Changing Cancer Care

The increase in the number of cancer patients is putting pressure on the healthcare system, impacting both staff and treatment costs and quality. The project is working on new treatment methods and products to meet these challenges.

Ditte Luise Hartvig Faglig leder for projektledelse, ph.d.

In our time, more and more people are suffering from cancer as the population ages. This results in many having to live with cancer as a chronic illness. The growing number of cancer patients is putting pressure on the healthcare system and hospitals, impacting treatment quality, staffing resources, and treatment costs. To address these major challenges, new treatment methods and products are needed.

Project focus areas

Four methods will be developed, including liquid biopsy and calcium electroporation. These methods are intended to benefit patients while also helping to reduce cancer treatment costs.

Two adapted nursing programs and a blueprint of essential, forward-looking nursing competencies will be developed. This will equip nurses to manage both new cancer treatment methods and the use of health technologies that support staff and patients. Additionally, nurses will be prepared to create new processes, such as redefining roles among doctors, nurses, and patients.

Today, most cancer treatment takes place in hospitals. The goal is to shift the focus toward treatment closer to or in the patient’s home (e.g., diagnostics like blood analysis). Additionally, cancer patients could be more involved in the treatment process, leading to greater patient satisfaction, improved treatment quality, and more efficient healthcare economics.

Network

With its extensive cancer treatment network, the project capitalizes on the significant potential for collaboration among epidemiologists, clinicians, nursing staff, university faculty, and companies across the German-Danish program region. The Changing Cancer Care project brings together seven departments from the five largest university hospitals and healthcare facilities in the region, two cancer registries, nursing education institutions, and additional partners. Changing Cancer Care also taps into the powerful synergy between research and industry interests. The project further aims to develop products, such as an improved blood measurement device and a new electrode design for calcium electroporation. Project outcomes are intended for commercialization within the program region. This approach offers significant potential to enhance the attractiveness of partner hospitals and the program region for highly specialized professionals, future research projects, and health technology companies.

Working in the project
Dirk Keil Communication
Ditte Luise Hartvig Project management
Yusuf Kilic Controlling
Frederike Fahse Qualitative research
Anne Nistrup Skovsbøl Qualitative research
Support program Interreg Deutschland Danmark
Project duration 01.01.2019 – 31.12.2021
Project budget 4.133.822,31 EUR

Project partners

  • Department of Oncology and Palliative Units, Zealand University Hospital
  • The Research Unit, Staff Department, Zealand University Hospital
  • University College Absalon
  • Vejle Hospital
  • Kræftens Bekæmpelse (Danish Cancer Society)
  • Radiotherapy Clinic, University of Lübeck
  • Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Lübeck
  • Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, University of Lübeck
  • Department of Research and Education in Nursing, Institute of Social Medicine and Epidemiology, University of Lübeck
  • Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein

​​​Changing Cancer Care is financially supported by Interreg Deutschland-Danmark.