Karliczek: Strengthening cancer research with four new sites - expansion of the National Center for Tumor Diseases

Research Minister announces four new sites in the National Center for Tumor Diseases.

With the National Decade against Cancer, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is strengthening cancer research and thus also the treatment of people suffering from cancer. A central component of cancer research in Germany is the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT). The NCT is intended to promote innovative, patient-oriented cancer research, rapid transfer to the care of those affected and the training of young scientists. There are currently two NCT sites in Germany, in Heidelberg and Dresden. At the beginning of the National Decade Against Cancer, Federal Research Minister Karliczek announced the expansion of the NCT by four additional sites. The four new sites have now been selected based on the recommendation of an international panel of experts. Federal Research Minister Anja Karliczek explains:

"Together with many partners, we proclaimed the National Decade Against Cancer at the beginning of 2019. With the expansion of the NCT, we are strengthening Germany as a cancer research location and taking a very important step forward. The four new NCT sites are:

• Berlin
• Cologne/Essen
• Tübingen/Stuttgart-Ulm
• Würzburg with the partners Erlangen, Regensburg and Augsburg.

Each of the four new locations can receive up to 13 million euros a year from the BMBF when completed. The respective host state will provide a building and also contribute to the annual funding.

The cancer medicine of the future is personalized diagnostics and therapy tailored to each patient. This is why it is so important to promote cancer research. The NCT brings together cutting-edge research and state-of-the-art patient care so that patients can receive optimal treatment. Scientists and physicians work together under one roof at each of the sites. This shortens the distance from the laboratory to the patient's bedside. Everyone benefits from this.

With the expansion of the NCT, even more research results can be tested in clinical trials in the future. This also means that even more people with cancer will have better access to the latest findings from cancer research and new treatment and diagnostic options. Overall, this will further improve patient-oriented cancer research, the care of many cancer patients and the training of young scientists and clinicians in Germany. This is another building block in our efforts to better and better manage cancer."  

Background:
The decisive factor for the site selection based on the recommendation of an international panel of experts chaired by the English molecular biology pioneer Sir Alex Markham was not only scientific excellence but also the existing expertise in combining care and research. In addition, a clearly recognizable added value for patients and the contribution to innovative personalized oncology had to be highlighted in the applications. The four potential NCT sites that have now been selected convinced the international panel of experts the most. The final consensus recommendation takes all these selection criteria into account. The BMBF followed the experts' recommendation without reservation.

Over the past six months, the international panel of experts intensively examined the applications and announced its selection recommendation to the BMBF in mid-September. A total of 13 reviewers from eight nations were represented on the panel. In addition to scientists, two patient representatives also reviewed the applications, thus ensuring that the views of people directly affected by cancer were included in the selection process.

Good cooperation between all NCT sites is the key to success: the joint use of infrastructure and data, the exchange of information in cross-site tumor boards, what would be the best treatment - all this must be clarified in advance so that it can function smoothly. To achieve this agreement, a one-year strategy phase will initially be financed. During this phase, the new sites will clarify all relevant governance and cooperation issues together with the existing sites. The strategy concept will be presented to the international expert panel again in a year's time. A positive vote is a prerequisite for subsequent institutional funding.

»To the announcement on the website of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)