Digestive Cancers Europe (DiCE) recently participated in the Cancer Drug Development Forum (CDDF) Multi-Stakeholder Workshop on New Modalities in Oncology Drug Development. This event brought together researchers, industry experts, regulators, and patient representatives to discuss the latest innovations in cancer treatment, including next-generation therapies, radiopharmaceuticals, and personalised vaccines. The workshop highlighted exciting advances in oncology, such as:

• Targeted therapies focus on specific cancer cells while sparing healthy ones.
• Personalised cancer vaccines are designed to train the immune system to fight cancer more effectively.
• Radiopharmaceuticals utilise targeted radiation to attack tumours.

One key takeaway from the workshop is the increasing acknowledgement that patients need to be more involved in the development of new cancer drugs. While scientific advancements offer promising new treatments, a gap remains between innovation and the actual needs of patients, such as enhancing their quality of life.

At DiCE, we believe that patients should have a voice in shaping the future of cancer care. We will continue collaborating with healthcare professionals, policymakers, and industry partners to advocate for more patient-centred drug development.

Author:

Laura Urena