Developed in conjunction with The Lancet Oncology Commission on Cancer Genomics and Precision Oncology, with the contributions of over 150 European experts in the field, a comprehensive review examines the landscape of cancer genomics and precision oncology in Europe and the implementation of precision oncology across more than 20 European countries based on the scientific literature, health policy documents, and national analyses. The article also outlines key challenges and next steps toward integrating precision oncology into health systems effectively, equitably, and sustainably Europe-wide.
Published in The Lancet Regional Health Europe, this work also counted on the participation of VHIO investigators Alejandro Piris, Director of VHIO’s Scientific Management Area, Irene Braña and Alberto Hernado Calvo, both Medical Oncologists at the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and investigators of VHIO’s Research Unit for Molecular Therapy of Cancer (UITM-CaixaResearch), within the framework of the PRIME-ROSE consortium. This project aims to provide all cancer patients across Europe with access to affordable precision cancer medicine that prolongs life with the best possible quality.
The EU Mission on Cancer: a pressing priority
Europe accounts for less than 10% of the global population and yet it bears more than 20% of the global cancer burden. In 2022, there were an estimated 4.47 million new cancer cases and close to 2 million cancer-related deaths in Europe. Cancer research and care have been Europe-wide priorities for decades. Major milestones have included the launch of Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan and thee EU Cancer Mission research and Innovation programme in 2021, which mobilized €4 billion for coordinated EU-wide action against cancer.
In this context, precision oncology has become an increasingly relevant tool in European Union Member States for improving cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. By analyzing the molecular characteristics of each tumor, it is possible to identify alterations that can help guide more precise and personalized treatment decisions for selected patients. However, the opportunity to benefit from these advances in cancer diagnostics and molecularly matched therapies still largely depends on the country and the healthcare system where care is received.
“Broadly speaking, our findings show that, despite differences between countries regarding infrastructure and funding models, common challenges persist in the integration and organization of precision oncology pathways. Although most countries have molecular tumor boards, the implementation of key molecular diagnostic tests and access to targeted therapies remain inconsistent, particularly for rare tumors and those with infrequent molecular alterations,” said Alberto Hernando-Calvo, a co-author of the study.
“While Europe has made tangible progress in implementing biomarker-guided therapies, molecular diagnostics, molecular tumor boards, access to treatment now represents the next major barrier. That said, Europe’s universally organised healthcare systems and collaborative infrastructure position the region to deliver equitable access in precision oncology,” added co-author Alejandro Piris.
The study concludes that, to ensure that advances in precision oncology reach European patients more quickly and equitably, it will be necessary to better integrate research into clinical practice and generate evidence from real-world patient outcomes; this will enable decisions regarding which molecular diagnostic tests and targeted treatments should be incorporated into European healthcare systems.
“A key objective is to ensure that knowledge of a tumor’s molecular characteristics directly translates into more personalized and precise treatment options for patients, regardless of their respective European country of residence,” concluded Hernando-Calvo.
PRIME-ROSE
VHIO participates in the European consortium PRIME-ROSE—funded by the European Union’s Horizon program—which brings together 28 partners from 19 countries with the aim of facilitating the implementation of precision oncology into clinical practice. The project seeks to analyze the state of precision oncology in Europe, expand patient access to targeted treatments based on tumor molecular characteristics, generate evidence regarding their efficacy through academic clinical trials, and reduce inequalities in access across European countries. To this end, it promotes collaborative models to facilitate the sharing of data and knowledge, as well as the study of precision medicine in oncology—including rare tumors and tumors with low-prevalence molecular alterations.
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Reference
Fagereng GL, Abel E, CAN.HEAL Consortium, Casolino R, De Maria R, Fröhling S, Gelderblom H, Hernando-Calvo A, Hill S, JA PCM Consortium, Jalkanen K, Kamal M, Krebs MG, Lawler M, Le Tourneau C, Lepland A, Ługowska I, Mainoli B, Normanno N, Lordick Obermannova R, Piris-Giménez A, PRIME-ROSE & PCM4EU Consortium, Rohrberg KS, Ryll B, van den Bulcke M, Barjesteh van Waalwijk van Doorn-Khosrovani S, Van Valckenborgh E, Verlingue L, Westphalen CB, Taskén K. Landscape of cancer genomics and precision oncology in Europe. The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, 2026; 0
