The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), with several international partners, has established the International Collaboration for Cancer Classification and Research (IC³R) to promote evidence-based practice and standards for cancer classification and research.

Research on cancer aims to help patients at risk through prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment. Most countries have clear pathways for translating clinical trial results into practice through drug approval and clinical guidelines, but not always for the translation of evidence into diagnosis or early detection methodologies.

Challenges related to tumour classification such as its increasingly multidimensional nature, the overwhelming amount of scientific information available in this area, and the translation of research findings into tumour classification and cancer diagnosis are difficult to address by interested parties individually.

IC³R will provide a forum to coordinate evidence generation, synthesis, evaluation, and standard-setting for tumour classification worldwide.

As an initiative of the World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Tumours Group (WCT) at IARC, which produces the WHO Classification of Tumours series used by pathologists and cancer researchers worldwide, IC³R is uniquely situated to coordinate an international collaboration to assess tumour classification and cancer research worldwide.

IC³R member institutions include universities, research centres, and other interested parties. Each member will assign representatives to discuss and coordinate international efforts for the provision of high-level, up-to-date evidence and to promote universal cancer classification standards. IC³R’s deliverables will have a high impact in the field of tumour classification and cancer research, changing the way tumours are classified and transforming cancer research into a more evidence-based practice.