National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT)
Collaborative cancer research for innovative and patient-oriented clinical trials
The NCT is a collaboration between the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and 11 university medical centers (UMCs) and other research institutions at six sites in Germany. The NCT strives to translate new research findings and preclinical developments into clinical trials: Multidisciplinary teams of physicians and researchers work together to ensure that new treatments reach patients as quickly as possible.
The NCT is being expanded from two to six sites as part of the National Decade Against Cancer, the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space’s cancer research initiative.
Innovative clinical trials
The core activity of the NCT is to develop and conduct innovative clinical trials, called Investigator Initiated Trials (IITs), which are open to patients nationwide. IITs are essential for testing new diagnostic and predictive methods, novel technologies, and therapies with a focus on personalized oncology. Researchers and patient representatives jointly develop study ideas, which are then further refined in workshops. These concepts are developed into study synopses and submitted on an ongoing basis through the IIT Portfolio web portal, where they undergo a multi-stage review process to assess their quality and feasibility. Selected projects subsequently receive financial support for implementation. Comprehensive Cancer Centers, accredited by German Cancer Aid, are the basis for each NCT site.
The NCT Study Finder is a digital information service and helps to discover suitable trials run by the NCT. It offers a central overview of clinical trials being conducted at the NCT, and describes them using patient-oriented, easy-to-understand language.
Patient involvement
People who have been or are affected by cancer gain unique experiences throughout the course of their illness. This perspective can help ensure that clinical research is better aligned with patients’ needs. To ensure that patients’ perspectives are always taken into account, patient representatives are involved in all research activities and are integrated into the governance of the NCT.
The Patient Expert Academy for Tumor Diseases (PEAK) offers comprehensive training programs and online seminars to promote informed patient participation and empowerment in cancer research.
Education and training
The NCT School of Clinical Cancer Research (SCCR) provides the site-overarching framework for structured education, advanced training, and career development in clinical translational cancer research within the NCT.
It addresses clinical researchers and physicians as well as trial-support personnel, creating a shared qualification platform across the entire clinical research pathway, from study conception and regulatory requirements to the implementation of complex translational study concepts.
