Health services research in cancer

Summary

The Health Services Research in Cancer Group is made up of ten researchers with a multidisciplinary composition that includes doctors, biostatistics, economists, political scientists, and psychologists.

The main objectives of the group defined for the next three years are to analyze the impact of cancer on the population of Catalonia and investigate the determinants that explain the use of health services in cancer screening and care. To achieve these objectives, the group applies a combination of quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods resulting from its multidisciplinary composition, as well as the combination of clinical, administrative and economic data, with a population-based approach as a priority, as well as applying real-world data analysis methodologies. A specific area of development is the use of information technologies in psychological support or therapeutic adherence, which can be useful for improving care in a process of healthcare change such as the current one.

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217 Publications

Strategic lines

Analyze the possible clinical and molecular criteria for personalization of population cancer screening

Evaluate the determinants of the use of health services with special interest in the determinants of adherence to cancer treatment (hormonal treatment, chemotherapy and radiotherapy) and in participation in population screening programs

Estimate the needs of cancer treatments from population-based (incidence) models in a European perspective as well as analysis models of the economic cost of treatment. These models will serve to analyze the economic impact that therapeutic innovation can have

Analyze the new organizational models of cancer care as a consequence of the introduction of precision medicine, the aging of cancer patients, ICTs, and the need to coordinate the levels of care involved in the journey of the cancer patient within the health system.

Develop tools based on Bayesian methodology for cancer projections and rare tumors useful in planning the necessary healthcare resources as well as developing tools based on machine learning techniques for the simulation and analysis of synthetic data that serve as a basis in the inference / estimation of possible indicators in cohort studies

Promote the evaluation of new strategies based on information technologies to improve psychological support for cancer patients in all phases of their evolution.

Identify the determinants of the adoption of clinical and organizational innovations in the health system and carry out applied research related to specific case studies on innovative therapeutic or preventive strategies.

Selected Publications

Guarga,L;Paco,N;Manchon Walsh,P;Vela,E;Delgadillo,J;Pontes,C;Borràs,JM, Management, Survival, and Costs of Pancreatic Cancer: Population-Based Observational Study in Catalonia., Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 2023;20(9):doi:10.3390/ijerph20095673
Cleries,R;Ameijide,A;Buxo,M;Vilardell,M;Martinez,JM;Font,R;Marcos Gragera,R et al, Ten-Year Probabilities of Death Due to Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease among Breast Cancer Patients Diagnosed in North-Eastern Spain, Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 2023;20(1):doi:10.3390/ijerph20010405
Serra Barril,MA;Ferro Garcia,T;Fernandez Ortega,P;Sanchez Lopez,C;Martinez Momblan,MA;Benito Aracil,L;Romero Garcia,M, The role experience of advanced practice nurses in oncology: An interpretative phenomenological study, J. Adv. Nurs., 2023;doi:10.1111/jan.15997
Rodriguez Ortega,A;Ferro,T;Pérez,X;Pla Farnós,MJ;Gil,M;López Ojeda,A;Borrás,JM, Self-assessment of a breast care nursing model within a Breast Unit: learning process and keys to improving breast care., J. Clin. Nurs., 2023;32(11-12):2722-2732, doi:10.1111/jocn.16639
Vandemaele,M;Aznar,M;Blanchard,P;Borras,JM;Leech,M;Aggarwal,A;Lievens,Y, A systematic literature review of definitions and classification systems for radiotherapy innovation: A first step towards building a value-based assessment tool for radiation oncology, Radiother. Oncol., 2023;183109602-109602, doi:10.1016/j.radonc.2023.109602

Selected projects

20CEE002. 4-IN THE LUNG RUN: towards INdividually tailored INvitations, screening INtervals, and INtegrated co-morbidity reducing strategies in lung cancer screening. COMISSIÓ EUROPEA. Budget: 526.575€. 2020-2024. PI: ESPINAS PIÑOL, JOSEP ALFONS.
CEE23008. DEFINITIVE: Diagnostic HER2DX-guided treatment for patients with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer (101136953). COMISSIÓ EUROPEA. Budget: 126.708,75€. 2023-2028. PI: Borràs Andrés, Josep Mª.
FIS21055. Evaluación de una estrategia de intervención para la mejora de la adherencia a la terapia endocrina en mujeres con cáncer de mama basada en datos del sistema sanitario en Cataluña. Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII). Budget: 99.220€. 2022-2024. PI: Borràs Andrés, Josep Mª.
CEE22025. MELCAYA: Novel health care strategies for melanoma in children, adolescents and young adults. COMISSIÓ EUROPEA. Budget: 110.000€. 2022-2026. PI: Borràs Andrés, Josep Mª.
CEE22032. ONCODIR – Evidence-based Participatory Decision Making for Cancer Prevention through implementation research. COMISSIÓ EUROPEA. Budget: 134.437,5€. 2023-2026. PI: Borràs Andrés, Josep Mª.