Summary
Funder: Moondance Cancer Initiative
There is recognised variance in cancer research activity between multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) / cancer treatment centres within Wales. Previous research shows that those units who have high rates of clinical research activity have better patient related outcomes than those who are less active. This relationship is particularly remarkable for colorectal cancer; Downing (2017) showed that colorectal cancer patients treated in hospitals with high rates of research participation had lower postoperative mortality (p<0.001) and improved 5-year survival (p<0.001). The effects increased with sustained research participation ≥4 years.
There is a recognised need for early detection cancer research (CRUK) to improve cancer related outcomes. Early-stage detection offers the possibility of cancer prevention and cure to reverse the poor outcomes currently seen in the UK with late-stage detection. Endoscopy units offer the ideal setting for recruitment to early detection clinical trials with access to polyp surveillance and cancer screening lists yet are currently underutilised. An endoscopy network in England has recruited and completed such trials at pace giving proof of concept.
The Cancer Research Strategy for Wales (2019) states that “All cancer patients in Wales will have the opportunity to take part in research and shape the research agenda”. Many health boards fall below this standard despite Wales having a stable patient population that is keen and willing to participate in research.
This plan of work will 1) facilitate and encourage sustained cancer research participation within less research-active units and 2) facilitate research-active endoscopy units.
This proposal aims to improve cancer related patient outcomes, including survival outcomes, by:
1) facilitating sustained cancer research participation within units that are less research-active;
2) piloting up to three fully functioning research-committed endoscopy units delivering high numbers of recruited patients to uplift early cancer detection trial activity, and
3) support all-Wales collaborative colorectal cancer projects towards improved cancer outcomes.
We will achieve these goals through selection of up to 3 health boards/MDTs to support an uplift in early detection and cancer research activity. The workplan will understand barriers research engagement, will embed novel Research Facilitators, facilitate new Principal Investigators and existing trial adoption, establish research-active endoscopy units at the 3 selected sites to uplift early detection research, and to facilitate collaboration between cancer centres with an annual all-Wales collaborative colorectal cancer initiative.
Contact Details
Trial Manager / Lead Contact: Dr Nicola Heady
Phone: 0179 2604905
Email: n.j.heady@swansea.ac.uk