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Ensuring the interdisciplinary care of cancer patients at the highest level as well as promoting the development of cancer research and medicine is the goal pursued the German Cancer Aid in funding oncological centers of excellence. It has now announced the results of its recent assessments: The National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) in Heidelberg has once again received funding for the next four years based on the recommendations of an international panel of experts. Overall, German Cancer Aid currently supports 13 oncological centers (comprehensive cancer centers) in Germany.

The National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg is a joint institution of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg University Hospital (HUH) and German Cancer Aid.

Providing a main point of contact for cancer patients, holding conferences on the topic of tumors, offering interdisciplinary treatment according to current medical guidelines, a modern quality assurance system as well as innovative research activities are some of the basic requirements for oncological centers of excellence. This is the third time the National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg (NCT) has been awarded funding from German Cancer Aid as an oncological center of excellence. It will receive financial support of 750,000 euros per year for a period of four years.

“The funding as an oncological center of excellence is the highest recognition we could receive for our work at the NCT Heidelberg. At the same time, it provides a great motivation to continue to gain an increasingly better understanding of cancer, find ways of early diagnosis, and develop new treatment strategies,” says Dirk Jäger, Medical and Executive Director of the NCT Heidelberg.

Annette Grüters-Kieslich, Executive Medical Director of Heidelberg University Hospital, also expressed her excitement about the award: “Together with the NCT, Heidelberg University Hospital in close partnership the German Cancer Research Center and German Cancer Aid has created the infrastructure for unique care of cancer patients, in which research results can be quickly and directly applied to the patient.” Michael Baumann, Chairman and Scientific Director of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), is in complete agreement: “It is extremely important for outstanding scientists conducting fundamental research and excellent doctors to work together. At the NCT, we are able to do this with our concept of having ‘everything under one roof’ as well as through regular interdisciplinary events.”

German Cancer Aid launched its funding program ‘Oncological Centers of Excellence’ in 2007 with the aim of improving cancer medicine across Germany and ensuring it maintains a high level. Together with the oncological centers certified by the German Cancer Society and organ cancer centers, the centers of excellence make up an extensive network for oncology care which contributes to providing consistent high-quality standards in treatment of cancer patients in Germany. “In the past ten years, we have laid the foundation for comprehensive, structured, efficient, and forward-looking patient care in Germany,” explains Gerd Nettekoven, Chairman of the Board of German Cancer Aid. “This high level of patient care is made possible only by significant additional services of the centers which go far beyond standard health care and thus entail a significant financial overhead for the centers. Our funding only covers a part of these additional services, as was recently confirmed by an independent assessment.” Within the German National Cancer Plan, the importance of certified heath care structures has been highlighted as essential for further developing oncological heath care and quality assurance and is thus a part of the national health care policy.

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Press contact:
Dr. Friederike Fellenberg
National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg (NCT)
Press and Public Relations
Im Neuenheimer Feld 460
69120 Heidelberg
Tel.: +49 6221 56-5930
Fax: +49 6221 56-5350
E-mail: friederike.fellenberg@nct-heidelberg.de
www.nct-heidelberg.de

Dr. Sibylle Kohlstädt
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
Communications and Marketing
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
Im Neuenheimer Feld 280
69120 Heidelberg
Tel.: +49 6221 42-2843
Fax: +49 6221 42-2968
Email: s.kohlstaedt@dkfz.de
www.dkfz.de

Doris Rübsam-Brodkorb
Heidelberg University Hospital and Medical Faculty of the University of Heidelberg
Press and Public Relations
Im Neuenheimer Feld 672
69120 Heidelberg
Tel.: +49 6221 56-5052
Fax: +49 6221 56-4544
Email: doris.ruebsam-brodkorb@med.uni-heidelberg.de
www.klinikum.uni-heidelberg.de

National Center for Tumor Diseases Heidelberg (NCT)
The National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg is a joint institution of the German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg University Hospital and German Cancer Aid. The NCT’s goal is to link promising approaches from cancer research with patient care from diagnosis to treatment, aftercare and prevention. The interdisciplinary tumor outpatient clinic is the central element of the NCT. Here the patients benefit from an individual treatment plan prepared in a timely manner in interdisciplinary expert rounds, so-called tumor boards. Participation in clinical studies provides access to innovative therapies. The NCT thereby acts as a pioneering platform that translates novel research results from the laboratory into clinical practice. The NCT cooperates with self-help groups and supports them in their work. In 2015, the NCT Heidelberg established a partner location in Dresden.

Heidelberg University Hospital
Heidelberg University Hospital is one of the most important medical centers in Germany; Heidelberg University’s Medical Faculty is one of Europe's most prestigious biomedical research facilities. Their shared objective is the development of innovative diagnostics and treatments and their prompt implementation for the benefit of the patient. The hospital and faculty employ approximately 13,000 individuals and are involved in training and qualification. Every year approximately 65,000 patients are treated as inpatients and 56,000 as day patients in more than 50 specialized clinical departments with around 2,000 beds, with more than 1 million patients being treated as outpatients. Together with the German Cancer Research Center and German Cancer Aid, the Heidelberg University Hospital established The National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg as the leading oncology center of excellence in Germany. The Heidelberg Curriculum Medicinale (HeiCuMed) is at the forefront of medical training in Germany. At present 3,700 aspiring physicians and doctors are studying in Heidelberg.

German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)
The German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) with its more than 3,000 employees is the largest biomedical research institute in Germany. At DKFZ, more than 1,000 scientists investigate how cancer develops, identify cancer risk factors and endeavor to find new strategies to prevent people from getting cancer. They develop novel approaches to make tumor diagnosis more precise and treatment of cancer patients more successful.
The staff of the Cancer Information Service (KID) offers information about the widespread disease of cancer for patients, their families, and the general public. Together with Heidelberg University Hospital, DKFZ has established the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg, where promising approaches from cancer research are translated into the clinic.
In the German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), one of six German Centers for Health Research, DKFZ maintains translational centers at seven university partnering sites. Combining excellent university hospitals with high-profile research at a Helmholtz Center is an important contribution to improving the chances of cancer patients. DKFZ is a member of the Helmholtz Association of National Research Centers, with ninety percent of its funding coming from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the remaining ten percent from the State of Baden-Württemberg.