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The study utilized the WHO\/IAEA National Cancer Control Programmes (NCCP) Core Capacity Self\u2010Assessment Tool to evaluate Afghanistan's cancer control capacity, shortages, and priorities. Data collection involved site visits to 12 public and five private healthcare facilities conducted by a multidisciplinary team of nine experts between June and July 2021. This was complemented by a structured questionnaire survey, desk review, and literature review, which continued until January 2025. The findings reveal significant gaps in cancer control capacity in Afghanistan. The country lacks a national cancer control plan, and there are no established programs for cancer screening and early detection. Diagnostic and treatment services are predominantly concentrated in urban centers, with limited access to essential medicines, radiology, pathology, and systemic therapies. Palliative care services are nearly non\u2010existent, and radiotherapy facilities are absent. While Afghanistan has made initial strides in cancer control, significant challenges remain in developing a comprehensive and sustainable cancer control program. Immediate priorities include finalizing and implementing a national cancer control plan, expanding diagnostic and treatment infrastructure, integrating palliative care, and strengthening workforce capacity. This assessment is crucial not only for Afghanistan but also offers valuable insights for other resource\u2010constrained countries facing similar challenges. Regionally, it highlights the importance of coordinated efforts in South Asia and the Middle East to tackle cancer collaboratively. Globally, these findings underscore the need for international investment and technical assistance to address cancer as a shared public health priority.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1002\/ijc.70431","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,13]],"date-time":"2026-03-13T10:21:44Z","timestamp":1773397304000},"page":"668-682","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Cancer care in Afghanistan: A comprehensive analysis of opportunities and challenges in a low\u2010income and conflict\u2010affected country"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"159","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5794-6767","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maihan","family":"Abdullah","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health  Boston Massachusetts USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ikram","family":"Hashimi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Afghanistan NCD Alliance  Kabul Kabul Afghanistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jesse B.","family":"Bump","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Takemi Program in International Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Harvard University  Boston Massachusetts USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Timothy R.","family":"Rebbeck","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Dana\u2010Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health  Boston Massachusetts USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ibtihal","family":"Fadhil","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"NCD Alliance EMRO  Kuwait Kuwait"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Musa","family":"Paktin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"National Cancer Control Program Unit Ministry of Public Health  Kabul Afghanistan"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kiran","family":"Jobanputra","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Medicines Sans Frontier  London UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Said H.","family":"Arwal","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Harvard Medical School  Boston Massachusetts USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rolando","family":"Camacho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"City Cancer Challenge Foundation  Gen\u00e8ve Switzerland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_19_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2024.43198"},{"key":"e_1_2_19_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3322\/caac.21834"},{"key":"e_1_2_19_4_1","unstructured":"4\u2010Afghanistan\u2010fact\u2010sheet.pdf. 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