News

09/23: New Annual Reports 2023

New Annual Reports 2023

“The first round of Annual Reports 2023 for Pancreatic Cancer Centres and Neuro-Oncology Cancer Centres are now available for download. The Annual Reports show the results of tumour-specific indicators documented in 2021 and were verified through audits conducted in 2022. More Annual Reports of further certified Cancer Centres will be published in the course of October. In case of any questions please do not hesitate to contact us under info@ecc-cert.org. “

07/23: Kick-off CSA CCI4EU WP2

Kick-off CSA CCI4EU WP2

On 26 June 2023 the work package 2 (WP) „Definition of Criteria for Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructures (CCIs) using a Maturity Model (MM)“ under the leadership of the DKG had its online kick-off meeting with support from colleagues from Karolinska Comprehensive Cancer Centre and Technische Universität Dresden. Over the next three years, the working group with representatives from 31 partner organisations from 14 member states will develop in collaboration with other stakeholders and partners, a joint understanding, definition and scope of CCIs along with a set of criteria to assess and improve CCIs in all member states. The defined quality criteria will be integrated into a maturity model that will serve as a framework for assessing the maturity level of the individual CCIs. This model will also make it possible to identify tailor-made measures to increase and improve the maturity level of the respective CCIs.

We are looking forward to a great collaboration within WP2 and all the other partners within the CSA CCI4EU. The next WP2 meeting will take place online on 16 October 2023.

06/23 2nd CraNE WP6 Meeting

2nd CraNE WP6 Meeting

On 5 June the second WP6 meeting took place as an online meeting. 61 participants from 37 organizations were attending including guests from the JRC and Joint Action JANE WP5 leader. During the meeting the first results of the five sub-tasks were presented, discussed and agreed as well as the preparations for the following activities were started.

Especially the results from the survey of the certified CCCNs about their experiences with certification and their feedback as to what kind of tools to support the set-up and the preparation to become a quality assured CCCN were received with high interest. So did the results from the systematic literature review and survey on patient-centeredness in CCCNs. We are looking very much forward to continue the great collaboration within WP6. The next WP6 meeting will take on 27-28 November and will be hosted by the National Cancer Institute (INC) in Luxembourg.

05/23: Kick-off-meeting of CCI4EU in Milano

Kick-off-meeting of CCI4EU in Milano

On 23 Mai 2023 the new EU project „Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructure for the European Union“ (CCI4EU) had it´s kick-off meeting in Milano.

55 partners from 27 EU Member States and 5 Associated Countries particpated in the kick-off meeting of the Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructures (CCIs). Coordinated by Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI), this capacity building (CB) programme is a complex intervention that requires multiple and integrated actions delivered to the right stakeholders – policymakers, researchers, health professionals, patients, caregivers and private companies.

The project aims at

• Defining a Maturity Model based on cancer research/care performance indicators to be used to analyse the maturity of CCIs across the EU
• Mapping the maturity of CCIs according to the agreed quality indicators and clustering them according to maturity
• Designing tailored capacity building interventions, giving priority to EU countries without any CCI
• Delivering online training courses open to all EU Member States and associated countries
• Implementing targeted onsite interventions
• Scaling up and sustaining development by dynamically engaging the right stakeholders; disseminating and exploiting project outcomes.

The German Cancer Society takes the lead of Work Package 2 „Definition of criteria for Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructures (CCIs) using a CCI maturity model (CCI-MM)“. The aim of Work Package 2 is to develop, in collaboration with other stakeholders and partners, a joint understanding, definition and scope of CCIs along with a set of criteria to assess and improve CCIs in all member states. The defined quality criteria will be embedded in a maturity model which will be the contextual backdrop to assess CCI maturity and to develop tailored interventions to increase the individual CCIs maturity level.

05/23: New publication on Quality Measurement for Soft Tissue Sarcomas in Germany

New publication on Quality Measurement for Soft Tissue Sarcomas in Germany

Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are rare diseases. A high level of standardization and centralization was lacking in Germany until 2018.  By developing an evidence-based guideline and a certification system for sarcoma centres, foundations for structured, guideline-based, and centralized sarcoma care were defined. First results of the certified sarcoma centres are presented in this article. The first 3 years of data collection show good results for case volume, presentation rates in pretherapeutic and postoperative tumour boards, psycho-oncological counselling, and study rates. However, other indicators (e.g., preoperative or postoperative radiotherapy for operated high-risk STS without GIST, counselling rates social services) still have potential for improvement. Based on these results, the set of indicators could be further improved.

Read more

05/23: Federal Minister of Health visits DKG-certified Breast Cancer Centre

Federal Minister of Health visits DKG-certified Breast Cancer Centre

Breast Cancer Centres have been able to be certified by the German Cancer Society (DKG) for 20 years. The Breast Cancer Centre at Vivantes Klinikum Am Urban (Berlin) has been continuously certified since 2008. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach accompanied this year’s surveillance audit: an insight into a tried and tested, complex quality assurance system that offers the best possible treatment for patients and can serve as an example for the upcoming hospital reform.

More Information in German

04/23: The new EU project CCI4EU gets started

On 1 May 2023 the new EU project „Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructure for the European Union“ (CCI4EU) will officially start. The project is funded under the Horizon Europe Mission Cancer.
CCI4EU has a duration of 36 months and has the following overall objectives:

• Support EU Member States and associated countries in developing or improving existing or future Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructures (CCIs).
• Promote research innovation and digital capacity building in cancer care.
• Ensure that 90% of cancer patients are treated in CCIs by 2030 (according to one of the four main action areas of the European Plan to Fight Cancer).

The project is coordinated by the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI). The project network consists of 55 partners, including major European cancer organisations, cancer centres and other representatives from all EU Member States and several associated countries.

The German Cancer Society takes the lead of Work Package 2 „Definition of criteria for Comprehensive Cancer Infrastructures (CCIs) using a CCI maturity model (CCI-MM)“. The aim of Work Package 2 is to develop, in collaboration with other stakeholders and partners, a joint understanding, definition and scope of CCIs along with a set of criteria to assess and improve CCIs in all member states. The defined quality criteria will be embedded in a maturity model which will be the contextual backdrop to assess CCI maturity and to develop tailored interventions to increase the individual CCIs maturity level.

03/23: Feedback Session: European Quality Assurance Scheme for Breast Cancer Services

DKG/ECC certification programme participated in the testing phase of the European Quality Assurance Scheme for Breast Cancer Services (ECIBC). During the pilot run of the QA scheme, selected services and bodies have been testing the applicability of the accredited certification approach. In a 1 day long meeting, feedback from all participating entites was collected and discussed. Overall everybody agreed that QA Scheme has worked very well, but with some room for improvement. Once the scheme and its manuals are updated, considering the results of the testing phase, the formal version of the scheme can be released.

02/23: WiZen Study

Treatment in certified cancer centres of the German Cancer Society (Deutsche Krebsgesellschaft e. V.) increases the chance of survival of cancer patients by up to 26 percent: This central finding of the WiZen study („Effectiveness of Care in Oncological Centres“) is to be incorporated into care in the future. The results of the study will be forwarded to the corresponding institutions in the health care system for examination and implementation. This decision was made by the Innovation Committee of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA) after evaluating the project results.

Click here for the results report and resolution text of the WiZen study in German

Click here for an overview in English summarizing the main results.

01/23: New audit documents

The auditing documents for 2023 including an updated Catalogue of Requirements and Data Sheet are now available for download on the website. In case of any questions please do not hesitate to contact us under info@ecc-cert.org