The NCRI Skin Group identified their strategic priorities in June 2023 to address challenges faced in skin cancer research and to ultimately improve outcomes for skin cancer patients with currently unmet needs.
NCRI Skin Group strategic priorities 2023-2026
Immunotherapy including neoadjuvant treatment
Immunotherapy has revolutionised the treatment of skin cancers both in the advanced setting (melanoma and non-melanoma) and is improving the number of patients who are cured of melanoma with earlier stage disease. The Skin Group will explore how to deploy immunotherapy more effectively, minimise toxicity, support patients with late effects of treatment and ensure less common sub-groups of skin cancer are represented in clinical studies.
Non-melanoma skin cancer
Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is under-represented in clinical trials of new therapies and is an area of unmet need. This priority aims to evaluate treatment innovations in NMSC including immunotherapy, surgical techniques and the optimisation of the use of radiotherapy in this patient population.
Health data research
There are huge opportunities to leverage the depth of real-world clinical data to inform current patient outcomes. The key aims of this priority is to develop a broad programme of research to leverage current and future healthcare datasets to support clinical research into skin cancer.
Early diagnosis and prevention
The risk of developing skin cancer can be reduced significantly through primary prevention. In addition, earlier detection of skin cancer is vital to improving overall survival and quality of life of skin cancer patients. This strategic area aims to improve the effectiveness and delivery of early diagnosis and prevention methods for skin cancer patients by leveraging modern tools e.g. social media, artificial intelligence (AI), tele-health and remote consultations and patient-based applications.