Annual Report 2019
Preface
Center for Cancer Genomics and Advanced Therapeutics (C-CAT) was established on June 1, 2018 in National Cancer Center to collect and store the genomic as well as clinical information of cancer gene panel tests (cancer genome profiling tests) that are conducted under the Japanese national health insurance system.
To discuss a necessary platform/infrastructure for cancer genomic medicine in Japan, “The Expert Meeting for Cancer Genomic Medicine Promotion Consortium” was held in the Spring of 2017 at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). The Expert Meeting recommended to start cancer genomic medicine, at first, only in qualified hospitals. The MHLW accordingly set 11 Designated Core Hospitals for Cancer Genomic Medicine and 100 Cooperative Hospitals for Cancer Genomic Medicine in April 2018. Another important proposal from the Expert Meeting is to build a central datacenter, C-CAT, to aggregate genomic as well as clinical information of gene-panel tests. In June 2019, two cancer gene panel tests were approved for national health insurance reimbursement, and Japan started the first cancer genomic medicine under the universal health care system. In September 2019, 34 Designated Hospitals for Cancer Genomic Medicine, which are classified as being between the Designated Core Hospitals and Cooperative Hospitals, have been added to fortify the Expert Panel’s capacity. The number of Cooperative Hospitals was also increased to 122 by the end of the fiscal year 2019.
C-CAT has 42 staff including Director, Deputy Director and Executive Advisor to Director, and contains the Section of Cancer Genomics Repository, Section of Genome Analysis Platform, Section of Knowledge Integration, Section of Data Science Strategy, Section of Information Technology Support, Section of Liaison for Cancer Genomic Medicine Hospitals and Administration Office. C-CAT will collect patients’ genome data and clinical information upon informed consent, and generate “C-CAT findings” with clinical information for the nonsynonymous mutations found in every patient. To discuss logistics of cancer genomic medicine, The Liaison Council of Cancer Genomic Medicine Institutions was held first in May 2018, and has been held four times in total as of March 2020. The Council for Cancer Genomic Medicine Promotion Consortium was held three times, first in August 2018 followed by March and December 2019.
The fiscal year 2019 was the first big challenge for C-CAT, as the cancer genomic medicine, for the first time, became daily standard medical practice in Japan. Considering the very limited time of preparation, one year from the official establishment of C-CAT, and the big futuristic vision for data sharing not only for clinical care but also for research and development, it is quite remarkable that cancer genomic medicine could be launched smoothly with no major problems. We cannot express our thanks enough for the invaluable and essential cooperation, support and understanding received from the staff at cancer genomic medicine hospitals, MHLW, and the National Cancer Center, and all the patients and family members who considered or selected the cancer gene panel tests for medical care.
In the coming year 2020, we anticipate a further increase in the number of cases with available cancer genome panel tests and those with newly introduced panel tests. A substantial amount of the patient data will begin to appear in the C-CAT repository, and we are planning to develop a robust and secure data sharing system for both clinical and research purposes. C-CAT continues to do its utmost to improve the platform for efficiently and powerfully promoting cancer genomic medicine in Japan.
Hiroyuki Mano, M.D., Ph.D.
Director, Center for Cancer Genomics and Advanced Therapeutics