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The burden of chemotherapy-associated toxicity is well recognized, but we have relatively few tools that increase the precision of anticancer drug prescribing. This article proposes that broader agnostic analyses to systematically correlate germline genetic variants with adverse events in large, well-defined cancer populations might improve the current situation.

The use of adjuvant chemotherapy for stage III colorectal cancer is well established, but the use of this approach in patients with stage II colon cancer is more controversial. Midgley and Kerr highlight data from the QUASAR 1 trial, which provide compelling evidence for the use of adjuvant chemotherapy. The use of combination therapeutic options, the rationale for considering morphologic or molecular features to select and individualize therapy, and the crucial question of which patients would benefit most from adjuvant chemotherapy, are discussed.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEFG) stimulates tumor-associated angiogenesis, thereby making it a prime target for the development of anti-VEGF compounds. One such anti-VEGF drug, bevacizumab, has improved survival rates in some cancer trials. The key clinical trial data and reasons for some of the contrasting results seen in different patient studies are discussed.

The cancer community is deeply concerned about the unintended consequences of the current wording of the European Union (EU) draft Regulation on Data Protection, which may challenge the survival of retrospective clinical research, biobanking, and population-based cancer registries in the EU. This directive could negatively affect Europe's competitiveness in cancer research.

Targeting EGFR in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in addition to chemotherapy might provide survival benefits in patients with EGFR-positive tumors. Indeed, results from the FLEX trial demonstrate that cetuximab in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy is a new treatment strategy for patients with advanced NSCLC.

A qualitative study indicates that there is a positive selection bias towards favourable economic analysis of targeted therapies, when these are funded by the manufacturer. At a time of increasing budgetary constraints and public scrutiny of the relationship between industry and the professions, we need a more mixed economy of funding for this field.

Unwarranted variations, which cannot be attributed to patients' underlying illnesses or comorbidities, medical needs, or the dictates of evidence-based medicine, can account for substantial variations in patient outcomes. In this Perspectives, the authors describe possible approaches intended to address these variations in the context of colorectal cancer care.

The current standard-of-care adjuvant treatment for patients with colorectal cancer is chemotherapy selected on the basis of conventional histopathological staging criteria; however, the clinical benefit from these regimens is limited. The authors of this Perspective discuss strategies to minimize toxicity and monitor efficacy of these regimens, and propose new tools for disease staging that could enable more personalized treatment decisions.

As we learn more about the biology of cancer, we may be able to apply prognostic biomarkers to select patients at high risk or low risk of disease recurrence or progression. This will allow a priori stratification of patients in clinical trials and will help to tailor treatment to patients.

This Review article outlines the evolution of non-surgical treatment for colorectal cancer, in particular chemotherapy, its integration with radiotherapy, and the evolving use of biologic therapies. The authors also discuss new advances in patient selection for specific anti-cancer agents and regimens.

The recent failure of bevacizumab in the adjuvant setting has forced us to consider what has gone wrong. It is possible that with careful analysis and novel biomarkers, we may not yet have to lay bevacizumab to rest.

The new French National Cancer Institute (INCa) has brought cancer care, research and policy in France together for the first time. Three years after its conception, and one year after its inauguration, this article charts its aims and structure.

In this Viewpoint, four of our Advisory Board members discuss the key challenges in clinical cancer research that need to be overcome to achieve tangible progress in the next decade. The issues and challenges include clinical development and testing of multiple agents in combination, design of clinical trials, tumour heterogeneity, drug development and trial design, and funding for cancer research. What have we learnt over the past 10 years and how should we progress in the next decade?

In September 2012, over 100 experts in cancer research in Africa met in London to discuss the challenges in carrying out high-quality research in this continent. This Review summarizes the discussions and recommendations of this meeting and many examples of successful programmes that have enhanced the development of research in Africa. It also discusses the next steps required to create programmes that will enable evidenced-based cancer control approaches.

Personalized cancer medicine—where treatments are selected and tailored for individual patients—is now a reality, although improvements are needed to identify predictive biomarkers for stratifying and subgrouping patients. A critical appraisal of biomarkers in clinical use for a range of cancers is presented, and the unique and unprecedented opportunity to deliver personalized cancer therapy on an ongoing and rational basis is highlighted.

The developing world is set to be ravaged by an impending cancer epidemic. How can we help to ensure that cancer patients get the treatment they need in Africa?