JA PCM

Acronym: JA PCM
Title: The European Joint Action on Personalised Cancer Medicine

1. What is the JA PCM project about and what challenge does it aim to address?

The JA PCM (Joint Action on Personalised Cancer Medicine) is a European collaborative initiative aimed at embedding personalised cancer medicine into routine healthcare systems across Europe. It covers the full cancer care continuum, including prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.

The main challenge addressed by JA PCM is that access to personalised cancer medicine remains fragmented and unequal across EU Member States. Although molecular diagnostics, targeted therapies, and data-driven clinical decision-making are increasingly available, their implementation is hindered by:

• limited and non-harmonised data sharing,

• insufficient real-world evidence generation,

• and disparities in access to innovative treatments.

JA PCM seeks to overcome these barriers through coordinated European collaboration, harmonisation of practices, and shared learning.

2. What are the key outcomes or innovations JA PCM hopes to achieve?

JA PCM aims to deliver several key outcomes and innovations, including:

• Improved access to personalised cancer medicine across EU Member States and throughout the cancer care pathway.

• New models for systematic evidence generation, particularly using real-world data and innovative study designs.

• Federated data infrastructures enabling continuous and harmonised data collection while respecting privacy, GDPR, and national regulations.

• Sharing of best practices in areas such as molecular tumour boards, advanced diagnostics, liquid biopsy, and digital health tools.

• Development of a European roadmap and sustainability plan for personalised cancer medicine aligned with the European Beating Cancer Plan.

• Reduction of inequalities in access to personalised cancer care across Europe.

3. Which expertise will VUB bring to the table in this consortium?

Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) / UZ Brussel will contribute clinical and research expertise to JA PCM, with a particular focus on WP8.

• Pilot 8: Continuous data collection in a federated data-sharing platform 

VUB/UZ Brussel will contribute its experience in clinical and molecular oncology data collection, supporting the development and implementation of continuous and standardised data capture tailored to federated European data-sharing architectures.

• Use Case 8.1: Expanding treatment space and cohort design
  VUB/UZ Brussel will provide clinical insight and expertise in exploring and expanding treatment options for molecularly defined patient populations, thereby supporting the design and evaluation of targeted cohorts within a European evidence-generating network.

In addition, the oncologists at UZ Brussel have extensive experience in the design and execution of academic trials in the field of precision cancer medicine (PCM), including interventional clinical trials based on molecularly defined patient eligibility criteria. Of particular relevance is the ongoing effort to translate single-institution experience with rigorafinib in advanced, pretreated KIT-mutant melanoma into a broader European context. Investigators at UZ Brussel are currently preparing the initiation of a multicentre European phase II trial, to be conducted across medical centres within the EU PRIMEROSE network.

4. What broader societal impact will this project have?

JA PCM is expected to generate significant societal impact by:

• Improving patient outcomes through more precise, personalised treatment strategies.

• Ensuring more equitable access to innovative cancer diagnostics and therapies across Europe.

• Enhancing the sustainability of healthcare systems by promoting more effective and targeted use of resources.

• Increasing knowledge and trust among healthcare professionals, patients, and the wider public regarding personalised cancer medicine.

• Accelerating innovation in cancer care, supported by high-quality real-world data and cross-border collaboration.

Overall, JA PCM will contribute to a more patient-centred, data-driven, and equitable European cancer care ecosystem.