Implementation Science for Global Oncology: The Imperative to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Cancer Care Delivery

PurposeThe development of cancer care treatment facilities in resource-constrained settings represents a challenge for many reasons. Implementation science—the assessment of how services are set up and delivered; contextual factors that affect delivery, treatment safety, toxicity, and efficacy; and where adaptations are needed—is essential if we are to understand the performance of a treatment program, know where the gaps in care exist, and design interventions in care delivery models to improve outcomes for patients.MethodsThe field of implementation science in relation to cancer care delivery is reviewed, and the experiences of the integrated implementation science program at the Butaro Cancer Center of Excellence in Rwanda are described as a practical application. Implementation science of HIV and tuberculosis care delivery in similar challenging settings offers some relevant lessons.ResultsIntegrating effective implementation science into cancer care in resource-constrained settings presents many chal...