Transforming cancer indicators begs bold new strategies from biotechnology.

A national cancer program is essentially a population health initiative that goes beyond satisfying the demand for health services to propose modifying specific objective indicators in a defined population through interventions that have a scientifically grounded probability of success. In the case of malignant neoplasms, the three "gold standard" indicators are age-adjusted specific mortality, age-adjusted incidence, and average 5- or 10-year survival rates. All other frequently used indicators-such as stage distribution at time of diagnosis, participation in early diagnostic interventions, intensity of public health education efforts, and coverage of chemo- and radiotherapy services, among others-are valid to the extent they are predictors of the three "gold standard" indicators.