Oncopedia Launches, History of Cancer Research and Treatment in Europe

Oncology has a long history of research and development carried out in Europe: a network of facts, ideas and people that have led to the radical change in cancer care that we can now imagine. This is why Oncopediaa project of the European School of Oncology that documents the history of the European contribution to the progress in cancer care: it provides information on how these contributions were born and what difference they have made for patients. The project was presented today at the Congress of the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO), underway in Barcelona.

Online at www.oncopedia.wiki, where content is published and continually updated, readers will find more than 30 entries on tumor types and interventions, biographies of key figures, and the role of cancer centers that have contributed to the progress and history of European oncology. Many of the innovations we know of originated in the Old Continent, from quadrantectomy in breast cancer, to gamma knife radiosurgery in brain tumors and metastases, to the early days of bone marrow transplantation. Oncopedia offers insights into where these contributions originated and what difference they have made to patients, listening, where possible, to the testimonies of those involved.

“The European School of Oncology has chosen to focus Oncopedia on European contributions because this is our main community and we want to tell our story. We want to raise awareness of the role of European researchers in the fight against cancer”, explains Alberto Costa, CEO European School of Oncology. Oncopedia gives voice to various figures in the sector, people such as Georges Mathé, Umberto Veronesi, Louis Denis, Hilary Calvert, Gianni Bonadonna, Börje Larsson, Robert Pinedo.

“The most important discoveries have been made both in Europe and the United States, often through mutual interaction. The enormous American investments in cancer research could, however, lead to the wrong assumption of a preponderance of North American results in the fields of surgery, radiotherapy, medical oncology and translational research. This is not always true”, underlines Silvio Monfardini, head of the Oncopedia project. Some factors could in fact explain why innovations originated differently in Europe than in the United States. “Many European countries – continues Monfardini – have public health systems in which clinical research has a particular nature and location, unlike the United States, where there is greater emphasis on centralized and industry-driven research. Outlining the European history of oncology as a somewhat separate context is extremely relevant”.

“We are proud that the person responsible for this important international initiative is Professor Monfardini, who was also president of Aiom and one of the founders of our scientific society – says Francesco Perrone, president of Aiom (Italian Association of Medical Oncology) – Thanks to innovation and research, medical oncology has made great strides in recent decades. In terms of treatments, decisive results have been obtained and this initiative aims to bear witness to the work of researchers and clinicians who treat people affected by cancer every day. Oncopedia represents a precious tool of knowledge, as well as constituting a dutiful tribute to the researchers who have made the history of our profession”.