What is a CCI?
The Mission Board of the EU Mission on Cancer has defined Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructures as ‘national or regional infrastructures that provide resources and services to support, improve and integrate cancer care, research, training of care professionals and education for cancer patients, survivors and families/carers.’
The Horizon Europe Mission on Cancer will complement the set-up of a EU network of Comprehensive Cancer Centers across Member States that will be established through Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan by 2025. The Mission aims to achieve the target of ensuring that 90% of eligible cancer patients have access to Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructures by 2030.
In that context, and in full complementarity and synergy with the actions foreseen under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, this topic should set up capacity-building for Member States and Associated Countries to support them in improving or developing their existing or future Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructures, by helping develop their research & innovation-related capacities.
CCI
Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructure
CCN
Comprehensive Cancer Networks*
according to CraNE WP6 (CCCN)
What is Capacity Building?
Capacity Building means a series of interventions tailored to the context which will enable the Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructure to perform in a more effective and integrated way in the domains of research and innovation, in such a way that the diagnosis, treatment and care of cancer patients is optimised.
Several interventions will be implemented to impact the aspects identified for improvement, which might include:
- clinical, translational and epidemiological research
- integration between health care and research
- improving integration within clinical and research networks
- data utilisation
- patient empowerment
- quality assurance programmes including development and utilisation of indicators of performance
- process and/or outcomes
Level of Capacity Building
- needs assessment
- training
- extending knowledge and competencies
- processes for talent development and exchange
- needs assessment
- gap analysis and identifying barriers
- sharing excellent practices
- building resources (data) and teams
- changing corporate mindsets
- needs assessment
- breaking down silos
- bringing in outside expertise (twinning and learning)
- networking, governance and organisation
- redesign of the system and sustainability
What is a Maturity Model
Maturity Models are used as tools to assess the current situation of the subject under study (here CCIs) and improve this situation by indicating a path for maturation.
Maturity Models are typically characterized by a certain number of maturity levels (e.g., initial, defined, managed), defining a simplified evolutionary path for scaling-up to higher maturity. To develop the CCI Maturity Model i.e., the definition of themes, development of criteria for the themes, and consensus on the number of maturity levels, an adapted Delphi process with the members of WP2 and other experts will be applied.
After defining themes, criteria and the number of maturity levels integrated into the CCI Maturity Model, this model will be developed and deployed as a CCI maturity web tool that facilitates online data collection and self-assessment. It will be elaborated as a living model.
Integrating Research with the Patient Pathway
Research and Innovation Themes for Capacity Building
- Discovery and translational research
- Clinical research
- Digital innovation
- Outcomes research
Citizens
- Screening
- Early detection
- Primary prevention - not covered in CCI4EU
The Patient Pathway
- Diagnosis (pathology, radiology and molecular diagnostics)
- Surgery
- Radiotherapy
- Systematic therapies
- Patient-centered care
Underpinning Infrastructures
- Human resources and education
- Clinical registries and real-world data
- Population registries
- Structures which ensure care continuity and equalty of access