Integrated Cancer Services in Thailand: A Prototype for Excellence

NCT07600294 | Completed DMC

• 2 other identifiers: 50182180873
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 358
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Cancer is a significant health crisis globally and specifically within Thailand, where it affects more than 122,000 individuals every year and leads to approximately 86,000 deaths. Beyond the physical and emotional toll on patients, the disease creates immense social and economic challenges. In Thailand, cancer treatment costs exceed 26 billion baht (about $800 million USD) annually. Families often face out-of-pocket costs for cancer care that exceed 30% to 40% of their total household income. Furthermore, the aging of Thai society and lifestyle changes-such as "Westernized" diets and sedentary behavior-are expected to drive these numbers even higher. This situation has created an urgent need for new healthcare models that reduce the burden on major hospitals and make care more accessible to the public. The Project Goal: A new model of care to address these challenges: Researchers developed a prototype Center of Excellence in Integrated Cancer Services. The goal was to test whether a specialized cancer unit could be successfully integrated into a local community clinic rather than functioning as a large, separate hospital. The study used Donabedian's model to evaluate quality, focusing on three specific areas: Structure: The physical setting, equipment, and staff. Process: How the services are actually delivered and Outcomes: The results of the care and the satisfaction of those involved. Phase of Development and Implementation The project was a three-year initiative funded by the National Science, Research, and Innovation Fund of Thailand. Phase 1: Focused on the conceptual design of the center. Phase 2: Involved detailed planning and the development of digital information systems. This is at Phase 3: Focused on the actual implementation and testing of the prototype center in Bangkok

Conditions

Cancer

Keywords

Feasibility Study; Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Excellence

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Satisfaction Levels with Service Delivery

  Satisfaction is measured across three domains: Structure (the physical setting and resources), Process (the delivery of care and communication), and Outcomes (the results and perceived benefits)

  Data was collected over the 12-month implementation period of Phase 3, from October 2023 to September 2024

Study Arms (1)

Prototype Centre of Excellence in Integrated Cancer Services

EXPERIMENTAL

The intervention, as a pilot unit, was established within the Warm Community Nurse Clinic to deliver community-based cancer prevention and screening services . It highlights the model's core purpose as an integrated healthcare hub designed to test the feasibility of scaling such centres nationwide in Thailand

Other: Health Service Delivery Model

Interventions

Health Service Delivery Model OTHER

The intervention in this study is the development and implementation of a prototype Centre of Excellence (COE) in Integrated Cancer Services in Bangkok, Thailand. This model is fundamentally distinguished by its integration into a local community setting-specifically established within the Warm Community Nurse Clinic-rather than functioning as a standalone, large-scale hospital. By leveraging the community's existing familiarity with the clinic, the intervention aims to improve accessibility and trust while reducing the financial and logistical burdens typically associated with seeking cancer care at major medical centers.

Also known as: Lak Si is Alert to Fight Cancer

Prototype Centre of Excellence in Integrated Cancer Services

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Group 1: Service Recipients
• Age: Must be 20 years or older. Capacity: Must be able to express their opinions regarding the comprehensive cancer services.
• Consent: Must be willing to participate in the research study. Group 2: Service Providers
• ,Age and Sex: Must be at least 20 years old; there were no restrictions regarding sex.
• Professional Status: Must be actively providing services at the Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Excellence or its affiliated network facilities.
• Knowledge Base: Must possess specific knowledge of the center's administrative and service systems.
• Consent: Must express a willingness to participate in the study. Group 3: Cancer Care Experts
• Professional Experience: Must have a minimum of five years of experience in the field of cancer care.
• Expertise: Must have the ability to provide deep insights into comprehensive cancer services.
• Consent: Must be willing to participate in the research. Note: There were no restrictions regarding the sex or age of these experts.

You may not qualify if:

• Group 1 (Service Recipients): Participants were required to be at least 20 years old, have the ability to express their opinions regarding the center's services, and be willing to participate in the study.
• Group 2 (Service Providers): Eligible healthcare professionals had to be at least 20 years old, be actively providing services at the prototype center or its affiliated facilities, and possess specific knowledge of the center's administrative and service systems.
• Group 3 (Cancer Care Experts): These individuals were required to have a minimum of five years of experience in cancer care and the capacity to provide deep insights into comprehensive cancer services. The sources note there were no restrictions regarding the sex or age of these experts

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Chulabhorn Cancer Center: lead
• Chulabhorn Royal Academy: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Princess Agrarajakumari Faculty of Nursing, Chulabhorn Royal Academy

Bangkok, 10210, Thailand

Location

Related Publications (8)

• World Medical Association. World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki: ethical principles for medical research involving human subjects. JAMA. 2013 Nov 27;310(20):2191-4. doi: 10.1001/jama.2013.281053. No abstract available.

  PMID: 24141714 BACKGROUND

• Elrod JK, Fortenberry JL Jr. Centers of excellence in healthcare institutions: what they are and how to assemble them. BMC Health Serv Res. 2017 Jul 11;17(Suppl 1):425. doi: 10.1186/s12913-017-2340-y.

  PMID: 28722562 BACKGROUND

• Insamran W, Sangrajrang S. National Cancer Control Program of Thailand. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2020 Mar 1;21(3):577-582. doi: 10.31557/APJCP.2020.21.3.577.

  PMID: 32212781 BACKGROUND

• Sedgewick JR, Ali A, Badea A, Carr T, Groot G. Service providers' perceptions of support needs for Indigenous cancer patients in Saskatchewan: a needs assessment. BMC Health Serv Res. 2021 Aug 21;21(1):848. doi: 10.1186/s12913-021-06821-6.

  PMID: 34419035 BACKGROUND

• Adams RN, Mosher CE, Cannady RS, Lucette A, Kim Y. Caregiving experiences predict changes in spiritual well-being among family caregivers of cancer patients. Psychooncology. 2014 Oct;23(10):1178-84. doi: 10.1002/pon.3558. Epub 2014 May 17.

  PMID: 24839205 BACKGROUND

• ACTION Study Group. Policy and priorities for national cancer control planning in low- and middle-income countries: Lessons from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Costs in Oncology prospective cohort study. Eur J Cancer. 2017 Mar;74:26-37. doi: 10.1016/j.ejca.2016.12.014. Epub 2017 Feb 6.

  PMID: 28335885 BACKGROUND

• Iragorri N, de Oliveira C, Fitzgerald N, Essue B. The Out-of-Pocket Cost Burden of Cancer Care-A Systematic Literature Review. Curr Oncol. 2021 Mar 15;28(2):1216-1248. doi: 10.3390/curroncol28020117.

  PMID: 33804288 BACKGROUND

• Reungwetwattana T, Oranratnachai S, Puataweepong P, Tangsujaritvijit V, Cherntanomwong P. Lung Cancer in Thailand. J Thorac Oncol. 2020 Nov;15(11):1714-1721. doi: 10.1016/j.jtho.2020.04.024. Epub 2020 Oct 23. No abstract available.

  PMID: 33148410 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• WHO database
• The Global observatory database
• The Importance of Communication in Addressing Cancer as a Public Health Crisis: Office of the National Health Commission; 2020

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neoplasms

Study Officials

• Vilaivan Thongcharoen, PhD

  PAFN, CRA

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Dr.

Model Details: A research and development (R\&D) project employing an experimental research design.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 14, 2026
• First Posted: May 20, 2026
• Study Start: March 2, 2024
• Primary Completion: July 13, 2024
• Study Completion: July 13, 2024
• Last Updated: May 20, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TH (1)