Important EU Project

08/12/2025

We are excited to share that the IMPORTANT project was recently featured at two important events in Greece and Cyprus!

🇬🇷 At the 36th Panhellenic Congress of Hematologists in Athens, Christiana Markou presented insights on the new EU Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) and what it means for doctors and hospitals. She also highlighted how projects like IMPORTANT and RETENTION use AI to support personalised cancer care and improve patient management.

🇨🇾 Later in Cyprus, during AI Month 2025 at European University Cyprus, Christiana joined a round-table discussion titled “Bringing AI to the Clinic: What Health Practitioners Need to Know”
The session encouraged open dialogue between medical, legal, and technology experts on the safe and effective use of AI in healthcare.

We are proud to see the project contributing to major conversations on healthcare innovation, ethics, and AI across Europe!

🇪🇺 Funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement 101104589

06/11/2025

IMPORTANT EU Project at the EU Health Policy Platform Live Webinar!
We are proud that Antonis Valachis, Coordinator of the IMPORTANT Project, participated as a panelist in Panel Session 1: Treatment and Optimisation during the EUHPP Live Webinar: Cancer Mission Diagnosis and Treatment (Refractory Cancers and Diagnostics) Cluster Policy Webinar, held on 3 November 2025.

The discussion focused on advancing cancer diagnosis and treatment across Europe — a mission that aligns closely with IMPORTANT’s goal to optimize and personalize breast cancer therapy for older patients through a pragmatic, decentralized clinical study conducted across six EU countries.

31/10/2025

The IMPORTANT EU Project project was proud to be present at the ESMO - European Society for Medical Oncology) Congress 2025 in Berlin, where Prof. Laura Biganzoli presented the project during her talk on “Systemic treatment for aging patients” — part of the session “Optimising treatment for aging patients living with metastatic breast cancer” on Saturday, 18 October 2025.

Her presentation showcased the Implementation of geriatric assessment for dose optimization of CDK4/6 inhibitors in older breast cancer patients — the IMPORTANT trial, a pragmatic randomized-controlled study supported by the HORIZON-MISS-2022-CANCER-01 program (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT06044623).

This work represents an important step toward improving treatment personalization and quality of life for older adults with advanced breast cancer, aligning with the broader mission of the IMPORTANT project to bring evidence-based geriatric assessment into clinical decision-making.

29/10/2025

🌍 IMPORTANT Project at the Horizon Europe Cancer Mission Cluster 2nd Annual Meeting – Berlin 2025 🇩🇪

On 16 October 2025, the IMPORTANT Project proudly participated in the 2nd Annual Meeting of the Horizon Europe Cancer Mission “Diagnosis & Treatment” Cluster, held at the Charité University Hospital in Berlin, Germany.

This annual gathering brought together representatives from the 13 funded projects within the Mission Cancer Cluster to:

✔️ Present project progress and future plans,
✔️ Discuss cross-cutting topics such as data management, communication, citizen engagement, and inequalities,
✔️ Exchange best practices and generate material for upcoming policy briefs and joint cluster deliverables.

🗓️ Meeting Highlights
The full-day agenda included presentations and roundtables covering:
Project status updates and shared deliverables on Data Management, Communication and a Common Work Plan,
WG1: Collaborative Framework & Data Management
WG2: Dissemination and Communication of Results
WG3: Research and Innovation
WG4: Citizen Engagement
WG5: Addressing Inequalities

💬 IMPORTANT Project’s Contributions
During the meeting, Dr. Antonis Valachis (Örebro University) chaired the WG5 – Addressing Inequalities roundtable, highlighting how the project contributes to reducing disparities in cancer diagnosis and treatment access across Europe through evidence-based and patient-centered approaches.

In the WG4 – Citizen Engagement session, led by Carina Dantas (SHINE 2Europe), Kelly Mastoraki (Circular Economy Foundation) presented IMPORTANT’s recent actions at the European Researchers' Night’ 2025 in Nicosia, Cyprus, showcasing how the project connects science and society through creativity, empathy and collaboration, engaging citizens of all ages in meaningful dialogue about cancer prevention and research.

A huge thank-you to all our partners in the Diagnosis & Treatment Cluster and to the organisers (CARE1 Project) of this inspiring and collaborative meeting in Berlin. Together, we continue advancing a more inclusive, participatory and impactful European cancer research mission.
Together, we continue advancing a more inclusive, participatory and impactful European cancer research mission.

09/09/2025

We are delighted to announce that the paper with Maryam Rabie Yeganeh from University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW, has been presented at REWBAH'25 in Valencia, Spain, co-located with RE’25.

“One Size Doesn’t Fit All”: Patient Support in a Decentralised Clinical Trial
This research explores how patient support in decentralized clinical trials can be better adapted to diverse needs — a key step toward more inclusive and effective digital health solutions.

A special thanks to our project partner FHNW for their contributions and support and to the REWBAH community for the fruitful exchange.

26/05/2025

IMPORTANT Project in Madrid – 4th Consortium Meeting 🇪🇸📍

On May 23, 2025, partners of the IMPORTANT Project came together in Madrid for the 4th consortium meeting, held at the Faculty of Psychology, UNED (Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia).

It was a full day of collaboration — sharing progress, exchanging ideas and planning the next steps of the project. The agenda included presentations, discussions and creative sessions focused on enhancing patient support and advancing the project's research goals.

The meeting highlighted the value of working together in person, strengthening connections across the consortium and reinforcing the project's shared commitment.

The evening before, on May 22, the consortium partners enjoyed a warm and welcoming dinner, offering space for informal conversations and a great start to the meeting.

