ASCO stands with our Ukrainian members, the worldwide oncology community, and health care providers around the globe in condemning Russia’s unprovoked war on Ukraine. We call for an immediate cessation of these hostilities and demand full protection and safety for all Ukrainian patients, health care workers, and medical facilities.

Together with our European members and international partners, we and our members are providing active support for oncology care in Ukraine and in countries that are receiving these displaced patients to help avoid life-threatening disruptions in their cancer care.

ASCO is collaborating with the American Cancer Society (ACS) to provide member volunteers to help respond to queries coming to their National Cancer Information Center from hospitals, clinicians, and patients in Ukraine and neighboring countries. If you are interested in signing up to support the ACS/ASCO collaboration, please contact us.

Following are resources for physicians, patients, and caregivers that are relevant and may be of use.

ASCO Statement

• ASCO statement, "ASCO Stands with Ukraine’s Cancer Community, Demands Safety for Patients and Healthcare Workers Throughout Region" (March 2, 2022)

Articles, News Releases, and Podcasts

• ASCO Chief Medical Officer Dr. Julie Gralow’s article for The Cancer Letter, “Reflecting on 25 Years of Collaboration and Friendship With Cancer Patients and Physicians in Ukraine” (March 4, 2022)
• ASCO Chief Medical Officer Dr. Julie Gralow’s guest commentary for The Cancer Letter, “Collaborating to Support Continuing Cancer Care for Ukrainians” (March 11, 2022)
• ​ASCO Connection article, “Supporting and Mobilizing Resources: ASCO Joins Worldwide Efforts to Support Ukrainian Cancer Care” (March 7, 2022)
• ASCO Connection article, “War in Ukraine: Statistics Do Not Keep Pace With Reality” (March 23, 2022)
• ASCO Connection guest commentary by Fay J. Hlubocky, PhD, MA, “Psychosocial Support for Patients Affected by Cancer and War: Practical Advice for Providers” (March 29, 2022)
• ASCO Connection article, “ASCO and ECO Hold Joint Briefing, “Cancer Care During the War in Ukraine—Briefing Summary and Link to Recording” (March 31, 2022)
• ASCO Connection article, “It’s a Time to Trust People”: ASCO Member Raises Funds for, Delivers Two Ambulances and Supplies to Ukraine (May 19, 2022)
• ASCO Daily News podcast episode, “War in Ukraine: Treating Patients Under Fire” (March 5, 2022)
• ASCO Daily News article, “Treating Patients in a War Zone: An Oncologist’s Account of the War in Ukraine” (March 11, 2022)
• ASCO Daily News podcast episode, “Cancer Care for Ukrainian Refugees in Poland” (March 15, 2022)
• ASCO Daily News article, "Helping Ukrainian Refugees With Cancer Starts With Better Global Coordination" (June 15, 2022)
• ASCO Daily News podcast episode, "Update from Poland: Cancer Care for Ukrainian Refugees" (August 11, 2022)
• American Cancer Society news release, “American Cancer Society and Professional Oncology Community Team Up to Provide International Support for Ukrainian Cancer Patients” (March 7, 2022)
• Associated Press article, “Ukrainian Minister Says Russia Blocking Access to Medicines” (August 13, 2022)
• Cancer.Net blog post by Fay J. Hlubocky, PhD, MA, “Coping With War and Cancer: How to Take Care of Your Mental Health During the Ukrainian Crisis” (March 11, 2022)
• The Cancer Letter article, “ACS, ASCO, and Jefferson Health Open Care Hotline for Ukraine’s Cancer Patients” (March 11, 2022)
• The Cancer Letter article, "To help Ukraine’s cancer patients, a coalition of U.S., European cancer groups aims to provide a coordinated response" (March 11, 2022)
• The Cancer Letter article, “Ukraine NCI’s Nataliia Verovkina: “I returned to Kyiv. I’m doing my job. We will stand, and we will win.” (March 18, 2022)
• The Cancer Letter article, “Ukraine NCI’s Oleksandr Stakhovskyi: “We are fighting for the truth” (March 4, 2022)
• The Cancer Letter article, “Yuliya Nogovitsyna: Evacuating children with cancer from Ukraine “a risky operation” as drivers, suppliers are targeted” (April 15, 2022)
• Healio article, “ASCO members urged to help support cancer care in Ukraine, host countries” (March 18, 2022)
• JAMA article, “Physicians in Ukraine: Caring for Patients in the Middle of a War” (March 16, 2022)
• Journal of Clinical Oncology article, “Cancer and Armed Conflict: Crossing Realities” (June 14, 2022)
• Journal of Clinical Oncology: Cancer Stories podcast, “Cancer and Armed Conflict: Crossing Realities” (June 14, 2022)
• JCO Global Oncology article, "The Armed Conflict and the Impact on Patients With Cancer in Ukraine: Urgent Considerations" (August 22, 2022)
• Medscape article, “Ukrainian-Born US Doctor Drops Everything, Heads to the War Zone” (March 16, 2022)
• Medscape article, “Coordinating Cancer Care for Patients Displaced by War” (March 21, 2022)
• Medscape article, “Hands Trained for Surgery Now on Machine Gun: Kyiv Oncologist” (March 21, 2022)
• Medscape commentary, “Let’s Do More to Support Ukrainian Refugees With Cancer” (March 24, 2022)
• The ASCO Post article, “War Is Hell. It’s Also a Public Health Disaster, Especially for People With Cancer” (March 14, 2022)
• The ASCO Post article, “ASCO and ECO Present Update on How the War in Ukraine Is Impacting Care for Patients With Cancer” (March 18, 2022)
• The ASCO Post article, “How ASCO, ECO, and WHO Are Marshalling Resources to Provide Care for Ukrainian Civilians and Refugees With Cancer” (April 25, 2022)
• The ASCO Post article, “St. Jude Receives First Group of Ukrainian Children With Cancer for Care in the United States” (April 25, 2022)
• The ASCO Post article, “The Impact of War on Patients With Cancer” (May 25, 2022)
• The ASCO Post article, “Cancer and War in Ukraine: How the World Can Help Win This Battle” (June 25, 2022)
• The Lancet Oncology article, “Resilience and perseverance under siege: providing cancer care during the invasion of Ukraine” (March 25, 2022)
• The Lancet Oncology article, “Oncology specialists' perspective on caring for patients with cancer during the early days of war in Kyiv, Ukraine” (April 25, 2022)
• The Lancet Oncology article, “Radiotherapy in conflict: lessons from Ukraine” (May 20, 2022)
• UICC podcast, “‘Let's Talk Cancer’: Cancer and Conflict Zones’” (March 30, 2022)

