The International Cancer Screening Network (ICSN) convenes experts working towards reducing the global cancer burden through evidence-based cancer screening programs. ICSN was founded in 1988 through the leadership of Prof. Sam Shapiro and currently has more than 800 participants from 69 countries with active screening programs for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers. CGH supports the coordination of the network since 2015.
For over 30 years, ICSN has provided an international forum to scientists and cancer screening practitioners to think about and discuss cancer screening research, implementation and evaluation. The ICSN biennial meetings and collaborative working groups contributed to defining the scope of cancer screening research, which is focused on developing the evidence base for effective practices in cancer screening.
ICSN promotes evidence-based cancer screening implementation and research with cooperation from multilateral organizations around the globe. The network acts as a critical resource for countries that have active population-based cancer screening programs in place and are interested improving quality through monitoring, evaluation and research. ICSN aims to reduce the global burden of cancer by:
- Organizing scientific studies, biennial conferences, consultations, mentorship, training, and by publishing collaborative papers.
- Creating a community of screening practitioners (researchers, evaluators, implementers and screening program staff) to exchange data, evidence, ideas and experiences that advance the field of cancer screening.
- Assisting in the design of studies to evaluate the process and effectiveness of cancer screening programs;
- Providing education and dialogue about basic aspects of cancer screening as well as advanced and emerging concepts and technology.
- Enrolling participants who conduct cancer screening research, develop infrastructure for cancer screening, and establish programs whose goal is to deliver the highest quality health care while producing the maximum benefit to the population and minimizing its harms.
ICSN Leadership and Steering Committee Members
Miriam Elfström PhD
ICSN Chair
Center for Cervical Cancer Elimination, Karolinska Institute, Sweden
Christine Campbell PhD
ICSN Chair-Elect
Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK
Mireille Broeders PhD
ICSN Past-Chair
Radboud University Medical Center, The Netherlands
Berit Andersen MD, PhD
ICSN 2025 Host
University Research Clinic for Cancer Screening, Randers Regional Hospital, Denmark
Doug Perin JD, MPH
ICSN Coordinator
Leidos Biomedical Research Inc./U.S. NCI Center for Global Health
Robert Smith PhD
ICSN Senior Advisor
American Cancer Society, USA
Anath Flugelman MD, MPH
ICSN Steering Committee member
Samuel Neaman Institute for National Policy Research, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology
Carlo Senore MD, MSc
ICSN Steering Committee member
Epidemiology and Screening Unit – CPO, University Hospital Città della Salute e della Scienza, Italy
Diama Vale MD, PhD
ICSN Steering Committee member
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Campinas, Brazil
Dorota Gertig MBBS(Hons), MHSc, ScD, FAFPHM
ICSN Steering Committee member
National Cancer Screening Register (NCSR) and Population Health, Telstra Health, Australia
Katie Robb PhD
ICSN Steering Committee member
University of Glasgow, UK
Livia Giordano MD
ICSN Steering Committee member
Epidemiology and Screening Unit at AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza – CPO Piemonte, Italy
Muluken Gizaw PhD
ICSN Steering Committee member
School of Public Health, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
Ondřej Májek PhD
ICSN Steering Committee member
Institute of Health Information and Statistics of the Czech Republic; National Screening Centre, Czech Republic
Sisse Njor PhD
ICSN Steering Committee member
University of Southern Denmark / Vejle Hospital / Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus, Denmark
Stephen Lam MD, FRCPC
ICSN Steering Committee member
University of British Columbia / BC Cancer Research Institute, Vancouver, Canada