An analysis of research activity in major UK cancer centres R. Sullivan a,b,e, * , G. Lewison c,d,e , A.D. Purushotham a a King’s College London and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom b European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy c School of Library, Archive and Information Studies, University College London, United Kingdom d Evaluametrics Ltd., London, United Kingdom ARTICLE INFO Article history: Received 17 October 2010 Accepted 19 October 2010 Available online xxxx Keywords: Cancer centres Oncopolicy Public policy Bibliometrics Trends Funding ABSTRACT The organisation of cancer research is critical to its overall creativity and productivity. Can- cer centres are a major organisational structure for this research, however, little is known about their effect on research or how national policy-making intersects with this complex policy nexus. This study of the evolution of United Kingdom cancer centres (UKCC), part of a wider European and United States programme, uses a bibliometric analysis of research activity prior to the creation of the NCRI and after its formation (1995–2004/5). In terms of critical research mass UKCC are very heterogeneous with a fourfold difference between the top and bottom quintiles. UK centres published just over one eighth of the total UKCC in 1995 but almost a quarter by 2004. This centrification occurred in the absence of any national strategy. Overall these centres conduct more fundamental (laboratory-based) research than that being conducted in the wider network but this hides major heterogene- ity. UKCC collaborate with European investigators in 5–28% of all their outputs and with USA the range is between 6% and 21%. We have also derived new measures of research impact on clinical management and the general public as well as the impact of national policy on research assessment for certain types of cancer research. Ó 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction The organisation of cancer research into centres is one of the key determinants of progress and future impact on patient outcomes. The shape of the national cancer research base is to a great extent influenced by these centres. 1,2 An objective understanding of how and what research is actually being conducted, rather than ad hoc opinions, is essential for both the strategic direction of the centres and national/supra-na- tional planning. Indeed, with the development of cancer cen- tre strategies by national funders as well as the OECI-led European accreditation scheme for such centres, there are pressing needs for high quality strategic intelligence. 3 Cancer research is one of the most heavily funded and ac- tive research areas of science. 4 Its trajectory over the last 50 years has been driven by the biological revolution and in almost every developed country it has been the subject of specific federal mandates. The organisation of this research activity through centres and networks has been vast. How- ever, despite expenditures estimated to be in the hundreds of billions of dollars and vast human capital costs, little empirical work has been conducted to understand the various types and systems of cancer centre organisation and its im- pact on research. Whilst the United States has the most evolved organisation of cancer centres Europe is rapidly catching up, although with a very different approach. The 0959-8049/$ - see front matter Ó 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.ejca.2010.10.015 * Corresponding author: Address: Centre for Global OncoPolicy King’s Health Partners Integrated Cancer Centre Section of Research Oncology, Bermondsey Wing Guy’s Hospital, Great Maze Pond, London SE1 9RT, UK. Tel.: +44 020 7188 3027; fax: +44 020 7188 0919. E-mail address: richard.sullivan@kcl.ac.uk (R. Sullivan). e These authors have contributed equally to this work. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER xxx (2010) xxx – xxx available at www.sciencedirect.com journal homepage: www.ejconline.com Please cite this article in press as: Sullivan R et al., An analysis of research activity in major UK cancer centres, Eur J Cancer (2010), doi:10.1016/ j.ejca.2010.10.015