In this episode of Europe Talks Cancer, we go behind the scenes of European collaboration in cancer care to explore what it actually takes to coordinate large-scale international health initiatives like eCAN Plus.
The episode features Chlöe Mbarushimana and Pablo Suriol from the coordination team at Sciensano, Belgium, who share how cooperation, stakeholder engagement, and knowledge sharing are essential to making digital transformation in cancer care work across Europe.
As part of the European Joint Action eCAN Plus, the conversation focuses on the often-unseen work of coordination: identifying synergies between projects, avoiding duplication of efforts, managing data governance, and ensuring that countries and institutions can collaborate effectively despite having very different levels of digital maturity and healthcare infrastructure.
Listeners are introduced to the broader European landscape surrounding eCAN Plus, including how the project connects to initiatives under the European Beating Cancer Plan and the EU4Health Programme. Chlöe explains why overlap between projects is sometimes unavoidable — and even necessary — when working to improve cancer care across the entire patient pathway. Rather than competing, European initiatives rely on collaboration, shared expertise, and coordinated policy development.
Throughout the episode, several concrete examples of collaboration are highlighted, including synergies with projects focused on:
- Electronic health record systems
- Digital oncology training
- Personalised cancer care
- Virtual molecular tumour boards
- Teleconsultation and telemonitoring solutions
- Digital health literacy
Pablo also explains how eCAN Plus builds on the previous eCAN Joint Action instead of starting from scratch. Existing tools such as telemonitoring applications and policy dashboards are being updated using real-world feedback from healthcare professionals and patients, while the project simultaneously gathers knowledge from countries at very different stages of digitalisation.
The episode provides a rare look into the complexity of coordinating a consortium consisting of 81 partners across 23 countries. Chlöe and Pablo discuss the practical realities of gathering information across multiple work packages, balancing scientific guidance with project management, and ensuring that every partner — from large institutions to smaller teams new to EU collaboration — feels included and heard.
A major theme throughout the discussion is the importance of stakeholder engagement. The guests explain why meaningful digital transformation in cancer care requires input from:
- Clinicians and healthcare professionals
- Data protection and cybersecurity experts
- Statisticians and interoperability specialists
- Policymakers and legislators
- Researchers and patient-facing organisations
The conversation also highlights the importance of aligning project outcomes with European legislation such as GDPR, the AI Act, medical device regulations, and the European Health Data Space.
Another key topic is the challenge of avoiding duplication in European health projects. Chlöe explains how eCAN Plus actively works to harmonise efforts through its Synergy Board and participation in European health policy networks, ensuring that outputs and recommendations can support coherent implementation across EU member states.
The episode concludes with reflections on what successful coordination actually looks like in practice. Beyond meeting deadlines and deliverables, Pablo emphasises that effective coordination means creating an environment where all partners can contribute meaningfully, understand the broader vision of the project, and see how their expertise fits into the bigger picture.
This episode offers listeners an insightful look at the collaborative infrastructure behind European cancer initiatives and demonstrates why coordination, communication, and shared expertise are critical for building the future of digital cancer care in Europe.
eCAN Plus is (Co-)funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or HaDEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
