Innovative clinical trials for development of personalized cancer medicine

Towards a cancer mission in Horizon Europe: recommendations

A comprehensive translational cancer research approach focused on personalized and precision medicine, and covering the entire cancer research-care-prevention continuum has the potential to achieve in 2030 a 10-year cancer-specific survival for 75% of patients diagnosed in European Union (EU) member states with a well-developed healthcare system. Concerted actions across this continuum that spans from basic and preclinical research through clinical and prevention research to outcomes research, along with the establishment of interconnected high-quality infrastructures for translational research, clinical and prevention trials and outcomes research, will ensure that science-driven and social innovations benefit patients and individuals at risk across the EU. European infrastructures involving comprehensive cancer centres (CCCs) and CCC-like entities will provide researchers with access to the required critical mass of patients, biological materials and technological resources and can bridge research with healthcare systems. Here, we prioritize research areas to ensure a balanced research portfolio and provide recommendations for achieving key targets. Meeting these targets will require harmonization of EU and national priorities and policies, improved research coordination at the national, regional and EU level and increasingly efficient and flexible funding mechanisms. Long-term support by the EU and commitment of Member States to specialized schemes are also needed for the establishment and sustainability of trans-border infrastructures and networks. In addition to effectively engaging policymakers, all relevant stakeholders within the entire continuum should consensually inform policy through evidence-based advice.

A mission-oriented approach to cancer in Europe: a joint mission/vision 2030

By combining innovative prevention and treatment strategies in a sustainable state‐of‐the‐art virtual European cancer centre/infrastructure, it will be possible by 2030 to achieve a long‐term survival of 3 out of 4 cancer patients in countries with well‐developed healthcare systems. Furthermore, the proposed concerted actions will pave the way to handling the economic and social inequalities in countries with less developed systems. These efforts will also ensure that in the long‐run, science‐driven and social innovations reach patients across the healthcare systems in Europe.

Biomarker Tests for Molecularly Targeted Therapies: Laying the Foundation and Fulfilling the Dream

Precision medicine focuses on the management of individual patients on the basis of biomarkers and other distinguishing characteristics, with the overarching objective of improving clinical outcomes. The rapid proliferation of biomarker tests and targeted therapies has revolutionized patient care in a variety of serious disorders. Targeted cancer therapies interrupt oncogenic molecular pathways driven by mutations, overexpression, or translocation of specific genes. However, there is concern that the emergence of large-scale genomic data is exceeding our capacity to appropriately analyze and interpret the results.In 2014, the Institute of Medicine convened the Committee on Policy Issues in the Clinical Development and Use of Biomarkers for Molecularly Targeted Therapies. This committee conducted a study to develop recommendations to address diverse and interconnected development, regulatory, clinical practice, and reimbursement issues. The committee conducted an extensive search of the relevant literature and invited testimony from a wide range of experts in the field. The final report of the committee's study and deliberations was released on March 4, 2016, focusing on ways to achieve 10 goals to further advance the development and appropriate clinical use of biomarker tests for molecularly targeted therapies.This article presents an overview of the committee's study and resulting recommendations, which cover establishment of clinical utility, regulatory oversight, coverage and reimbursement, health system data integration, as well as education and access. The committee's recommendations presented and discussed here are fundamentally grounded in the understanding that, when properly validated and appropriately implemented, these assays and corresponding therapies hold considerable promise to enhance the quality of patient care and improve meaningful clinical outcomes.