Cancer Core Europe: A European cancer research alliance realizing a research infrastructure with critical mass and programmatic approach to cure cancer in the 21st century

doi:10.1016/j.ejca.2018.08.023

European Journal of Cancer

Volume 103, November 2018, Pages 155-159

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejca.2018.08.023 Get rights and content

Abstract

Translational cancer research covers the whole cancer research continuum from basic to preclinical to early clinical, late clinical and outcomes research. Basic-preclinical research is the “engine” for early clinical research bridging the early translational research gap. Cancer Core Europe has been created to construct a sustainable, high level, shared research infrastructure platform with research collaborations and taskforces (data sharing, clinical trials, genomics, immunotherapy, imaging, legal & ethical problems, and education & training) having representatives from all seven member centres, in a controlled expansion model. In parallel, a consortium of ten cancer prevention centres was established, Cancer Prevention Europe, to support the complete cancer prevention research continuum. Cancer Core Europe is launching at present the Basket of Baskets trial, which is the largest personalized cancer medicine trial effort in Europe. At present, Cancer Core Europe and Cancer Prevention Europe are in the process of integrating therapeutics and prevention strategies to address in partnership the increasing cancer problem. By offering innovative approaches for cancer research, links to the healthcare systems, development of quality-assured multidisciplinary cancer care, as well as the assessment of long-term outcomes, the infrastructure is expected to serve as a hub to connect with other centres in Europe as well as on other continents. In this manner Cancer Core Europe and Cancer Prevention Europe prepare to tackle the “Mission on Cancer”, with infrastructure and proofs of concept for therapeutics and prevention, research for assessment of effectiveness, health economics and added value for patients and the healthcare systems.

Section snippets

Cancer is a growing health and economic problem

It is estimated that in 2018, there will be 3.91 million new cases of cancer (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) and 1.93 million deaths from cancer in Europe as a whole. In the EU-28 alone, the estimated number of new cases of cancer is approximately 1.6 million in males and 1.4 million in females, with 790,000 men and 620,000 women dying from the disease in the same year [1]. The most common cancers are breast, colorectal, lung and prostate, which combined amount to half of the overall

Historical background

Developing strategies to tackle the increasing challenge posed by cancer has been a primary focus during the last decades, and it has become clear that innovating both in prevention and therapeutics will be essential to address the problem. Toward this end, the former Commissioner Philippe Busquin initiated in 2005 (FP6) the ‘EUROCAN+Plus’ project to address the coordination and fragmentation of European cancer research. An important conclusion from the project was the proposal to create a

The cancer research continuum

Translational cancer research covers the whole cancer research continuum from basic/preclinical to early clinical, late clinical and outcomes research. Basic/preclinical research is the ‘engine’ for early clinical research bridging the early translational research gap. Improvement in both loco-regional and systemic therapeutic strategies is currently addressed by integrating diagnostic and interventional technologies as well as new systemic treatment approaches.

To innovate in diagnostics and

Cancer Core Europe—an advanced infrastructure for early translational cancer research

Cancer Core Europe is a shared research infrastructure platform with research collaborations and taskforces (data sharing, clinical trials, genomics, immunology, imaging, legal & ethical and education) having representatives from all the participating centres. Currently, the consortium is moving towards a virtual single ‘e-hospital’ with shared translational research activities and compiled databases. Clinical molecular profiling laboratories linked to computational biology provide validated

Relationship to Cancer Prevention Europe

It is evident that treatment alone will not solve the cancer problem and that prevention activities will be necessary. Cancer Core Europe will interact with Cancer Prevention Europe to jointly set research strategies, selection of priorities and collaborations. The two consortia will grow together to create a European research infrastructure which will act as an innovator for early translational research and set the agenda for innovative research built on new information from basic/preclinical

Future perspectives

The launching of Horizon Europe on June 7 this year has opened new possibilities to address significant societal challenges such as cancer, as for the first time, there is an open discussion and analyses of the relationship between research, its societal impact and patient empowerment. In particular, missions provide an excellent opportunity to engage all the stakeholders and Members States to impact society by addressing global societal challenges in partnership. As stated in the press

Conflict of interest statement

None of the authors declare a COI regarding this article.

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Position PaperCancer Core Europe: A European cancer research alliance realizing a research infrastructure with critical mass and programmatic approach to cure cancer in the 21st century