Surgery is the main modality for cancer control and cure globally. Yet, in comparison to other areas such as cancer drugs, there has been no systematic approach to the analysis of global policy and systems to deliver better quality of care, education and research to drive improvements in cancer surgery in all resource settings and better outcomes for patients.

The Lancet Commission on Global Cancer Surgery is examining contemporary and new evidence around resource availability and onco-surgical need as part of an integrated systems approach to cancer care. The Commission is casting its net widely to understand the major issues facing global cancer surgery in all resources settings, and how this interfaces with the other major modalities of care and control such as pathology, radiotherapy, imaging and palliative care.

We are also examining the global research map of cancer surgery, the political economy of cancer (economics and legal, regulatory aspects), and case studies from low income and emerging economies including an examination of the unmet burden of cancer surgery.

The Lancet Oncology Commission on Global Cancer Surgery builds on the foundations laid by the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery. Stratification of cancer surgical procedures by level and resource setting will also be quantified. The gap in cancer surgical manpower in specific settings e.g. India with mosaic policy solutions is a critical aspect of this Commission, and we will also examine emerging issues around the delivery of cancer surgery training and systems of care to address orphan areas, e.g. childhood cancers and cancer surgery in humanitarian situations.

In cancer surgical research the global gap in research programs aimed at the specific context of emerging economies will be presented and discussed, along with the networks of current international collaboration. Here we will address how nation states and international funders can address the future needs of global cancer surgery. Finally the Lancet Oncology Commission will draw together the political and policy context relevant to global surgery, presenting the key policy needs for cancer surgery in the next decade.