Toungouz Gordana Raicevic, Poirel Hélène A, Schittecatte Gabrielle, Van Den Bulcke Marc
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Cancer Center, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium.
Arch Public Health. 2024 Aug 26;82(Suppl 1):134. doi: 10.1186/s13690-024-01369-3.
Research is central to achieving Europe's Beating Cancer Plan, and is the key focus of the European Commission's Mission on Cancer. To successfully tackle the challenges we face in cancer research, a coordinated effort of the entire Belgian scientific community is needed. It is for this reason the Belgian Cancer Research Alliance was proposed. The aim of BeCRA is to bring together various Belgian research institutes and associated care institutions and position them optimally at the EU level, with respect to the many research initiatives launched in the EBCP within the EU4Health program, the Mission on Cancer, Digital Europe programs and other EU projects. Members of BeCRA collaboratively plan the participation in certain cancer research activities to ensure optimal use of investment and sustained excellence of Belgian cancer research. Belgium cancer research has an excellent track record in fundamental, translational research and phase I, II, III clinical trials. However, translating outcomes from research to patients in the Belgian healthcare system has been less successful. Gaps in the collaboration between actors in the research field, have led to fragmentation hampering the development of fundamental and translational research. Moreover, actors from multi-disciplinary background, such as behavioural or psycho-social fields, are not systematically included in cancer research. More efficient coordination between the aforementioned actors is necessary. Academic hospitals and universities should be incentivized to collaborate across regions, as well as to put sufficient focus on research activities with a virtuous spiral ("bed-to bench" and "bench to bed" process), while supporting researchers focusing on patient-driven research. There is an urgent need for Belgium to determine how best to ensure it remains an attractive market so that patients have access to innovative care. This could include streamlining regulatory complexity, while establishing lean and harmonized clinical trial designs, procedures and networks.
研究对于实现欧洲的《战胜癌症计划》至关重要，也是欧盟委员会癌症使命的关键重点。为了成功应对癌症研究中面临的挑战，需要比利时整个科学界的协同努力。正是出于这个原因，比利时癌症研究联盟被提了出来。比利时癌症研究联盟（BeCRA）的目标是将比利时的各个研究机构和相关护理机构聚集在一起，并使其在欧盟层面上相对于欧盟4健康计划、癌症使命、数字欧洲计划及其他欧盟项目中启动的众多研究倡议处于最佳位置。BeCRA的成员共同规划参与某些癌症研究活动，以确保投资得到最佳利用，并保持比利时癌症研究的持续卓越。比利时癌症研究在基础研究、转化研究以及I期、II期、III期临床试验方面有着出色的记录。然而，在比利时医疗体系中将研究成果转化为患者受益方面却不太成功。研究领域各行为主体之间的合作差距导致了碎片化，阻碍了基础研究和转化研究的发展。此外，来自行为或心理社会等多学科背景的行为主体并未被系统地纳入癌症研究。上述行为主体之间需要更有效的协调。应激励学术医院和大学跨地区开展合作，并充分关注具有良性循环（“从病床到实验台”和“从实验台到病床”过程）的研究活动，同时支持专注于患者驱动研究的研究人员。比利时迫切需要确定如何最好地确保其仍然是一个有吸引力的市场，以便患者能够获得创新护理。这可能包括简化监管复杂性，同时建立精简且统一的临床试验设计、程序和网络。
