EurocanPlatform

The overarching aim of EurocanPlatform was to improve outcomes for cancer patients and reduce mortality. This was achieved by focusing on three key areas of research: prevention, early detection and improved treatments. EurocanPlatform built the necessary resources and know-how to improve cancer care from bench to bedside: basic research, early and late translational research, clinical research, epidemiological research, implementation in care and population-based outcome research. A major achievement is the POSEIDON trial, which tested different drugs in metastatic breast cancer.

Another was an Annual Summer School which was held for next-generation oncologists and researchers on the latest developments in translational cancer research. Finally, Cancer Core Europe (CCE) and Cancer Prevention Europe (CPE) will continue their long-term collaboration aiming to improve cancer health outcomes in Europe by creating ‘e-hospitals’ which share computer systems, data and best practices.

As part of the project, ECPC together with two member organisations, KEFI from Greece and the former NFK (Levenmetkanker) from the Netherlands, organised a roundtable meeting which was filmed during the European Cancer Congress 2013 to discuss the importance of biomarkers in cancer research, the new molecular risk factors that could help the early detection of high-risk patients and the selection of the most suitable treatment for each patient.

Through EurocanPlatform, ECPC collaborated to produce a concise document which provides European cancer patients with the basic knowledge needed to understand the importance and power of biobanking. The booklet called ‘Biobanking: FAQs’ was launched during the ECPC Annual General Meeting 2014 in a 2-hour session called ‘The importance of Biobanking in Cancer – patient’s perspective’.