Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ONCODIR (ONCODIR – Evidence-based Participatory Decision Making for Cancer Prevention through implementation research)
Reporting period: 2023-06-01 to 2024-11-30
ONCODIR is committed to advancing evidence-based primary cancer prevention programmes and pioneering AI-powered personalised prevention approaches. By leveraging expertise from health policy analytics, social and behavioral sciences, AI-driven multi-omics, and retrospective data analytics, ONCODIR aims to redefine colorectal cancer (CRC) prevention strategies: to reduce CRC incidence, enhance early detection, and shape future policy recommendations for cancer prevention—ultimately improving public health across Europe.
To ensure practical and sustainable impact, ONCODIR evaluates cost-effectiveness, affordability, and cost-benefit parameters of its prevention programmes, and explores financial models that balance costs and generate demand, fostering accessible and effective CRC primary prevention programmes.
The overall objectives are to:
1. Identify and address the main barriers that prevent the uptake of CRC prevention programmes: conduct a pan-European study on barriers and facilitators for CRC primary prevention, while compiling the results of a meta-analysis of CRC incidence-related risk factors and placing it at the core of the stratification process.
2. Promote and deliver trustworthy personalised recommendation services. The focus is placed on primary prevention interventions and the facilitation of a behavioural shift of population groups, considering their evidence-based risk stratification, co-designed through a participatory process in a series of design thinking workshops and Living Labs sessions.
3. Develop an adaptable implementation framework considering structural and behavioural interventions and make suggestions on how to enhance the ongoing prevention programmes with a focus on lifestyle, nutritional, and social behaviours. This will be achieved by integrating insights from economics, sociology, and regional cultural identities to develop holistic and inclusive prevention strategies.
4. Develop a coherent technological ecosystem built on trustworthy AI and privacy-preserving principles that will facilitate intervention delivery, increase citizen awareness, empower clinicians and policy makers towards an evidence-based policy shift.
5. Promote the adoption of ONCODIR’s results and solutions in cancer prevention by designing sustainable and feasible pathways for the integration of evidence-based and cost-efficient interventions into EU regional and national health strategies. To validate its results and ensure real-world applicability, ONCODIR will conduct:
Three Laboratory Integration Tests (LITs) to assess technological feasibility.
Three Large-scale Intervention Pilots (LIPs) across 5five EU member states, engaging medical scientists, healthcare providers, and foundations.
To ensure practical and sustainable impact, ONCODIR evaluates cost-effectiveness, affordability, and cost-benefit parameters of its prevention programmes, and explores financial models that balance costs and generate demand, fostering accessible and effective CRC primary prevention programmes.
The overall objectives are to:
1. Identify and address the main barriers that prevent the uptake of CRC prevention programmes: conduct a pan-European study on barriers and facilitators for CRC primary prevention, while compiling the results of a meta-analysis of CRC incidence-related risk factors and placing it at the core of the stratification process.
2. Promote and deliver trustworthy personalised recommendation services. The focus is placed on primary prevention interventions and the facilitation of a behavioural shift of population groups, considering their evidence-based risk stratification, co-designed through a participatory process in a series of design thinking workshops and Living Labs sessions.
3. Develop an adaptable implementation framework considering structural and behavioural interventions and make suggestions on how to enhance the ongoing prevention programmes with a focus on lifestyle, nutritional, and social behaviours. This will be achieved by integrating insights from economics, sociology, and regional cultural identities to develop holistic and inclusive prevention strategies.
4. Develop a coherent technological ecosystem built on trustworthy AI and privacy-preserving principles that will facilitate intervention delivery, increase citizen awareness, empower clinicians and policy makers towards an evidence-based policy shift.
5. Promote the adoption of ONCODIR’s results and solutions in cancer prevention by designing sustainable and feasible pathways for the integration of evidence-based and cost-efficient interventions into EU regional and national health strategies. To validate its results and ensure real-world applicability, ONCODIR will conduct:
Three Laboratory Integration Tests (LITs) to assess technological feasibility.
Three Large-scale Intervention Pilots (LIPs) across 5five EU member states, engaging medical scientists, healthcare providers, and foundations.
Key Technical and Scientific Achievements of ONCODIR
Technological Achievements
Defining the Project Architecture: A structured technological framework has been designed and developed to support the project's objectives.
Prototype Development & Testing: Early versions of all ONCODIR tools, digital Frontend (NELI, DEPO, DELI) and backend tools (PYRAMID, OFEN, APPO) have been developed, demonstrated, and tested, including preliminary analytics results.
Establishing the ONCODIR Infrastructure: A central repository and communication mechanism (Data Warehouse and MDRS) has been created, ensuring seamless integration and data management.
