Abstract
Recent progress in the molecular understanding of cancer has enabled us to identify new and critical molecular targets for cancer treatments. Translational research (TR) covers a wide range of medical research - from bench to bed. The promotion of TR is essential for the development of novel agents for cancer, and began as national projects in 2005 under the Third 10-year Research Promotion for Innovative Therapies against Cancers.
However, there remain many financial, legal, ethical, and organizational barriers to the development of TR. Compared with Western countries, TR in Japan is too frail to constitute the basis for the (pre-) clinical trial in rapidity, safety and reliability. To flower the TR more, we have to continue to pursue TR as a national policy. Here, we discuss about the problem which now confronts us on TR, and consider how TR should be developed further.
