Opportunities for translational epidemiology: the important role of observational studies to advance precision oncology.
Within current oncology practice, several genomic applications are being used to inform treatment decisions with molecularly targeted therapies in breast, lung, colorectal, melanoma, and other cancers. This commentary introduces a conceptual framework connecting the full spectrum of biomedical research disciplines, including fundamental laboratory research, clinical trials, and observational studies in the translation of genomic applications into clinical practice. The conceptual framework illustrates the contribution that well-designed observational epidemiologic studies provide to the successful translation of these applications, and characterizes the role observational epidemiology plays in driving the dynamic and iterative bench-to-bedside, and bedside-to-bench translation continuum. We also discuss how the principles of this conceptual model, emphasizing integration of multidisciplinary research, can be applied to the evolving paradigm in "precision oncology" focusing on multiplex tumor sequencing, and we identify opportunities for observational studies to contribute to the successful and efficient translation of this paradigm.Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 24(3); 484-9. ©2015 AACR.
Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland.
Michael
M
Marrone
American Society of Clinical Oncology, Alexandria, Virginia.
Richard L
RL
Schilsky
Division of Medical Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Geoff
G
Liu
Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland. Office of Public Health Genomics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
Muin J
MJ
Khoury
Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland. andrew_freedman@nih.gov.
Andrew N
AN
Freedman
D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D064887:Observational Studies as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical / Q000379:methods*