The process for finding new and improved ways to diagnose and treat cancer is long, rigorous and expensive. It involves several stages of research before even becoming a clinical trial.
There are three main types of research:
- basic research that is undertaken to better understand the disease
- clinical research that explores the treatment of the disease
- translational research that bridges the two.
Translational research applies findings from basic science to enhance human health and well-being. It implements a “bench-to-bedside” approach – from laboratory experiments through clinical trials to point-of-care patient applications such as new drugs, devices, and treatment options for patients. The end point of translational research is the production of promising new treatments that can be used with practical applications, used clinically or are able to be commercialised.
Translational research brings together a range of people to collaborate, further understand and advance the research. By bringing together specialists, such as academics, biologists, oncologists, nurses and psychologists, research can be dissected and refined through a rich range of differing perspectives.
Translational research can also happen after a clinical trial too. This can help take the trial’s results and develop them into a specific treatment process or set of guidelines that can be used by other health practitioners in the future.
