Top care for cancer patients in Saxony and Thuringia

Leipzig/Jena. The Comprehensive Cancer Centre Central Germany (CCCG) has started its work following a successful assessment by German Cancer Aid. Initiated in 2019, the oncology centres of the University Hospitals of Leipzig and Jena have been working together since 1 January 2023 as part of a Centre of Excellence in Oncology funded by German Cancer Aid. The Central German Cancer Centre is thus the first of 15 oncological centres of excellence in Germany to be established across federal states. Its aim is to ensure the best possible cancer care for those affected in the respective region, also by rapidly transferring the latest innovative findings from cancer research into clinical practice.

During the past year, German Cancer Aid has intensified its efforts to further develop cancer medicine and to provide patient care at the highest level and has launched two further associations of centres of excellence. One of these is the consortium of the two university hospitals in Leipzig and Jena, which have been creating the conditions for this development in the Central German Cancer Centre since 2019. The new centre is being funded with 4.8 million euros over four years.

"We are very pleased about this success of our cancer doctors, which will benefit patients throughout Central Germany," says Prof Dr Christoph Josten, Medical Director of Leipzig University Hospital (UKL). This means that the development that began with the founding of the University Cancer Centre UCCL in Leipzig in 2012 has now reached an important goal. "The fact that we are taking the next step in cancer medicine in close collaboration with the University Hospital Jena is logical and forward-looking in the best sense of the word," said Josten.

"Our alliance is the appropriate answer to the questions of our time, which are also posed by the widespread disease of cancer," adds Prof Otto W. Witte, Medical Director of the University Hospital Jena (UKJ). "By pooling our knowledge and expertise, we are helping those affected and future generations in the best possible way - now also supported by German Cancer Aid, for which we are very grateful".

Gaps closed in the region 

"The Central German Cancer Centre at the universities of Leipzig and Jena will bring cancer patient care to the highest level in the entire region. This Comprehensive Cancer Centre consortium is a further component of our funding programme to establish such centres. It fills a gap in this region. Important Comprehensive Cancer Centre structures as envisaged by German Cancer Aid have not yet been established in Central Germany. German Cancer Aid is now funding 15 top oncological centres nationwide, including seven CCC consortia," says Gerd Nettekoven, Chairman of the Board of German Cancer Aid.

Great opportunity for cancer patients in Saxony and Thuringia  

"Being part of this large network is a great task that we are happy to take on," emphasises Prof. Dr Florian Lordick, Spokesperson of the CCCG Board of Directors and Director of the University Cancer Centre at Leipzig University Hospital. This means that patients in central Germany will now also benefit from the best possible care at a top oncology centre. Multidisciplinary teams here ensure that the best possible care is provided for a wide range of cancers. "Every year, we treat over 9,000 cancer patients together and can include every third patient in one of over 500 oncological studies currently running at our centre," says Lordick. This means that all patients receive innovative therapies based on the latest research. "In order to be as effective as possible, we have joined forces with 76 network partners and offer second opinions from our experts or discussions with patients from the network at the weekly multidisciplinary tumour boards," says Lordick, explaining the benefits for the entire region.

Cooperative cancer research 
"As an oncological centre of excellence, we have also set ourselves the goal of advancing clinical and translational cancer research," comments Prof. Andreas Hochhaus, member of the CCCG board and head of the University Tumour Centre at Jena University Hospital (UKJ). With reference to the respective research competences of the individual clinics, the focus is on the two overarching research areas "Immune and cell therapy - IMMUNE-ACT" and "Digitally assisted precision surgery and local therapy - DISSECT".

Both clinics have Phase I trial units, the Jena Early Clinical Trial Unit (JECTU) and the Early Clinical Trial Unit Leipzig (ECTUL), and thus central building blocks for translational research.

"This ensures access to early clinical studies from all oncological disciplines," says Hochhaus. This rapid access to the latest research results is particularly important for people whose cancer recurs or for whom standard therapy fails.

