A New Era in Cancer Care Coordination

The Hospital de Figueres will join the newly established Consorci Oncològic Integral Nord Catalunya (NordCat-CCC), a strategic alliance designed to strengthen comprehensive cancer care for residents of the Alt Empordà and across northern Catalonia. The consortium will serve nearly two million people in Girona and the northern metropolitan region, integrating healthcare, research, innovation, and training into a single collaborative structure. This initiative brings together the Institut Català d'Oncologia (ICO), the Doctor Trueta, Germans Trias i Pujol, and other regional hospitals, along with leading research institutes including the Institut de Recerca Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), the Institut de Recerca contra la Leucèmia Josep Carreras (IJC), and the Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Girona (IDIBGI).

European Standards and Local Impact

The NordCat-CCC is aligned with the European Union’s Joint Action EUnetCCC, which aims to ensure that 90% of European cancer patients receive care from certified Comprehensive Cancer Centres by 2030. The consortium has been designated as a pilot site for certification under this framework. Oncologist Ricard Mesia will lead the consortium, which aims to become a European reference for integrated cancer care. "We are creating the model and learning from each other," Mesia said, highlighting the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration, quality indicators, and shared clinical protocols across all participating hospitals.

  • Nearly 9,000 cancer diagnoses are made annually across the network.
  • 80,000 systemic treatments are administered each year.
  • 4,000 radiotherapy sessions and 4,000 oncological surgeries are performed annually.

These figures underscore the scale of clinical activity that will be harmonised under the new structure.

Integrated Research and Personalised Medicine

The consortium will develop shared platforms in key areas such as tumour genomics, digital pathology, integrated biobanks, molecular tumour boards, and advanced data analytics. These tools are expected to accelerate the delivery of personalised treatments tailored to individual patient profiles. It will also boost participation in clinical trials and translational research, ensuring scientific advances are rapidly incorporated into clinical practice. The network includes nine hospitals: Hospital de Santa Caterina, Hospital de Palamós, Hospital de Figueres, Hospital Sant Jaume de Calella, Hospital d'Olot i Comarcal de la Garrotxa, Hospital Comarcal de Blanes, Hospital de Mataró, Hospital Municipal de Badalona, and Hospital de l'Esperit Sant.

The goal is to ensure equitable, high-quality cancer care regardless of where patients live, guaranteeing accessibility and continuity of treatment across the region.

Reported by Ràdio Capital de l\\\'Empordà, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Hora Nova.