IQN Path is announcing a strategic technical collaboration with City Cancer Challenge (C/Can) to reinforce diagnostic infrastructure and expertise in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where access to precision oncology remain mostly limited.
The global diagnostic gap
Precision medicine in oncology is advancing rapidly, offering patients a growing number of targeted treatments based on individual biomarker profiles. Yet this progress has created a paradox: access to these new therapies depends entirely on the availability of high-quality biomarker testing, and that availability is far from equal worldwide. While some health systems rapidly adopt advanced molecular diagnostics and targeted treatments, others face significant barriers that prevent patients from benefiting from these improvements. This creates major disparities in cancer care and outcomes globally.
Understanding the barriers
The challenges preventing access to precision oncology are not limited to cost-related aspects. While costs related to biomarker tests and therapies is a real hurdle, equally critical are:
Limited platform availability: Many laboratories lack access to the technologies needed for biomarker analysis and data interpretation
Expertise gaps: The shortage of trained professionals capable of performing and interpreting molecular diagnostics is a global issue
Quality assurance: Inconsistent laboratory standards that affect the reliability of test results
Fragmented systems: Lack of coordination between diagnostic and treatment pathways
Regulatory differences: difference s in regulation impact widely biomarker testing and therapies incorporation into routine practice
These barriers affect global regions differently, but together they create systemic obstacles that single initiatives can’t easily overcome.
A coordinated approach
IQN Path believes that addressing these complex challenges requires bringing together different expertise together to identify specific barriers and develop actionable solutions. This partnership with C/Can represents a practical expression of that vision.
IQN Path brings great experience in pathology quality assurance and building awareness and knowledge in biomarker testing. C/Can works through a city-led approach with local health systems to build the expertise, infrastructure, and collaborative processes that enable long-term improvements in cancer care.
The collaboration focuses on three areas designed to create system-wide impact:
1. Knowledge exchange
IQN Path and C/Can will share evidence-based approaches, best practices, and technical insights on cancer diagnostics to help cities identify solutions that fit their specific barriers.
2. Capacity development
Together, we will develop accessible training materials and resources to strengthen laboratory capabilities in quality self-assessment, proficiency testing, and biomarker evaluation. These tools will help build locally the expertise needed to reliably perform and interpret molecular diagnostics.
3. Expert technical support and Quality Assurance (QA)
Experts will visit C/Can cities to provide practical guidance on quality improvements and help preparation for external QA programmes, leading to more accurate and reliable testing.
Moving forward
This partnership focusing on strengthening diagnostic capacity in C/Can cities represents part of IQN Path's commitment to coordinate action across sectors. Real progress toward diagnostic equity requires all relevant stakeholders (academia, industry, healthcare systems, NGOs and patient’s representatives) to work together, identifying barriers and solutions, and building the action plans needed to implement precision oncology worldwide.
Contact us to know more about our projects: office@iqnpath.org