Health Minister Riina Sikkut emphasized that the decision to create the cancer center at the University of Tartu was based on the principle of primus inter pares—selecting the most promising candidate among equals. "As the funder, we decided not to create another foundation but to embed the new cancer center in an environment that balances academic rigor, clinical practice, and a culture of implementation," explained Minister Sikkut.
Despite significant efforts in recent years, the cancer burden in Estonia remains high. "In cancer prevention, we need to stay one step ahead of the disease. Science, participation in clinical studies, and international collaboration are crucial for cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. All of this can be achieved in the new center," highlighted Minister Sikkut.
Cancer prevention and treatment-related education, research, and clinical work have been fragmented across various institutions in Estonia. Sander Pajusalu, Vice-Dean for Development at the Faculty of Medicine, stated that the Estonian Cancer Center aims to create a unified national network encompassing treatment, research, educational institutions, and patient organizations, thereby facilitating participation in international projects. "Our goal is to effectively implement the Estonian Cancer Control Plan for 2021-2030. The center will become a hub for international and domestic cancer-related cooperation, representing the country in international cancer programs to ensure development in the field and reduce cancer incidence in Estonia," said Pajusalu.
Agris Peedu, Chairman of the Board of North Estonia Medical Centre, also stressed the importance of collaboration to provide modern oncological treatment to Estonian cancer patients. "Forming a nationwide cancer center is a critical step. As the largest cancer treatment center in Estonia, we see that research and funding must increasingly funnel to Estonia, and the cancer control plan drafted by oncologists years ago needs central implementation. I believe the establishment of the Estonian Cancer Center at the University of Tartu will enable all of this," Peedu noted.
Partners of the Estonian Cancer Center include the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Health Insurance Fund, North Estonia Medical Centre, Tartu University Hospital, East Tallinn Central Hospital, Tallinn Children's Hospital, the University of Tartu, Tallinn University of Technology, the National Institute for Health Development, and the Estonian Cancer Society.
Project Lead Kadi-Liis Veiman mentioned that a busy summer lies ahead. "We have already secured two recent funds through the Government Office's Innovation Fund: one for cell therapy and another for the development of a structured cancer data management dashboard," said Veiman. The next step involves agreeing with partners on the center's management structure and decision-making principles. "For instance, we need to determine which EU cancer prevention projects are most important to participate in and what role to take in them. Cancer is a common concern across Europe, with many related projects and initiatives. We must identify the most important ones for Estonia, keeping patient needs in mind," Veiman emphasized.
The €2.6 million funding for the cancer center project will be distributed over four years, with the goal of achieving EU Comprehensive Cancer Center accreditation in Estonia. The budget for the first year is set at €650,000. The funding was awarded in last year's call for research and development projects by ministries, with applications evaluated by the Research and Development Council operating under the Government of the Republic.
The Estonian Cancer Control Plan for 2021-2030 has set three priorities: reducing the incidence of cancer, increasing the longevity and health of people diagnosed with cancer, and improving the quality of life for people living with cancer.
According to the National Institute for Health Development, over 8,000 cancer cases have been diagnosed annually in recent years. In 2022, the Health Insurance Fund covered the treatment of 51,000 individuals with malignant tumors, supporting cancer surgeries, treatments, and necessary medications with more than €171 million. In 2023, 3,391 cancer deaths were registered in Estonia, a few hundred fewer than in 2021.