Abstract
Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Enhancement through the Power of Big Data in Europe (PIONEER) is a European network of excellence for big data in prostate cancer. PIONEER brings together 34 private and public stakeholders from 9 countries in one multidisciplinary research consortium with the aim of positively transforming the field of prostate cancer clinical care by answering pressing questions related to prostate cancer screening, diagnosis and treatment. PIONEER has developed a unique state-of-the-art big data analytic platform by integrating existing data sources from patients with prostate cancer. PIONEER leveraged this platform to address prioritized research questions, filling knowledge gaps in the characterization, management and core outcomes of prostate cancer across the different disease stages. The network has benefited from sustained patient and stakeholder involvement and engagement, but many challenges remain when using real-world data for big data projects. To continue to advance prostate cancer care, data need to be available, suitable methodologies should be selected and mechanisms for knowledge sharing must be in place. Now acting as the prostate cancer arm of the European Association of Urology’s new endeavour, UroEvidenceHub, PIONEER maintains its goal of maximizing the potential of big data to improve prostate cancer care.
Key points
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Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Enhancement through the Power of Big Data in Europe (PIONEER), a European network of 34 private and public stakeholders, developed a big data platform integrating existing real-world prostate cancer data sources to answer key research questions.
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So far, 14 research questions have been or are currently being addressed using the PIONEER platform.
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Ongoing multi-stakeholder engagement and involvement ensure that research questions addressed by PIONEER are relevant and important to patients.
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Substantial challenges remain in the process of executing big data projects: outcome heterogeneity, lack of suitable data sources, and high-quality disease-specific data.
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Core outcome sets and common data models offer solutions to big data project challenges, but widespread implementation is needed.
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PIONEER will continue its work as the prostate cancer arm of the European Association of Urology’s new endeavour, UroEvidenceHub.
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Acknowledgements
PIONEER is funded through the IMI2 Joint Undertaking and is listed under grant agreement no. 777492. IMI2 receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). IMI supports collaborative research projects and builds networks of industrial and academic experts in order to boost pharmaceutical innovation in Europe. The views communicated within are those of PIONEER. The IMI, the European Union, the EFPIA, or any Associated Partners are not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained herein.
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A.L., C.S., B.D.M., J.G.R., G.G., R.N. and E.J.S. researched data for the article. A.L., K.B., C.S., B.D.M., M.I.O., E.J.S., J.N.’D., M.M., T.A., S.E.-A. and M.V.H. contributed substantially to discussion of the content. A.L., T.A. and S.E.-A. wrote the article. All authors reviewed and/or edited the manuscript before submission.
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S.E.-A., J.B. and J.Z. are employees of Bayer; T.H. is an employee of Philips; R.S. and K.P. are employees of Astellas Pharma; T.A. was an employee of Astellas Pharma during the PIONEER project prior to retirement; A.B. has been a consultant and adviser for Accord, Astellas Pharma, AstraZeneca, Bayer, J&J and Pfizer and a board member, officer and trustee for Glactone Pharma, has received lecture honoraria for Accord, Astellas, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Ipsen, J&J and Merck, has participated in trials run by Astellas, Bayer, Ferring, Janssen and Pfizer, and holds stock in Glactone Pharma, LIDDS Pharma and WntResearch. All companies make products used to treat prostate cancer. The other authors declare no competing interests.
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Related links
BD4BO: https://bd4bo.eu/
Big data analytic platform: https://prostate-pioneer.eu/big-data-platform/
Big Data for Better Outcomes and IMI: https://prostate-pioneer.eu/about-us-2/bd4bo-imi/
EAU: https://uroweb.org/
EAUN: https://nurses.uroweb.org/
ecancer: https://ecancer.org/en/
ECPC: https://ecpc.org/
EHDEN: https://www.ehden.eu/
EUROPA Uomo: https://www.europa-uomo.org/
Innovative Medicines Initiative 2: https://www.imi.europa.eu/about-imi
OHDSI: https://ohdsi.org/
Online search tool for diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers: https://pioneer.elixir-luxembourg.org/
PIONEER: https://prostate-pioneer.eu/Innovative
Prostate Cancer UK: https://prostatecanceruk.org/
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Lawlor, A., Beyer, K., Russell, B. et al. PIONEER big data platform for prostate cancer: lessons for advancing future real-world evidence research. Nat Rev Urol 22, 116–124 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41585-024-00925-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41585-024-00925-4
