This is a remarkable time for cancer research. As technology and our understanding of the inner workings of cells improve, research into detecting and treating tumours advances.
Cancer research is a step-by-step process that involves collecting, examining and analyzing information to increase our knowledge and understanding of how normal cells become cancerous. Research has shown that cancer is a very complex disease, but researchers are closer than ever before to fully understanding many types of cancer. Understanding the role of genetics and tumour suppressor genes in the basic biology of cancer comes from the knowledge learned studying childhood cancers. As our knowledge of cancer continues to grow, there will be even greater progress in cancer treatment.
Cancer treatment is based on scientific evidence, which means it has been well tested in the laboratory and in groups of people. Clinical trials are research studies that test new ways to prevent, detect, treat or manage cancer. Many children with cancer are treated on a clinical trial. Usually within days of a child's diagnosis, parents are asked to enrol their child in a clinical trial.
Thanks to gains in knowledge made by researchers here in Canada and around the world, we are making great progress against childhood cancer. The successes seen in the treatment of childhood cancer are largely due to the role of collaborative clinical trials. Across North America, many institutions have joined together to make clinical trials available to many children. Having participants from all over North America provides enough cases for a clinical trial to achieve results in a shorter period of time.
Understanding the research process
When we think about progress against cancer, it is important to recognize that science moves slowly. Cancer research is a time-consuming and expensive undertaking – it can take years for a single study to be completed.
Each year hundreds of researchers working in hospitals, academic and research centres or other institutions across Canada apply for funds to support their work. The Children's Oncology Group (COG) is the largest multi-centre trial group for childhood cancer in the world and includes the Canadian pediatric oncology centres.
Applications for research funding undergo a strict review process that has been carefully designed to make sure only excellent research receives funding. Researchers seek support for a variety of cancer research projects – from basic laboratory research to clinical trials involving cancer prevention, cancer treatment and quality of life. Cancer research covers a wide range of activities and aspects of scientific study. Some types of cancer research are discussed below.
Basic cancer research
Basic cancer research takes place in the laboratory, where scientists seek to understand cancer at its deepest, most fundamental level. Understanding the basic processes of a cell may uncover answers about how normal cells become cancerous. Researchers are doing a variety of basic studies, including:
- trying to understand how cell division and cell death are controlled
- looking for substances, or "tumour markers," that can be detected in the body
- trying to find out why certain cancer cells and tumours become resistant to treatment
- looking at the genetic basis of different cancers and how certain genes make us more vulnerable to cancer
Translational research
A major focus of research today is to transfer basic science discoveries made in the laboratory into clinical practice, and also to use clinical observations to generate new areas for scientists to study in the lab. This lab-to-the-bedside and back again approach of research is called translational research.
Clinical research
Clinical research is one of the most important ways we have of improving the treatment and management of cancer. Clinical research includes clinical trials aimed at detecting, diagnosing, treating or controlling cancer better. This will be accomplished through improved methods of detecting cancer, new anti-cancer drugs, better ways of giving radiation therapy, more effective combinations of treatments, the use of complementary and alternative cancer therapies and improved supportive care which reduces the impact of cancer and allows for the use of more intensive cancer treatments. There is also area-specific research being done for many types of cancer.
Behavioural research
Behavioural research looks at how our behaviour can affect our risk of getting cancer by studying what motivates us to maintain healthy behaviours and the reasons why we don't always choose them. Adult survivors of childhood cancer have an increased risk of developing chronic conditions such as cardiac disease, renal disease, a recurrence of cancer and even other cancers.
Researchers look for ways to prevent adult survivors of childhood cancer from taking up unhealthy behaviours like smoking and for ways to help us lead healthier lives, such as becoming more physically active.
Psychosocial research
Psychosocial research looks at the emotional, cognitive and social impact that cancer has on childhood cancer survivors. Researchers also examine the importance of help and support for children coping and living with cancer. Psychosocial research often tries to study and measure a variety of issues related to quality of life. The concept of total cure for children with cancer goes beyond survival – it includes having a good quality of life during and after treatment and into adulthood.
Survivorship research
An example of an important area of survivorship research is concerned with late effects of treatment. The successful treatment approaches for childhood cancers has led to an increase in the number of survivors. Researchers recognise that newer treatments have different long-term side effects than past treatments and that different long-term problems are possible. The long-term health of survivors is now an important component of overall childhood cancer care.
Learn more
To learn more about cancer research, the progress that has been made against cancer and what lies ahead, go to the Canadian Cancer Society and CureSearch - Children's Oncology Group.