Abstract
The main components of the cancer research continuum are basic/preclinical research, early and late clinical research and, after the adoption of an innovation by the healthcare or health organisations, outcomes research. Translational cancer research, defined as a coherent cancer research continuum, is mandatory to address the increasing burden of cancer effectively. The growing cancer problem can only be significantly modified by concerted action involving prevention to decrease incidence, early detection and treatment to increase the cure rate, and personalised/precision cancer medicine to adapt early detection and treatment to the biology of a tumour with the aim of increasing the cure rate, prolonging survival and improving health‐related quality of life. By definition, translational cancer research for therapeutics has a focus on patients’ needs and for prevention for individuals at‐risk. Consequently, to increase the effectiveness of translational research, the different components of the cancer research continuum need to be better connected to the fundamental aim of a mission‐oriented approach to cancer (Celis and Pavalkis, 2017).
Highlights
The main components of the cancer research continuum are basic/preclinical research, early and late clinical research and, after the adoption of an innovation by the healthcare or health organisations, outcomes research
The growing cancer problem can only be significantly modified by concerted action involving prevention to decrease incidence, early detection and treatment to increase the cure rate, and personalised/precision cancer medicine to adapt early detection and treatment to the biology of a tumour with the aim of increasing the cure rate, prolonging survival and improving health-related quality of life
Two main gaps were identified, representing early and late translational research (McGartland Rubio et al, 2010; Celis and Pavalkis, 2017; see http://www.tcrn.unsw.edu.au/ translational-research-definitions) Early translational research bridges basic/preclinical research with clinical research, looking at basic research innovations intended for proof-of-concept early clinical trials
Summary
A critical problem in therapeutics is the suboptimal linkage between different components of the cancer research continuum. In order to bridge a research outcome to its use by health care, the term ‘implementation research’ has been suggested (gap 3, Fig. 1) This means that implementation should follow a strict protocol regarding treatment and registration of positive and negative consequences of treatment, with the aim of assessing whether the outcome obtained in the research project(s) can be reproduced in a regular clinical care setting. The latter is an increasing problem due to the complexity of diagnostic procedures and treatment protocols when engaging in personalised/precision cancer medicine. It is suggested that this should be a task included in the accreditation methodologies for CCCs (see article by Oberst, 2019)
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