The Movember Prostate Cancer Landscape Analysis: an assessment of unmet research needs

Abstract

Prostate cancer is a heterogeneous cancer with widely varying levels of morbidity and mortality. Approaches to prostate cancer screening, diagnosis, surveillance, treatment and management differ around the world. To identify the highest priority research needs across the prostate cancer biomedical research domain, Movember conducted a landscape analysis with the aim of maximizing the effect of future research investment through global collaborative efforts and partnerships. A global Landscape Analysis Committee (LAC) was established to act as an independent group of experts across urology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, radiology, pathology, translational research, health economics and patient advocacy. Men with prostate cancer and thought leaders from a variety of disciplines provided a range of key insights through a range of interviews. Insights were prioritized against predetermined criteria to understand the areas of greatest unmet need. From these efforts, 17 research needs in prostate cancer were agreed on and prioritized, and 3 received the maximum prioritization score by the LAC: first, to establish more sensitive and specific tests to improve disease screening and diagnosis; second, to develop indicators to better stratify low-risk prostate cancer for determining which men should go on active surveillance; and third, to integrate companion diagnostics into randomized clinical trials to enable prediction of treatment response. On the basis of the findings from the landscape analysis, Movember will now have an increased focus on addressing the specific research needs that have been identified, with particular investment in research efforts that reduce disease progression and lead to improved therapies for advanced prostate cancer.

Fig. 1. Overview of the landscape analysis process.

The landscape analysis methodology involved one-to-one interviews, qualitative analysis and consultation with international experts (the Landscape Analysis Committee (LAC)). The research needs were then ranked using agreed prioritization criteria at the LAC workshop meeting.

Fig. 2. Summary of prioritized research needs from the landscape analysis.

Each research need, ordered according to its relevant disease stage, was plotted by the number of times it was mentioned in the thought leader and patient interviews (x axis) against the prioritization score it was given by the Landscape Analysis Committee (LAC; y axis). Research needs in a solid circle are insights from the stakeholder interviews that were prioritized for workshop discussion (those mentioned by four or more interviewees); research needs in an open circle are the LAC’s recommendation for discussion.