continued dedication to working to achieve the goals and objectives contained in our state cancer plan, thereby addressing the most pressing cancer needs of all Californians. This plan was developed by cancer control partners that represent the geographic, economic, racial and ethnic, and gender diversity of our state. We are especially grateful to the American Cancer Society California Division for their ongoing partnership, along with the California Cancer Registry for the necessary data that forms the foundation for our newest priorities.

This plan presents an assessment of the cancer burden, priorities, strategies, and action steps for the next 10 years (2026-2035), and we hope it serves as an essential guide for cancer control efforts in California. Over two million new cancer cases are projected to be diagnosed in the U.S. each year of this plan, approximately 10 percent of these in California. Moreover, approximately one in every two Californians will develop cancer in their lifetime, and one in five will die as a result. Unfortunately, historically marginalized communities continue to bear a disproportionate share of the cancer burden and cancer incidence is rising among adolescents and young adults. We hope CDOC's inclusive planning process serves as a model for our local and regional partners and provides a clear blueprint for what we hope to accomplish in the next 10 years to reduce the burden of cancer in all California communities. 

This plan includes a comprehensive set of prevention-focused strategies and action steps which hold the power to dramatically decrease cancer incidence across all population and age groups, including an explicit focus on childhood cancers. Moreover, the plan lays out strategies related to cancer screening, which can help to achieve the promise of early detection in identifying cancers when treatments are most effective, and survival is increased. Better detection, as well as treatment advancements, are increasing the number of cancer survivors across the state and nation each year. The plan also addresses the needs of the ever-growing survivorship community.

We have many reasons to be hopeful, including a decline in the cancer death rate* by approximately 5.5 percent from 136.9 to 129.4 between 2017 and 2021. We have seen continued successes in reducing cancer incidence and morbidity, and more people are surviving cancer than ever before. Given CDOC's deeply rooted collaborative approach, we confidently attribute the many successes to date to local, regional, and statewide collaborations that tirelessly promote effective prevention, increased early detection, quality treatment, and access to clinical trials, positive survivorship outcomes, and policy advocacy that promote healthy communities. Community and health organizations are the backbone of these initiatives, with support from our state's cancer centers. 

*California Cancer Registry (CCR), 2017, 2021. Mortality rates are per 100,000

We thank all the volunteer advocates, scientists, educators, clinicians, and others who generously contributed their time, effort, and expertise to create this plan.

 
Sincerely,
Sora & Alison​

Sora Park Tanjasiri, DrPH, MPH
CDOC Chair
Professor, Department of Health, Society & Behavior, UCI Joe C. Wen School of Population & Public Health
Associate Director, Community Outreach & Engagement, UCI Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center 

Alison K. Herrmann, PhD
CDOC Co-Chair
Associate Professor, Department of Health Policy & Management
Associate Director, UCLA Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Equity
UCLA Fielding School of Public Health
Co-Director, Community Outreach & Engagement
UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center

CDOC Vice Chair, Bridget Freeley​

Dear Californians,

It has been an honor to serve as Vice Chair of the California Dialogue on Cancer (CDOC), work alongside our dedicated leadership team, and contribute to the development of California's 10-Year Cancer Plan. As a representative of the American Cancer Society (ACS), I am proud of the long-standing collaboration between ACS and CDOC and among our coalition's many member organizations. Together, we have built a robust network of experts united in our mission to reduce the burden of cancer for all Californians.

This fifth edition of the Cancer Plan is centered on health equity, with focused attention on children, adolescents, and their families impacted by cancer. It outlines clear and actionable strategies, including strengthening cancer data collection systems to better understand the unique needs of our state's diverse communities. We recognize the importance of addressing the root causes of cancer disparities across the continuum of care so that we can improve health outcomes for every California community. The plan also provides a roadmap to improve access to cancer prevention, screening, and treatment while exploring ways to better support the physical, psychological, and financial challenges that individuals with cancer and their families face.

Health equity is not just a chapter. It is the foundation for all we do. Cancer affects many people in California, but it does not affect everyone equally. By working together and implementing the strategies outlined in this plan, we can ensure that every Californian has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. The health care landscape may change over time, but CDOC's commitment to reducing the cancer burden in our diverse California communities will remain constant.

Sincerely,