Colorectal cancer care in Denmark: status and dilemmas

The area of cancer care has received significant political attention in Denmark over the past decades. Colorectal cancer (CRC) has a relatively high burden of disease and high mortality. This paper describes the main initiatives to improve CRC treatment in Denmark. It highlights the introduction of national "cancer pathways" based on clinical guidelines. The pathways specify ideal patient pathways through the system and include standards for waiting times and care processes. The comprehensiveness and high quality of Danish patient registers will aid in the implementation. Yet a number of outstanding challenges are also identified. The most important include a shortage of nursing and medical specialists for cancer care, and issues of co-ordination between primary care, hospital care and follow-up services.