A total of 550 medical specialists, researchers, nursing professionals, teachers and other experts make up the Cancer Center Clínica Universidad de Navarra, the oncology center of the University of Navarra.

The new center brings together more than four decades of experience in cancer treatment and research at the University of Navarra, and its mission statement is to integrate, coordinate and promote all the cancer care, research and professor activities carried out at the Clinic, the Cima and the Schools of area biosanitary in the campus of Pamplona and Madrid.

The Cancer Center Clínica Universidad de Navarra is a comprehensive cancer center. Its director, Dr. Antonio González, explains that a comprehensive cancer center "stands out not only for its innovative solutions in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer, but also adds strong links with a university, an outstanding capacity and experience in translational and clinical research , as well as a wide network of partnership international".

Dr. Antonio Gonzalez points out that "scientific evidence shows that patient outcomes are significantly better in cancer centers". As he recalls, "the European Plan to Combat Cancer has set for 2025 the development of a network of comprehensive cancer centers in all the countries of the European Union, so that by 2030 the majority of patients who require it can have access to one of them and thus achieve the most appropriate approach in the fight against oncologic pathologies".

Dr. Jesús San Miguel, director of Clinical and Translational Medicine at the University of Navarra, stresses that this subject of centers "must be innovative and generate knowledge", and for this purpose it is core topic that they have" solidmultidisciplinary teams that develop cutting-edgeresearch , design and implement clinical trials and apply treatments based on the latest technology and evidence available. These teams also provide an ideal environment for training clinical specialists and biomedical researchers."

María Iraburu, president of the University of Navarra, recalled the importance of the Cancer Center as one of the projects of the University of Navarra's Strategy 2025. "Oncology is one of our priority lines of research within the field of personalized medicine, which we understand as the result of offering patients both the best advances of the research and humanized medical care, respectful of the unique dignity of each person. In addition, the development of the center requires that approach multidisciplinary and collaborative, with professionals from different areas of knowledge, that a university institution can provide".

State-of-the-art therapies and international certifications

The initial work on the Cancer Center Clínica Universidad de Navarra started in 2017, coinciding with the opening of the hospital's new headquarters in Madrid, although, as Dr. Antonio González recalls, "it brings together the knowledge and experience in cancer of the whole of the Clinic, the Cima and the Schools biomedical of recent decades".

Since 2017, the Cancer Center's project has included advances such as the launch of the Advanced Therapies Unit and the most cutting-edge Proton Therapy Unit in Europe. It also has other strengths such as the first certification in Spain from the European Society of Breast Cancer Specialists (EUSOMA), as well as a agreement with the University of Oxford for research and clinical trials in immunotherapy.

The Cancer Center's 550 medical specialists, researchers, teachers, nurses and other professionals from other disciplines Clínica Universidad de Navarra care for more than 3,000 new patients a year. In 2021, 253 projects were underway at research and, since 2021, there have been 194 high-impact scientific publications and 404 active clinical trials.

The Cancer Center has 14 multidisciplinary areas and has already been recognized as a "Center of Excellence" by the Scientific Foundation of the association Spanish Against Cancer, which evaluated the relevance and impact of the translational and clinical scientific activity in Oncology of the University of Navarra, its innovative vocation, its international dimension and the good practices in its operation as a center.

A model with more than 50 years in the U.S.

The first cancer centers were launched in the United States following the National Cancer Act of 1971. Since then, the National Cancer Institute has accredited cancer centers across the country, assessing whether they are indeed creating or improving methods for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Most are part of a university and its hospital. In Europe, cancer centers are grouped together in the OECI (Organization of European Cancer Institutes).

Dr. Jesús San Miguel emphasizes that the Cancer Center's project Clínica Universidad de Navarra "follows a tradition of patient-centered medicine, in which teaching, attendance and research are naturally integrated". The director of Clinical and Translational Medicine of the University enunciates the aspiration that the new center "will be one more in that group formed by the best institutions in the United States and Europe, to continue working on the common goal of curing and curing better".