"In addition, we attach great importance to the promotion of young scientists at all levels, from undergraduate to postgraduate level." The Cancer Congress Compact also takes place every year, offering all interested parties in the region specialist information on current developments in cancer medicine and research and, in addition to the many joint publications and research projects, demonstrating the excellent top-level oncological research in Central Germany.

Mike Mohring, member of the Thuringian state parliament, member of the CCCG's advisory board for patients and relatives and ambassador for German Cancer Aid, added from his perspective: "With its funding, German Cancer Aid is sending out three important signals for the people who live in Central Germany: Excellent research funding also takes place in the East. For patients and their relatives, this message that excellent cancer care is possible in their own region is an encouragement.

What has long been experienced in other regions of Germany through the centres of excellence that have already been funded, means that patients confronted with the news of their fate are encouraged:Inside, just because I live far away from a university clinic in the countryside, remote and poorly cared for, the fight against cancer is not hopeless from the outset, but is linked to the promise of being able to share in the experience of the cancer centres, the research results and their implementation in therapies in the same way.

And thirdly, the decision by German Cancer Aid in favour of the Central German CCCG is also a manifest expectation on the part of politicians to support the Cancer Centre of Excellence in its further development in a trustworthy and reliable manner and to invest in the two university hospitals in a predictable manner;t clinics in a predictable manner, to expand the research location of Central Germany, to expand human medicine and dentistry study places and to enable study conditions for all students at the same high level, as well as to make medical care in rural areas so future-proof that the first point of contact for patients is not the university hospital itself:The first route for patients does not have to be the university hospital itself, but they can benefit from cutting-edge medicine in a familiar environment."   

Background: CCC Comprehensive Cancer Centre 

In 2007, German Cancer Aid set up its programme to promote and initiate 'Oncological Centres of Excellence' in Germany with the aim of providing comprehensive patient care at the highest medical level and according to the latest oncological knowledge. The "Comprehensive Cancer Centres" in the USA served as a model. The requirement for the centres, which have since been determined by an international panel of experts: To further develop care structures and procedures, to cooperate closely with surrounding hospitals and doctors in private practice, in particular oncological specialist practices, and to advance cancer medicine through innovative oncological research.

The core tasks of a Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CCC) include providing a central point of contact for cancer patients, interdisciplinary care in accordance with current medical guidelines, innovative cancer research and the transfer of innovations to other care facilities in the respective region.

According to the understanding of German Cancer Aid, the progress made in the CCCs should be made accessible to all oncological care facilities nationwide - such as the 'Clinical Oncology Centres' and 'Organ Cancer Centres' certified by the German Cancer Society - so that all cancer patients can benefit from them quickly.

Currently, German Cancer Aid is funding 15 centres of excellence, including seven CCC consortia. Since 2007, the non-profit organisation has provided a total of around 185 million euros for the programme from donations entrusted to it by the public.

The Oncological Centres of Excellence - in which around 250,000 cancer patients receive comprehensive care every year - are each funded by German Cancer Aid for a period of four years. They must then reapply and undergo an in-depth review by an international panel of experts.

The Central German Cancer Center  
The Central German Cancer Center (Comprehensive Cancer Center Central Germany, CCCG) is a collaboration between the certified oncology centres of the University Hospitals of Leipzig (UCCL) and Jena (UTC) since 2019. Since 1 January 2023, the CCCG has been designated as an oncological centre of excellence following an international assessment by German Cancer Aid. This makes the Central German Cancer Centre the first interstate centre of excellence in Germany.

Over 9,000 cancer patients are treated together in Leipzig and Jena every year. This shows the great need for excellent cancer treatment in the city and region.

The CCCG consortium already includes 76 cooperation partners in the Central German region, forming a broad network for the joint provision of high-quality care for oncological patients.

Source: Press release University of Leipzig from 26 January 2023