Patient and Provider Resources

• JCO article, “Screening for Distress and Unmet Needs in Patients With Cancer: Review and Recommendations”
• JCO Global Oncology’s Resources for Medical Professionals Providing Cancer Care to Displaced Ukrainian Patients
  • Journal articles regarding cancer care in refugee crises
  • Treatment guidelines in resource-stratified communities
• Cancer.Net, ASCO’s patient information website, Resources for Ukrainian People with Cancer
• American Cancer Society information page, Support for Ukrainian Patients with Cancer and Caregivers
• Canadian Partnership Against Cancer’s “Screening for Distress, the 6th Vital Sign: A Guide to Implementing Best Practices in Person-Centred Care”
• Cancer Care Ontario’s Edmonton Symptom Assessment System is available in several languages:
  • English
  • Polish
  • Russian
  • Ukrainian
• The Cancer Letter resource page, Ukraine crisis: Resources for health professionals
• General Anxiety Disorder 7-item screening questionnaire (GAD-7), available in several languages:
  • English
  • Hungarian
  • Polish
  • Romanian
  • Russian
  • Ukrainian
• Impact of Events Scale screening questionnaire
• Lymphoma Coalition resource page, Ukraine Conflict Response
• World Health Organization, Ukraine Emergency page

ASCO/American Cancer Society Collaboration: Volunteer Opportunities

• ASCO is collaborating with the American Cancer Society (ACS) to provide member volunteers to help respond to queries coming to their National Cancer Information Center from hospitals, clinicians, and patients in Ukraine and neighboring countries. If you are interested in signing up to support the ACS/ASCO collaboration and receiving updates on ASCO resources and other volunteer opportunities as they emerge, please contact us.
  • American Cancer Society information page, Support for Ukrainian Patients with Cancer and Caregivers

ASCO/European Cancer Organisation Collaboration: Coordinated Response

• ASCO is collaborating with the European Cancer Organisation (ECO) to coordinate information gathering, resource sharing, and activities with regional organizations, members, and health care facilities.
  • ECO-ASCO Special Network: Impact of the War in Ukraine on Cancer
  • ECO's Onco-Help resource list: Help Ukraine - Информация для пациентов
  • ECO Updates on Ukraine
  • Cancer Services Disruptions During the War in Ukraine - Results from a joint multidisciplinary survey

Charitable Funds

• Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) fundraising information, “UICC and its Members Step up to the Challenges Caused by the Conflict in Ukraine”

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid: CMS Coverage to Care (C2C)

• In an effort to be inclusive of diverse communities and deliver resources and services that are linguistically and culturally appropriate, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has developed and posted new materials translated in Ukrainian. 
• Coverage to Care (C2C) Resources aim to help Ukrainian populations understand their health coverage and receive needed primary care and preventative services.
  • Roadmap to Better Care – Explains basics of health care coverage and how to receive primary care and preventive services. To complement the Roadmap to Better Care, four supplemental materials were developed to help explain the important components into more digestible pieces: 
    • Roadmap to Better Care Poster
    • Differences Between Your Provider’s Office and the Emergency Department
    • Sample Insurance Card
    • Sample Explanation of Benefits
  • Roadmap to Behavioral Health – Serves as a companion guide for mental health and substance use service, to be used in conjunction with the Roadmap to Better Care. Ukrainian is now available, and additional languages will be available by the end of October.
  • My Health Coverage at-a-Glance – Shows how to keep track of health plan information and payment in a customizable format.
• Marketplace Resources Available
  • Marketplace Application Checklist– identifies the information to give in order to apply for or re-enroll in Health Insurance Marketplace coverage.
  • Get Ready to Apply/Reenroll in Coverage – clarifies the information needed and rationale for its use, along with a checklist to prepare for applying on re-enrollment into Health Insurance Marketplace coverage.
  • 8 Things Immigrants Need to Know about Marketplace Coverage– explains important information immigrant families need to understand when applying for Marketplace coverage.
  • Help in Your Language– explains how an applicant can receive free help with the Health Insurance Marketplace from an interpreter
• Additional HHS Resources
  • ​Benefits for Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees – Explains eligibility for Ukrainian humanitarian parolees and how to apply for benefits and services under the Office of Refugee Resettlement.

Submit Resources and Comments

ASCO will continue to update this centralized news and resources page as new articles and resources become available. If you have resources or comments to share, please complete this form: https://www.research.net/r/ASCOUkraine.

Page last updated August 11, 2023