Unicancer’s action on the international scene

Unicancer is the only French non-profit hospital network 100% dedicated to the fight against cancer. It is also a major player at the European and at the international level.

What is Unicancer’s international action in a nutshell?

  • Multiple collaborations in oncology research
  • More than 80 international cooperation projects in our centers in 2022, on all continents and on various themes (management of international patients, mobility and training of healthcare professionals, strategic support)
  • Dynamic support of the European Union’s Beating Cancer Plan
  • The overall increase of international projects managed by Unicancer and our centers’ experts (MyPeBs, ONCOBIOME, Esmé, EUonQoL, CraNE, JANE, CCI4EU)
  • Leading international partnerships (WHO, IHF, UICC, ESMO, ECO, HOPE, French Healthcare)

Unicancer is also recognized internationally as a model of excellence:

  • 6 (and soon 8) of our Centers are labelled as Comprehensive Cancer Centers by the Organization of European Cancer Institutes (OECI)
  • 9 of our centers are among the top 300 cancer hospitals in the world in the NewsWeek ranking of “World’s Best Hospitals 2023” !

European leader in academic oncology research

As the European leader in academic research, Unicancer works to develop high-quality clinical research and improve patient access to innovation. Our international collaborations are numerous: medical industry companies, companies specialized in artificial intelligence, public research organizations, university hospitals, research teams and academic cancer research groups.

One third
of French publications in oncology at the international level
109
active clinical trials promoted by the federation and nearly 750 by our centers
20000
patients included

Cooperation projects at the European level

Did you know that Unicancer contributes to lots of cooperation projects, especially at the European level? This dynamism allows the federation to share its expertise, to learn from its partners abroad and to promote its values.

What is the ambition of the international projects supported by Unicancer?

  • Conducting an international clinical study comparing a personalized screening strategy based on women’s individual risk of developing breast cancer in the coming years (My PeBs)
  • Exploiting the gut microbiota for the diagnosis and treatment of breast, colon, lung and melanoma cancers (ONCOBIOME)
  • Developing a new kit to assess the quality of life of cancer patients and survivors in Europe (EUonQoL)
  • Creating a European Network of Comprehensive Cancer Centers (CCC) to reduce inequalities in access to cancer care in Europe (CraNE)
  • Designing European networks of expertise on all cancers for healthcare professionals (JANE)
  • Strengthening the capacity of Comprehensive Research Infrastructures in 9 pilot regions in Europe (CCI4EU)

CraNE and JANE: building a better Europe against cancer

CraNE and JANE are both European joint actions implemented as part of the European Union’s Beating Cancer Plan, in which Unicancer participates as an affiliated entity under the coordination of INCa. Starting in October 2022 for a period of 2 years, these initiatives bring together nearly 50 oncology organizations across Europe and aim to shape the European oncology networks of tomorrow.

What are the objectives of these projects?

  • CraNE (Creation of a Network of Expertise) aims at establishing a European Network of Comprehensive Cancer Centers (CCC) able to treat 90% of European citizens by 2030. Criteria of governance, research, innovation, integration of research and care, prevention and education and training will be applied to these reference centers.
  • JANE (Joint Action of Network of Expertise) aims at designing 7 European networks of expertise in oncology on all dimensions of cancer, including future calls for projects in order to allow their medical and scientific animation.

In order to buid a more resilient Europe with its partners and to share its know-how, Unicancer is mobilizing thirty experts through its network.

9 May – Europe Day: acting together against cancer

Today, Unicancer celebrates Europe Day, and more particularly the construction of a “Europe of Health”, by contributing daily to the EU’s Beating Cancer Plan.

In 2020, 3 million Europeans were diagnosed with cancer. Despite progress in research, cancer remains the second leading cause of death on the European continent after cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, the situation is very unequal between Member States, particularly in terms of screening and access to care and clinical trials.

Unicancer supports the European Commission’s multidimensional approach to better fight cancer through the 10 initiatives of the Plan and its 4 strategic priorities: prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, and quality of life for patients and survivors. Because a Europe better armed against cancer is necessary, let’s continue to join forces!