Co-authored by César Serrano, a Medical Oncologist at the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and Head of VHIO’s Sarcoma Translational Research Group, a special issue of Cancer Cell is dedicated to “bridging the gap between foundational cancer biology and clinical oncology.”
In this Voices article*, eight leading cancer researchers and clinical investigators in oncology provide a brief overview of the “state of the field” and discuss the integration of new technologies, the importance of patient-centric approaches, the need for novel clinical trial designs, and how teamwork and inclusive research can help deliver on the mission of translating cancer discoveries into benefits for patients.
*Many paths, one destination: Bridging the gap in cancer care. Cancer Cell. 2025 Apr 14;43(4):577-580. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2025.03.026.
Regarding rare tumors—comprising nearly 25% of all cancers—César Serrano calls for a “Get off the beaten track” approach when it comes to researching these pathologies.
“The field of rare tumors is vast, encompassing over 200 distinct subtypes characterized by infrequent incidence. They represent a heterogeneous group of cancers with diverse clinical behaviors and molecular characteristics, and inherently associate with worse outcomes. Fundamental research, while focused on unravelling the biological complexities of these tumors, must prioritize the translation of these discoveries into effective treatments and diagnostics for patients,” said Serrano.
In his piece, he advocates for constructive dialogue with scientifically knowledgeable patients and clinically oriented researchers to help bridge the gap between medical science and patient experiences as a key element in defining research priorities. These include addressing the lack of laboratory models and multi-omic data to achieve a deeper understanding of rare tumor biology, identify biomarkers, and develop new targeted therapies. He also emphasizes the need to meet new shifting paradigms in clinical practice that could help to increase drug approvals for rare tumors, such as the use of real-world data and innovative clinical trial designs.
“Overcoming current challenges will also require more advances in clinical trial data sharing, regulatory acceptance, and collaboration between all stakeholders including patients’ advocates and leading professional and academic societies in oncology,” concluded Serrano.
Article co-contributors:
- Erik Sahai, The Francis Crick Institute, UK
- Hongxia Wang, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, China
- Marleen Kok, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, The Netherlands
- Catherine J. Wu, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, USA
- Lin Shen, Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, China
- John Carpten, City of Hope, USA
- Varun Venkataramani, University Hospital Heidelberg, Germany
