Innovation and equity were the central themes of the 2021 World Cancer Leaders’ Summit. In the lead-up to and over the course of the event participants explored different facets of innovation in cancer control and how – through targeted research, design and partnerships – innovations can be used to improve equity in cancer control. Of particular interest to the cancer control planning community is the session organised by the US National Cancer Institute and convened by the ICCP "Adapting National Cancer Control Plans to respond to disruptions and innovation: The role of implementation science" , drawing on lessons learned during the pandemic about the use of national plans as a framework for deliberate and equity-focused decision making in complex situations and systems. You can watch the recording here.