The NCRI Head & Neck Group has published strategic priorities in head and neck cancer research to address challenges and improve outcomes for patients.
The group have identified five priorities on which the group will be focussing its efforts over the next three years.
The priorities identified by the group are as follows:
- Improve collaboration between basic scientists, translational scientists and clinicians to engage and collaborate in future head and neck cancer clinical trials
- Identify gaps in salivary gland cancer research and develop strategic priorities for this area
- Design a clinical trial to improve outcomes for patients with locally advanced hypopharyngeal cancer
- Identify ways to improve outcomes for elderly and geriatric head and neck cancer patients
- Identify the causes of the lack of diversity in clinical trials and propose solutions to improve equality, diversity and inclusion.
NCRI Head & Neck Group’s strategic priorities
The NCRI Head & Neck Group has been successfully supporting innovative clinical research from early phase to practice changing phase III studies and large observation projects. The group have developed an ambitious future strategy to approach the most challenging areas of unmet need in head and neck cancer, improve understanding of the underlying biology and ultimately improve outcomes for our patients.
Dr Martin Forster, Chair of the NCRI Head & Neck Group
To identify the key priorities in head and neck cancer research, the NCRI Head & Neck Group held three virtual sessions, attracting over 40 participants from various sectors and disciplines, including NCRI Consumer Forum members, Early Career Researchers and Partners.
The sessions allowed for discussion on the overarching challenges, opportunities and gaps in head and neck cancer research and specific issues and areas of unmet need in the field.
Experts exchanged ideas on the priorities for future head and neck cancer research. Each session involved researchers from wide-ranging disciplines encouraging cross-cutting collaboration to meet today’s most pressing needs in head and neck cancer research.
Join a working group
Working groups addressing each specific strategic priority are currently being formed. These groups will be made up of the experts needed to address each research question. To ensure you are made aware of opportunities to join the working groups, join the NCRI Head & Neck Network.