Improving outcomes: a strategy for cancer sets out how UK health services can rise to the challenge of helping the NHS to deliver improved cancer outcomes that are amongst the best in the world. With this in mind, 2011 looks set to be another crucial year for all those tasked with delivering services from across the entire cancer care pathway within the context of significant changes within the NHS and a challenging financial climate. Progress has already been made in implementing Improving outcomes: a strategy for cancer, but the imperative for improvement remains and significant challenges lay ahead in the bid to deliver the strategy at an even faster rate, and improve outcomes for patients. How can cancer services contribute to meeting the quality and productivity challenge the NHS has been set? How can we improve the quality of commissioning of cancer services to deliver improvements in outcomes? The outcomes framework: What does this mean for cancer? How can the NHS save an additional 5000 lives each year by 2014/15? Whether you are a cancer specialist, public health practitioner, GP commissioner or NHS manager, it is essential that you are up to speed with the latest developments in commissioning for cancer care services, in the prevention agenda and in the delivery of effective, evidence based treatments. Now in its second year, the unique and comprehensive Cancer Care Congress 2011 has established itself as the UK’s premier gathering of all of those involved in the cancer care pathway.