Successful Execution of two LITs: We have organised and completed LIT-01 and LIT-02 ahead of schedule, demonstrating early success.
Scientific Advancements
Identification of CRC Risk Factors: The first draft of our study results has provided valuable insights into genetic, socio-economic, and behavioral factors influencing CRC incidence across EU and resulted in the development of the Personalized Risk Calculator.
Development of a Personalized CRC Risk Calculator: A user-friendly risk calculator, resulting from the meta-analysis, integrates both modifiable factors (e.g. diet) and non-modifiable factors (e.g. age) to generate a personalized risk score, empowering users to make informed lifestyle adjustments and prioritize early screening practices.
Engagement of Stakeholders: Through questionnaires and focus groups, we gathered both citizen and expert feedback to refine our methodologies and ensure the project’s solutions are aligned with real-world needs.
Advancing Pilot Preparations: Work is progressing on defining the LIT03 protocol and logistics, as well as LIP01 methodology.
Active Involvement of User Partners: Through dedicated sessions, user partners have been contributing valuable insights to shape ONCODIR’s strategies.
Technological Achievements
Defining the Project Architecture: A structured technological framework has been designed and developed to support the project's objectives.
Prototype Development & Testing: Early versions of all ONCODIR tools, digital Frontend (NELI, DEPO, DELI) and backend tools (PYRAMID, OFEN, APPO) have been developed, demonstrated, and tested, including preliminary analytics results.
Establishing the ONCODIR Infrastructure: A central repository and communication mechanism (Data Warehouse and MDRS) has been created, ensuring seamless integration and data management.
Successful Execution of two LITs: We have organised and completed LIT-01 and LIT-02 ahead of schedule, demonstrating early success.
Scientific Advancements
Identification of CRC Risk Factors: The first draft of our study results has provided valuable insights into genetic, socio-economic, and behavioral factors influencing CRC incidence across EU and resulted in the development of the Personalized Risk Calculator.
Development of a Personalized CRC Risk Calculator: A user-friendly risk calculator, resulting from the meta-analysis, integrates both modifiable factors (e.g. diet) and non-modifiable factors (e.g. age) to generate a personalized risk score, empowering users to make informed lifestyle adjustments and prioritize early screening practices.
Engagement of Stakeholders: Through questionnaires and focus groups, we gathered both citizen and expert feedback to refine our methodologies and ensure the project’s solutions are aligned with real-world needs.
Advancing Pilot Preparations: Work is progressing on defining the LIT03 protocol and logistics, as well as LIP01 methodology.
Active Involvement of User Partners: Through dedicated sessions, user partners have been contributing valuable insights to shape ONCODIR’s strategies.
ONCODIR is transforming CRC prevention with AI-driven tools, financial models, and policy frameworks. By fostering collaboration between experts and stakeholders, it ensures scientific and practical impact. A key milestone is the Open Data Bank, providing access to clinical guidelines, research findings, and policy recommendations.
ONCODIR’s AI-powered tool enhances fairness and transparency, detecting biases in healthcare data and decision-making. It supports policymakers by identifying CRC disparities across Europe, offering insights into age- and gender-specific cancer prevalence. Additionally, Health Technology Assessment evaluates the cost-effectiveness of ONCODIR’s solutions, ensuring scalability across healthcare systems.
The project introduces Innovative Financial Schemes to sustain prevention programs and public awareness campaigns. By bridging policy gaps across the EU, ONCODIR provides a replicable regulatory roadmap and training programs for healthcare professionals and policymakers.
Expected Impact
Empowered Citizens: Access to affordable, evidence-based prevention programs.
Informed Healthcare Professionals: Improved clinical guidelines and patient support.
Stronger Policy Frameworks: Data-driven CRC prevention strategies.
Sustainable Innovation: Expansion of ONCODIR’s solutions across sectors.
ONCODIR’s AI-powered tool enhances fairness and transparency, detecting biases in healthcare data and decision-making. It supports policymakers by identifying CRC disparities across Europe, offering insights into age- and gender-specific cancer prevalence. Additionally, Health Technology Assessment evaluates the cost-effectiveness of ONCODIR’s solutions, ensuring scalability across healthcare systems.
The project introduces Innovative Financial Schemes to sustain prevention programs and public awareness campaigns. By bridging policy gaps across the EU, ONCODIR provides a replicable regulatory roadmap and training programs for healthcare professionals and policymakers.
Expected Impact
Empowered Citizens: Access to affordable, evidence-based prevention programs.
Informed Healthcare Professionals: Improved clinical guidelines and patient support.
Stronger Policy Frameworks: Data-driven CRC prevention strategies.
Sustainable Innovation: Expansion of ONCODIR’s solutions across sectors.