13/03/2025

Advancing hashtag Research & Improving hashtag Across Europe

A major breakthrough in oncology: a new type of medication has been shown to significantly improve survival rates for triple-negative breast cancer patients, compared to traditional chemotherapy.

Antonis Valachis, senior oncologist at the Oncology Clinic at Örebro University Hospital and coordinator of IMPORTANT EU Project, has been at the forefront of both clinical and research efforts. In a recent interview, he shares the latest advancements in treating this aggressive form of breast cancer.
📖 Read the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/ddhUSV6E

IMPORTANT EU Project is driving innovation in breast cancer research by:
✅ Conducting a multi-country pragmatic clinical study to improve evidence-based care for older patients with advanced breast cancer.
✅ Addressing the underrepresentation of older patients in clinical trials and developing solutions to make research more inclusive.
✅ Analysing real-world clinical outcomes to enhance cancer care and influence policy changes.
✅ Engaging healthcare professionals and researchers to translate study findings into better patient outcomes.
✅ Exploring scientific and technological innovations that can shape the future of cancer treatment.



https://www.linkedin.com/posts/brostcancerforbundet_det-stora-som-h%C3%A4nt-nu-%C3%A4r-att-vi-har-f%C3%A5tt-activity-7303778849996103681-6_Rj?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAENggqUB60aV8U7aLEydevPqsQVtzAsMVkQ

- Det stora som hänt nu är att vi har fått en ny typ av läkemedel som i studier visats förbättra överlevnaden rejält jämfört med tidigare behandlingar som cytostatika. Antonis Valachis, överläkare på onkologiska kliniken vid Universitetssjukhuset Örebro, som länge befunnit sig i front...

13/03/2025

The IMPORTANT EU Project continues to make strides in optimizing treatment for older breast cancer patients!

✅ Recruitment Milestones:
🔹 12 out of 13 sites are now open for recruitment.
🔹 44 patients have joined the study, with ongoing randomization.
🔹 A clinical site in Italy is awaiting approval from CTIS.

Key Highlights:
🔹 The study enables a hybrid decentralized approach, allowing digital patient visits for efficacy and toxicity evaluations.
🔹 Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) are being collected electronically, enhancing data accuracy and efficiency.
🔹 The project was showcased at the World Cancer Day 2025 event organized by HaDEA, demonstrating its impact on the EU’s Beating Cancer Plan.

Follow the IMPORTANT project for more updates:
👉 Twitter/X https://lnkd.in/dauu5vHf
👉 Website https://lnkd.in/dJqrjmWx
👉 LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/important-eu-project/posts/?feedView=all

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19/09/2024

Exciting Update from in Barcelona!

We are pleased to share that the IMPORTANT project was presented by Dr. Laura Biganzoli from LHUTC Azienda USL Toscana Centro, Hospital of Prato, at the ESMO Congress 2024, held from September 13-17 in Barcelona!

The IMPORTANT trial focuses on a critical population—patients aged 70 years and older with advanced HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, who have not received prior therapy for advanced disease.

🔬 Key Highlights of the IMPORTANT Trial:
-Target Population: Women aged 70+ with advanced HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer.

-Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA): A self-administered geriatric tool ensures personalized treatment pathways based on patients’ fitness levels.

-Randomization 1:1 between different CDK4/6 inhibitors and endocrine therapies.

-Stratification Factors: Type of CDK4/6 inhibitor (palbociclib, abemaciclib, ribociclib), type of endocrine therapy (aromatase inhibitors, fulvestrant) and level of vulnerability (vulnerable vs. frail).

The study ensures tailored treatment by assessing vulnerability or frailty, guiding decisions on the recommended or reduced dosing of CDK4/6 inhibitors combined with endocrine therapy.

This is a significant advancement in optimizing treatment for older breast cancer patients and we’re excited about the potential impact!

19/06/2024

Exciting News from the IMPORTANT Project!

We are happy to announce the publication of our latest paper: "Clinical trials in older patients with cancer – typical challenges, possible solutions and a paradigm of study design in breast cancer".

Why This Matters: With the prevalence of older breast cancer patients rapidly increasing, they remain significantly underrepresented in clinical trials. This publication addresses the barriers to recruitment of older patients and proposes innovative solutions to design optimal clinical trials, illustrated through the paradigm of the hashtag .

🔬 Key Innovations:
1. Individualized Shared Decision-Making: Tailoring the initial dose of CDK 4/6-inhibitors based on frailty status to enhance patient outcomes.

2. Optimized Recruitment Methodology: Leveraging multidisciplinary collaboration to improve trial participation among older and less tech-savvy patients.

3. Financial Model Innovation: Developing a model to optimize healthcare costs, reduce financial toxicity and manage side-effect toxicity for older patients.

4. Geriatric Cancer Registry: Establishing a comprehensive registry to advance research and clinical practice in geriatric oncology.

📈 Impact: Our goal is to deliver high-level evidence (level I) that can transform current clinical practices and improve the quality of life for older breast cancer patients. The combination of CDK 4/6-inhibitors and endocrine therapy, supported by mandatory comprehensive geriatric assessments (CGAs), represents a significant step forward in personalized cancer care.

We invite you to read the full publication to explore the detailed strategies and innovations that the hashtag project brings to the forefront of clinical research.
Together, we can pave the way for more inclusive, effective and patient-centered cancer treatments.

https://doi.org/10.2340/1651-226X.2023.40365

Clinical trials in older patients with cancer – typical challenges, possible solutions, and a paradigm of study design in breast cancer Authors Peeter Karihtala Department of Oncology, Helsinki University Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland Aglaia Sch...