Pioneering the implementation of a precision oncology strategy in Portugal: the Precision Oncology Platform trial

Abstract

Background and purpose: The Precision Oncology Platform (POP) trial represents the effort of the Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto) for joining other leading European institutions in both ‘Personalised Cancer Medicine for all EU citizens’ (PCM4EU), and ‘PRecisIon Cancer MEdicine RepurpOsing SystEm Using Pragmatic Clinical Trials’ (PRIME-ROSE) consortia, enabling the development of the Portuguese version of the Drug Rediscovery Protocol (DRUP)-like Clinical Trial (DLCT), based on the experience of the DRUP trial developed in The Netherlands. Patients/material and methods: The POP trial is a phase II, pragmatic multicentric, non-randomised, open-label study, designed entirely like the other DLCTs. Its primary objective is to describe anti-tumour activity of targeted anticancer drugs in patients with advanced malignancies harbouring actionable molecular alterations. The primary endpoint is disease control rate (DCR). Secondary endpoints encompass treatment-related grade ≥3 adverse events, objective response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Exploratory objectives will assess biomarkers, resource use and costs, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). Interpretation: The POP trial will offer access to innovative treatments for patients without further therapeutic options and provide evidence on efficacy and safety of molecularly-guided treatments. Methodologically, it represents a pioneer approach in Portugal, including a pay-for-performance model embedded in the clinical trial. The POP trial represents a unique opportunity to integrate clinical research within cancer care, pursuing an evidence-based precision oncology strategy, and facilitating its rational and cost-effective implementation into the Portuguese healthcare system.