The Italian Thyroid Cancer Observatory (ITCO) will serve as a uniquely multifaceted source of reliable, authoritative, evidence-based information on thyroid nodules and thyroid cancer, including their epidemiology, diagnostic work-up, and clinical management, as well as the cutting-edge issues being debated in national and international research communities.
The general objectives will be to create a roadmap for the management of thyroid cancers that will promote scientific, professional, and operative interaction between clinicians and researchers interested in these tumors and to define a set of “best practices” that will improve the standards of treatment.
The Observatory will be a meeting place for authoritative international experts on thyroid cancer working in the top oncology centers of the world. It will also serve as a forum, for the collection, analysis, and diffusion of data, which can be accessed not only by the scientific community but also by members of the general public.
It will work closely with a wide range of organizations and partners to provide scientific support to health-care policy makers and practitioners involved in the management of thyroid nodular disorders and thyroid cancer.
In short, the Observatory’s main objectives are to:
- Analyse, signpost and report on thyroid nodular disorders and thyroid cancer and related epidemiological and surveillance data
- Generate scientific evidence and data briefings
- Develop innovative social and economic analytical data and presentation tools on the phenomenon of the increase in thyroid cancer
- Describe and map data on thyroid cancer status and associated indicators
- Develop guidance and tools to support the evaluation of actions targeting thyroid cancer
- Provide guidance and support to policy makers and practitioners working to tackle thyroid nodular disease and thyroid cancer
- Communicate the most important progress and information on new diagnostic approaches and new treatments and drugs available to treat advanced forms of thyroid cancer.