FOREWORD
On behalf of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), it is with great pleasure that we invite you to participate in a conference being held on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the EORTC.
The EORTC was an initiative ahead of its time, a pioneer in promoting multidisciplinary cancer research and Pan-European collaboration.
The EORTC Network comprises over 300 hospitals and cancer centers in over 30 countries which include some 2,500 collaborators from all disciplines involved in cancer treatment and research. The EORTC offers an integrated approach to drug development, drug evaluation programs and practice changing academic clinical trials that establish State of the Art treatment.
Supporting the network, the EORTC Headquarters is a unique Pan-European clinical research infrastructure based in Brussels, Belgium from where the various activities of the EORTC are coordinated and run.
The conference offers a unique opportunity to gather all the partners (including national research organizations, health authorities, patient advocacy groups, European Commission, cancer leagues, and the pharmaceutical industry) involved in the EORTC mission.
We are delighted to host this conference promoting Pan-European cancer research for the benefit of all cancer patients and we thank all members and partners for their loyalty and commitment.
 Jean-Yves Blay
EORTC President |
 Françoise Meunier
EORTC Director General |
Honorary President, EORTC Charitable Trust
As Honorary President of the EORTC Charitable Trust, I want to express my personal thanks to all of you for your commitment to EORTC and the great cause of cancer research.
EORTC is a unique clinical and translational research organization in Europe. EORTC was founded in 1962 under Belgian law by a group of oncologists including Professor Henri Tagnon. EORTC was and remains an organization ahead of its time, a pioneer in promoting multidisciplinary cancer research and Pan-European collaboration.
The mission of EORTC is still to promote, to coordinate and to stimulate clinical research in Europe.
More than 6000 patients (involving more than 600 Belgian patients) participated each year in EORTC Clinical Studies.
The Headquarters of EORTC is located in Brussels and comprises 180 staff members.
The ultimate goal of EORTC is to improve the standard of cancer treatment testing more effective therapeutic strategies. EORTC offers an integrated approach to drug development, drug evaluation programmes and practice changing clinical trials.
Tremendous progress has been accomplished in the last 50 years. Current cancer research under the lead of EORTC will increase chance of survival and quality of life for patients with cancer.
