Oncology care and research in Spain

Medical developments and healthcare practices in Spain continue to focus on oncology care and research. A study in the Revista Clínica Española (RCE) highlights the role of internal medicine specialists in managing solid organ tumors, noting their presence in 65% of medical centers admitting oncology patients. Additionally, the Hospital Universitario de León is participating in a Phase III international clinical trial for multiple myeloma.

Advocacy efforts have intensified during the tenth anniversary of World Cancer Research Day. At a forum hosted by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) in Brussels, Queen Letizia called for accelerated, stable, and sustained investment in oncological research. She emphasized that ‘cancer research does not have the luxury of time’ and stressed the necessity of public-private partnerships, early diagnosis, and prevention to ensure scientific progress translates into tangible patient improvements.

Supporting these calls, Ramón Reyes, president of the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) and its Scientific Foundation, argued that Europe must treat cancer research as a strategic health issue to maintain competitiveness and health equity. He noted that research continuity is essential so that geographic location does not prevent citizens from accessing advancements. To illustrate this, the AECC launched the ‘Research with Impact: Research Projects that Drive Life Projects’ campaign.

In Ponferrada, Hospital El Bierzo is hosting an AECC-organized exhibition, ‘Cancer research, a millennial challenge,’ running until September 28. The display traces oncology from prehistoric times to modern immunotherapy and genome sequencing, serving as scientific dissemination ahead of the AECC’s Solidarity March on October 4.