The patient at the center of the III Clinical Trials in Oncology Congress of Barcelona (CECOB 2024)

The third edition of the Clinical Trials in Oncology Congress of Barcelona (CECOB 2024), organized by The Ricky Rubio Foundation and UOMI Cancer Center, brought together more than 150 participants, including experts, doctors, patients, and institutions. The main objective of the event was to put the patient at the center of clinical trials.

Held on June 13 and 14, CECOB 2024 focused on the experience of patients and their families participating in clinical trials as an alternative to conventional treatments. In this regard, the congress addressed the latest advances and challenges in clinical oncology, with the aim of accelerating cancer research and improving the quality of these trials.

The inaugural session began with a presentation by Dr. Manel Esteller, who highlighted the importance of studying cancer biology and genetics in the development of new drugs, as well as their impact on patients’ individual responses to treatments. Among the highlighted presentations were also innovative topics such as inclusive trials in oncology patients with HIV, the presentation of the Cassandra Project on population screening for lung cancer using low-dose CT, the clinical trial on oncology nutrition Bloomi, and the optimization of the patient experience.

The round table, moderated by journalist Marta Bosch and featuring prominent figures such as Ricky Rubio, Sandra Ibarra from the Sandra Ibarra Foundation, and Marc Donés, brother of the late Pau Donés, emphasized the importance of public figures raising awareness of the disease without paternalism and promoting innovation and research.

The second day of the congress continued with presentations on the experience of the clinical trials unit in the Canary Islands, cooperative group work, and the revolution of artificial intelligence in clinical research. Additionally, patient empowerment in the search and design of clinical trials was discussed. On this second day, one of the most notable presentations was by Positive Psychology disseminator Víctor Küppers.

The event concluded with a reflection on the need to integrate clinical trials into the healthcare system with the support of both public and private institutions. For more information about CECOB and future editions, visit https://therickyrubiofoundation.org/cecob-24/