Annual Report 2023
Division of International Health Policy Research
Tomohiro Matsuda, Norie Sawada, Laureline Gatellier, Rieko Kanehara, Yumiko Nomura, Kayo Nakata, Mark Gunter, Kumiko Saika, Sumiyo Okawa, Hadrien Charvat, Heinz Freisling, Asako Umeda, Erica Nakao, Wakaba Hamamatsu, Akane Taminaga, Kayoko Tanaka
Introduction
Viewing cancer as a global health issue to be tackled in Asia and the entire world, the division is involved in standardizing the international code or rule-setting and research methods and improving the research level of Asian countries. Through these activities, we will establish a research infrastructure of public health sciences.
The Team and What We Do
Besides establishing a research infrastructure, our objective is to connect to larger-scale research and domestic/overseas projects by starting up pioneering model research with international organizations, overseas research institutions and cancer centers, 6NC (The 6 National Research Center for Advanced and Specialized Medical Care in Japan) etc., and then demonstrating research outcomes. Our research includes international comparative studies for setting standards and guidelines in cancer registration/statistics and cancer diagnosis and screening, infrastructure development such as cancer registration, and proposal of cancer control measures based on cancer policy research. Furthermore, our research spans from basic research to clinical trials, treatment, care and survivorship of rare cancers such as pediatric cancer. We proactively work together with other departments of the National Cancer Center.
Research Activities
1. Cancer Policy Research and Proposition of Common Cancer Control Measures
We jointly operate the secretariat of the Asian National Cancer Centers Alliance (ANCCA), which serves as an international research platform for 21 national cancer centers in the member countries, making it possible to study, compare and analyze the healthcare system and cancer control of each country. In addition to the results of the analysis, with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the Division of Prevention, we are moving forward with the project on the Asian Code against Cancer and aim to standardize common Asian cancer control measures based on scientific evidence.
2. Development of Population-Based Cancer Registries (PBCR) and Estimation of Cancer Incidence in Asia
As a Collaborative Center designated by IARC, we take part in the Global Initiative for Cancer Registry Development (GICR) to standardize cancer registration and cancer statistics. Based on a Memorandum of Understanding with Vital Strategies, we disseminate the standardized rules to Indonesia, Cambodia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and other Asian countries. We apply statistical models to estimate the cancer incidence in these areas.
3. Estimation of the Burden of Rare Cancers and Collaboration with Clinical Trials in Asia
Under the framework of Rare Cancers Asia, we worked together with South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia and India to launch RARECAREnet Asia, which provides estimations of the burden (incidence, survival and prevalence) of rare cancers including pediatric cancers. We were able to compare rare cancer incidence rates in East and Southeast Asia based on international standard classifications. Moreover, we are collaboratively implementing the project ATLAS for infrastructure development of clinical trials in Asia led by the Department of International Clinical Development of the National Cancer Center Hospital.
4. Clinical Research with Population-Based Cancer Statistics as an Entry Point
With IARC and IKNL Netherlands, we are implementing a long-term follow-up research for cancer patients based on population-based cancer statistics. To conduct this research, under the initiative of the Population-based Cohort Study Section of the Division of Cohort Consortium Research, we are proceeding to establish a collaborative section with IARC.
5. Standardization of Childhood Cancer Staging, Survival Estimation, and Development of Statistical Infrastructure
Cooperating with Italy and the UK, we are conducting survival analysis (BENCHISTA Project) by applying the standard rules, Toronto Childhood Cancer Stage Guidelines, which was proposed by a research group led by the Cancer Council Queensland of Australia, to Japanese clinical/PBCR data. We are also participating in the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer (GICC) promoted by the WHO. In collaboration with IARC and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, USA, we organized a training workshop for practitioners of pediatric cancer registries.
6. Development of Data Sharing Technologies Disentailing Transactions of Individual Information
Considering the strict personal information protection rules nowadays, especially in international collaborative research, we are planning to shift from constructing big databases to virtual data sharing technologies (Vantage6) without exchanging individual information, with IKNL Netherlands. We were able to introduce Vantage6 to Asian countries and conduct a remote analysis of survival rates for head and neck cancers. The results were published as an academic paper.
Education
We had observership researchers from Chiang Mai University in Thailand; involved in research and thesis writing guidance of researchers mainly from Southeast Asian countries within the framework of ANCCA.
Future Prospects
We will work to pioneer and launch model international collaborative research, which will lead to research on a larger scale and national and international projects. We will be conscious of
cross-disciplinary collaboration with hospitals, research institutes, and external organizations from the research design stage, without being bound by organizational boundaries.