Articles
A silver lining: Could changes forced by the pandemic point to better ways to conduct our clinical trials?
Pragmatic adjustments to trial protocols were seen to be essential during the Covid-19 pandemic to avoid trials being abandoned or delayed. Most changes involved reducing the requirements for travelling to…
Their fingers on the button: why neglecting radiation therapists is no longer an option
Can you be sure that the person who positions you on the radiotherapy table and delivers your prescribed dose has received the necessary training and education? Europe’s radiation therapist profession…
Delivering cancer care during the pandemic: lessons from the ‘first wave’
As the COVID-19 pandemic shows signs of an autumn resurgence, we look at how the ‘first wave’ impacted on the delivery of cancer care, and review responses to the Cancer…
Smoke without fire? Should cancer of unknown primary be treated as a separate disease?
Pathology-based treatment approaches are not effective in many cases of CUP due to its elusive biology. We examine the arguments for switching to a tissue-agnostic approach that targets actionable mutations…
Raed Al Dieri: Taking pathology from bit part to key player on the European oncology scene
With precision medicine, pathology has moved out of the labs and into the heart of clinical decision making. But the discipline still struggles to make its voice heard at the…
Could covid-19 boost interest in drug repurposing in oncology?
During the covid-19 pandemic, a number of approved therapies have been assessed as potential treatments against the virus and its effects. It’s known as drug repurposing and has a long…
Will artificial intelligence revolutionise cancer therapeutics and care?
AI has started to impact oncology, with tools for quicker and more-accurate diagnostics, but its role in better interpreting genomic data is still to be realised. Rachel Brazil pinpoints the…
Prognostic biomarkers: could they help doctors, patients and families to better navigate the end of life?
“We had to explain that the reason she had broken her hip was because she was getting weaker and essentially dying… At that stage knowing whether Mum had days or…
Rare cancer care: Are European Reference Networks delivering on the promise?
With a bigger role for European Reference Networks foreseen for Europe’s post-pandemic future, we ask: are they fulfilling their mandate to improve the quality of diagnostics and care for patients…
On a mission to beat cancer
What should be the priorities for the EU Cancer Mission? With the initial recommendations now open for comment and consultation, we hear from some of the players about the pitfalls…