New dashboard intends to drive collaborations in cancer and Covid-19 research

The cancer and Covid-19 research dashboard is a public resource that lists research projects looking at the impact of Covid-19 on cancer care and patients.

The dashboard was developed by NCRI, Cancer Research UK, the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS), and the Cancer Alliance Data, Evaluation and Analysis Service (CADEAS). The intention is to drive collaborations in the field and identify gaps in research activity or opportunities for new research.

The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted cancer services and patients, driving new research into quantifying and understanding this impact across the pathway, including changes to the detection, treatment, and long-term follow-up of cancers and the effects of the pandemic, direct and indirect, on patients' experiences and quality of life.

A list of ongoing and completed research projects has been collated and made publicly available to enable researchers to:

• Identify gaps in activity and opportunities for new research
• Avoid duplication of effort
• Drive collaborations in the field
• Understand potential data needs of this new research area

To date, 89 studies have been identified and uploaded to the dashboard. NCRI, Cancer Research UK, the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service (NCRAS), and the Cancer Alliance Data, Evaluation and Analysis Service (CADEAS) gathered information on these studies using publicly available information and knowledge of projects or via formal and informal networks. NCRI now hopes that researchers will submit their studies via the online form to ensure the dashboard remains a valuable and up-to-date resource.

The dashboard is not intended to draw insights or conclusions about cancer and Covid-19 from the content captured or endorse the listed projects or studies in any way.