About

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

ICSN participants’ global presence: