On 4 June 2026, more than 50 representatives from 15 institutions gathered in Luxembourg to share progress across five national pilots and lay the foundations for a shared vision of oncology in Luxembourg.

The first national meeting focused on oncology pilots

Organised by the INC in collaboration with the members of the national CCC steering committee (the National Support Group - NSG), this first edition of the Pilots Retreat brought together healthcare professionals, researchers, project managers, representatives of public bodies and the education sector, as well as foundations, associations and patient representatives. The diversity of profiles and institutions represented made it possible to combine expertise and experience and foster cross-sectoral and multidisciplinary reflection on the future of oncology in Luxembourg.

Opening the event, INC President Prof. Guy Berchem highlighted the opportunities offered by European projects to support national priorities and advance oncology in Luxembourg. Dr Catherine Boisanté, Medical Coordinator of the second National Cancer Plan (PNC2), noted that this momentum is grounded in the engagement and complementarity among national stakeholders involved in this process.

Results confirming a shared ambition

One of the main lessons from this first meeting was the confirmation of a shared direction. The discussions confirmed the relevance of an integrated national approach, built on the complementarity of stakeholders and initiatives already in place.

Participants identified several converging priorities:

• strengthening clear and coordinated national governance;
• developing harmonised, patient-centred care pathways;
• improving the sharing of knowledge and expertise;
• facilitating secure data sharing;
• supporting clinical research and innovation;
• strengthening communication between institutions and stakeholders;
• ensuring the resources needed to sustain the actions undertaken.

Five complementary pilots serving a shared ambition

The morning was dedicated to presenting the five pilots currently being implemented in Luxembourg.

A participatory methodology for building a shared vision

The afternoon built on the morning presentations with two collaborative workshops.

The first workshop focused on analysing the priority standards for the future national CCC across four themes:

• care pathways and quality of care;
• information, support and prevention;
• research, clinical trials and innovation;
• coordination, shared follow-up and skills development.

Participants compared these European standards with realities on the ground in Luxembourg to identify existing strengths, areas for progress and development opportunities.

The second workshop focused on national communication in oncology. Discussions explored the value of developing a national CCC portal, initially aimed at healthcare professionals and research stakeholders, as well as the idea of eventually creating a national oncology day bringing together all stakeholders: professionals, researchers, patients, citizens, foundations and associations.

Solid foundations for building the future together

The discussions highlighted the breadth of initiatives already underway in Luxembourg: national cancer care networks (CCCNs), multidisciplinary tumour boards (MDT), national guidelines and patient pathways, research activities, survivorship projects, increasing patient involvement and European collaborations.

These achievements demonstrate the ability of national stakeholders to work together and provide a solid foundation for developing the national CCC and other initiatives. The expectations expressed converge on a common objective: to strengthen coordination, dialogue, expertise sharing and coherence of actions at the national level for the benefit of patients.

This first edition of the Pilots Retreat made it possible to share a common overview of progress, to gain a clearer understanding of the complementarity between the five pilots, and to identify shared priorities for the next steps. The results of the day now provide a concrete working basis for all groups and bodies involved in their implementation.

Maintaining regular dialogue between partners, sharing progress and disseminating lessons learned from the different pilots will be essential to progressively translate this shared vision into concrete and sustainable actions. True to its theme, “Connecting knowledge and laying the foundations to build the future together”, this first meeting marks an important step towards increasingly integrated, coordinated and innovative oncology in Luxembourg.

Finally, the discussions, ideas and perspectives shared throughout the day were brought together in a visual mural. Created by Frédéric from “À la Racine”, this visual representation reflects our collective ambition and the next steps to be taken together. The illustrations featured in this article are excerpts from the work produced throughout the day. They reflect the richness of the discussions, the collective knowledge and expertise brought together, and the shared vision that emerged through the workshops and exchanges.

The five pilots are part of Joint Actions co-funded by the European Commission: EUNetCCC, JANE-2 and PCM. Coordinated or supported nationally by the INC and its partners, they help to structure care networks for lung and gynaecological cancers, develop the national CCC, improve support during and after cancer, and support the integration of personalised medicine in Luxembourg.