Spurred by the urgent need to render anti-gastric cancer therapies more precise, as well as detect and prevent disease sooner, renowned leaders in oncology gathered last week at the INCLIVA Health Research Institute in Valencia, Spain, to celebrate the launch and kick-off of the CELAC and European Consortium for a Personalized Medicine Approach to Gastric Cancer (LEGACy).
Supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, this timely 4-year project is spearhead by Andrés Cervantes, Director of lead project partner, INCLIVA Health Research Institute, and count on the participation of 10 other consortium members spanning 9 different countries, including the Vall d´Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO).
VHIO’s participation will mainly focus on data integration as well as the recruitment of patients, led by Rodrigo Dienstmann, Principal Investigator of our Oncology Data Science (ODysSey) Group, and María Alsina, Medical Oncologist and Clinical Investigator of VHIO’s Gastrointestinal & Endocrine Tumors Group led by Teresa Macarulla and directed by Josep Tabernero, respectively.
To discover more about the project as well as the other LEGACy Consortium partners please see release below:
Source: INCLIVA Health Research Institute
CELAC and European Consortium for a Personalized Medicine Approach to Gastric Cancer (LEGACy) launched
On Thursday 10 January 2019, experts from nine countries gathered together in Valencia, Spain to launch the European Union (EU) funded project LEGACy. The project focusing on personalized medicine approach in gastric cancer aims to improve diagnosis and treatment by using data obtained through extensive research in four EU countries and four countries within the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC).
Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in both sexes worldwide. The disease is responsible for 783 000 deaths per year1. The 5-year survival rate of gastric cancer patients in western countries varies from alarming 10% to 25%. Also, median overall survival rate for patients with advanced gastric cancer is only about 12 months2. Without doubt, gastric cancer prevention requires urgent interventions.
To respond to this need, partners from Argentina, Belgium, Chile, Germany, Mexico, The Netherlands, Paraguay, Portugal and Spain will rally together in order to design a cost- effective algorithm based on the tumour biology knowledge. The collaborative research will analyse more than 3 thousand cases in total. The project receives funds by the Research and Innovation programme Horizon 2020 and the budget is over 3,5 million EUR.
The project will bring new information about the different gastric cancer subgroups. The primary goal of the project is to improve gastric cancer outcomes by applying personalised medicine in CELAC and EU populations participating in the project through:
- implementation of a personalised medicine strategy at the first level of prevention
- improvement of early gastric cancer detection at the second level of prevention
- improvement of gastric cancer treatment through high-risk group identification
- analysis of regional variations in respect to gastric cancer between EU-CELAC populations
The EU-CELAC strategic partnership started in 2011 with a focus on Science and Research. After chronic diseases were identified as a shared priority, the EU narrowed its focus to cancer after input from CELAC. Under Horizon 2020, the EU is now funding translational collaborative cancer research between Europe and CELAC.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 825832.
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References:
- WHO, The Global Cancer Observatory. (November 2018): Stomach fact sheet, available: http://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/cancers/7-Stomach-fact-sheet.pdf
- Ajani JA, Lee J, Sano T, Janjigian YY, Fan D, Song S. (2017): Gastric adenocarcinoma, available: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28569272
Partner organisations:
FUNDACIÓN PARA LA INVESTIGACIÓN DEL HOSPITAL CLÍNICO DE LA COMUNIDAD VALENCIANA – INCLIVA
INCLIVA is a top 10 biomedical research institute in Spain. It is organized around four priority areas of research: cardiovascular, oncology, metabolism and organic damage and reproductive medicine. INCLIVA is included in the framework of centres of scientific excellence promoted by the Spanish Government. INCLIVA is the institution managing the research in the area of Health produced by School of Medicine of University of Valencia, the Valencian Infertility Institute and the University Clinic Hospital that includes a health department providing healthcare to the 350.000 inhabitants.
INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE CANCEROLOGIA
The INCan is the coordinator of 25 State Cancer Centers (CEC) in Mexico, thus offering a unique possibility for designing common programs and strategies for better cancer control of a national character, and for achieving an impact at the national level on improving cancer prevention and early detection, reducing the morbimortality of cancer in Mexico. INCan is the leading cancer institution in cancer policy, treatment, education and research in Mexico.
PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATÓLICA DE CHILE
The Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile was founded on June 21st, 1888 by Mariano Casanova, the Archbishop of Santiago with the purpose of blending academic excellence and training based on the Christian doctrine in a single institution. The University’s mission is to reach excellence in the creation and transfer of knowledge and educational training of people, inspired by Catholic values and always at the service of the Church and society
VALL D’HEBRON INSTITUTE OF ONCOLOGY
Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) is a private non- profit organization committed to translational research in oncology. The Institute has a broad expertise in carrying out clinical trials with pathway- targeted inhibitors and studies for the development of novel diagnostic/ prognostic tools and translational research. VHIO is part of the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital complex and performs translational and early clinical research providing a link between basic and clinical research.
UNIVERSITAET LEIPZIGThe University Cancer Center Leipzig is a leading institution for basic, translational and clinical research on gastric cancer. The multidisciplinary team, led by the medical oncologist Prof. Florian Lordick, takes responsibilities within Europe and worldwide including ESMO, EORTC and the International Gastric Cancer Association (IGCA).
EUROPEAN CANCER PATIENT COALITION
European Cancer Patient Coalition (ECPC) is the largest European cancer patients’ umbrella organisation. Established in 2003 with over 450 members, the ECPC is the voice of the European cancer community, uniquely representing the interests of all cancer patient groups, from the most common to the rarest forms of cancer.
INSTITUTE OF MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTO
The Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto (Ipatimup) is a private non-profit association of public utility, and an Associated Laboratory of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education. Ipatimup’s research covers several cancer types, with a special focus on gastric cancer. Ipatimup also provides specialized diagnostic and consultation services. Furthermore, Ipatimup has always put an effort in science diffusion, contributing to the population’s scientific culture.
GENPAT
GenPat is a histology/immunohistochemistry and molecular private laboratory established in Asunción-Paraguay in 1994. The laboratory performs immunohistochemical stains and chromogenic and
fluorescence in situ hybridization for diagnose purposes for different public and private hospitals of Paraguay.
INSTITUTO ALEXANDER FLEMINGThe Institute Alexander Fleming is the only private Institute specialized in Oncology, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is organized around different priority areas of clinical research in Oncology. Institute Alexander Fleming (IAF) is included in the framework of centres of scientific excellence on behalf University of Buenos Aires and AAOC, (Asociación Argentina de Oncologia Clinica). IAF is the institution managing the research in Clinical Oncology and basic research
ANAXOMICS BIOTECH S.L.Anaxomics is an SME founded in 2007 specialized in bioinformatics and systems biology providing services to bring a new insight in the understanding of the complexity of biological processes and innovative solutions to take our understanding of drugs and diseases to a new level.
VU UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER AMSTERDAM
Amsterdam UMC Cancer Center Amsterdam (CCA) is a national and international leading center for cancer research and treatment. As a clinical oncology research center, CCA has a unique position in the world because of the integration of research and care between laboratory and clinic. The Medical Oncology department, location VUmc has an excellent track record in translational and clinical research. The Medical Oncology Immunotherapy Lab aims to translate preclinical studies into new cancer immunotherapies, has been involved in bench-to-bedside research and has necessary reagents, tools, methodologies, and equipment for the proper evaluation and measurement of immune cell functions. CCA clinical infrastructure provides access to patient samples that are essential to this research.
