Around 40% of the world’s population will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. Fortunately, each year the survival ratio of this disease is increasing, thanks to the work of researchers and clinicians. To commemorate World Cancer Day, we highlight the cutting-edge research on this topic carried out in Spain

Researchers at the Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO) carry out most of Spain’s research on cancer. This public centre based in Madrid has more than 400 highly specialised professionals who work to defeat cancer. On a global level, CNIO is one of the best centres specialising in cancer research, gauged by the number and quality of scientific papers in addition to the innovative breakthroughs that pave the way for new drugs and therapies to counter the disease. Moreover, the CNIO has given rise to new biotechnology ventures that create new jobs and have direct contact with patients. To continue fighting this disease, CNIO has the initiative CNIO Friends, aimed at individuals and organisations aware of the need to support cancer research in a world-renowned centre for cancer research. You can find out how to support CNIO’s research HERE.

Besides CNIO, there are other research centres in Spain working on cancer. We have selected some cutting-edge studies published by them in the last year:

• Researchers from the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute and from the Institute of Biomedical Research of Barcelona identified a novel blood marker for early detection of pancreatic cancer, a disease with an average survival of 3 to 3.5 years.
• The journal Nature Cancer published a study develop at the CNIO that describes how blocking a molecule named NGFR decreases melanoma metastasis.
• Researchers from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine described the role of palm oil in promoting metastasis, presenting their findings in Nature.
• An international team including researchers from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine described three different lung cancer subtypes in patients who had never smoked, presenting their findings in Nature Genetics.
• Researchers from the Institute for Research in Biomedicine also published last year in Nature an approach to identify cancer-causing mutations using machine learning.
• A study carried out at Pompeu Fabra University and other institutions defined the mechanism that triggers brain tumour metastasis.
• Researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de València developed a sensor for an effective early breast cancer diagnosis.
• Researchers from the Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra identified key genes related to multiple myeloma development.

There is also a number of Spanish scientists working on cancer research in the UK, as highlighted today by the Society of Spanish Researchers in the United Kingdom (SRUK/CERU) through their Twitter account.

It's World Cancer Day🌍& this is how SRUK researchers help #CloseTheGap in cancer care by being fully dedicated to investigating prevention, early detection and treatment of different types of cancer, with the ultimate goal to improve and save patients' lives. #WorldCancerDay pic.twitter.com/tVQFC2MYXk

— SRUK/CERU (@ComunidadCeru) February 4, 2022

Although the developments in the last decades have been fundamental to increase the survival ratio, there is still work to be done, for which investigation is still a crucial part. As CNIO’s director Dr. María A. Blasco points out:

“Cancer is a lottery, and only research can save us.”