Land of Specialised Centres

Cancer Centres

The field of oncology, with its research, diagnostics, and treatment, is very advanced in Finland. During 2019 there were more than 140 industry funded cancer studies that were either recruiting or active.⁽³⁾  Also 45% of the commercial clinical trials started by the pharmaceutical industryin Finland in 2018 were in oncology. The government has backed cancer studies by establishing a national cancer centre.

The National Cancer Centre Finland i.e. the FICAN network, includes 5 University Hospitals, all members of the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI), together with Private Cancer Center Docrates. In addition regional and central hospitals treat cancer patients.

Turku University Hospital

• Almost 6 000 new patients in 2018 
• Phase I-IV trials in all fields of oncology
• Member of the Nordic Network of Early Cancer Trials (NECT) and Rare Adult Solid Cancers (ERN EURACAN)
• Was rewarded with a European OECI Cancer Center -status in 2019

The Tyks Cancer Centre arranges cancer treatment and research in the Hospital District of Southwest Finland. All units within the Turku University Hospital where cancer patients are treated have the common designation: Tyks Cancer Centre. Responsibility areas are (within the Turku University Hospital): prevention, diagnostics, treatment, rehabilitation, advanced scientific research, and education in the field of cancer on the level of specialized medical care.

Oulu University Hospital

• 57 000 patient visits per year, 1 500-2 000 new patient visits.
• Main focus in phase III-IV trials, but also some phase I-II trials.
• Areas of specialty: lung cancer, breast cancer, lymphomas, melanoma, pediatric oncology.
• MRC Oulu offers a multidisciplinary research environment.

Oulu University Hospital (OYS) utilises the latest international knowledge and equipment in all specialized branches of medicine. Its various departments and wards employ a total staff of more than 6.500 highly trained professionals, including world-class surgeons and experts. The hospital has the capacity to handle the most demanding emergencies and the Intensive Care Unit is one the best in Europe. Special emphasis is placed on personal treatment for each patient.

Kuopio University Hospital

• 36 000 patient visits per year, 5 000 new patients per year.
• 40 ongoing clinical trials in 2019 (oncology, gynecological oncology, hematology, pediatric oncology)
• Cyberknife-radio surgery, brachytherapy
• DaVinci robotic assisted surgery

Over the next decade, Kuopio University Hospital will become one of Europe's most modern hospital centers. New buildings, operating methods, equipment purchases, and investments in the competence of the staff will guarantee Kuopio University Hospital's position at the forefront of development. In this way, the hospital will be able to provide its patients with the best health services.

Tampere University Hospital

• FONK – Phase I-II Oncological Trial Unit, founded in 2015
  • 30-40 Phase I-III trials conducted per year
• PeeTU – Pediatric Early Phase Trials Unit
  • Member of ITCC

Tays specialises in studying and treating malignant cancer diseases that require radiotherapy or advanced medical treatment. Effective cancer treatment usually requires a combination of several treatments. The most commonly used treatments at Tays are radiotherapy and medical cancer treatment. They also provide palliative care for symptoms and care which improve the life quality for terminally ill patients.

Helsinki University Hospital

• 26 000 patient visits annually, 9 500 new visits per year.
• All fields of oncology
• 97 open trials of which 72 in solid tumors and 25 in hematology (2019)
• 4 first in human trials (phase I)

HUS, formally the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa, is made up of five hospital areas: Helsinki University Hospital, Hyvinkää, Lohja, Porvoo, and Västra Nyland. HUS is the largest health care provider and the second-largest employer in Finland. HUS manages the most demanding specialist medical care in the country. We have nationwide responsibility to provide centralized care for many rare and severe diseases.

Docrates private clinic, Helsinki

• 17 000 patient visits (2018), approx. 1 400 new patients annually.
• Only full-scale private cancer center in the Nordic countries.
• 4 phase I trials (basket, CSCLC).
• Imaging facilities (CT, MRI, PET/CT, SPECT).
• More than 40 clinical trials in the fields of medical oncology, radiation oncology and diagnostic imaging.

Docrates has top cancer experts and effective treatments without delay, as well as individual care. You have your own care team including a doctor and a nurse. Docrates provides front line cancer treatment. The latest medical technology is combined with proven expertise in cancer care.

Neurology Know-How

Finland has a strong research and know-how of neurological diseases on international standards, and it is supported by top expertise in medical imaging and diagnostics. The specialist areas of expertise are Alzheimer’s disease, mood disorders, epilepsy, insomnia, and cerebral infarction.

The National Neurocenter provides detailed information for reserchers, companies and patients.

Clinical Research Services Turku

• Over 200 completed trials in patients and healthy volunteers since 1995.
• Proven track record in early phase development of drugs approved by FDA and EMA.
• Clinical trial experience in many areas & special expertise in CNS, cardiovascular, metabolic disorders, and oncology.

CRST can offer a broad range of scientifically sound clinical research services that are tailored to suit your needs. CRST has a dedicated team of clinical trials professionals that can meet your needs: clinical researchers, project managers, medical writers, study nurses, study monitors, neuropsychologists and other research personnel needed for study planning, conduct and reporting.

Brain Research Unit – University of Eastern Finland

• Committed to conducting high-quality research in clinical science and in drug development.
• 20 years of experience and active national and international networks.
• Primary areas of expertise: biomarker research and clinical drug research, diagnostics, prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular disorders.

The Brain Research Unit is a part of the Clinical Research Center that is committed to conducting high quality research in clinical science and in drug development in collaboration with local, national and international research groups and pharmaceutical industry.

The unit works in close collaboration with laboratories of the Neurology of University of Eastern Finland and University Hospital as well as other research units in the Clinical Research Center.

Land of High-Quality Vaccine Research

The Vaccine Research Centre at Tampere University has long experience, spanning several decades, of conducting clinical trials of vaccines, sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry.

Vaccine Research Centre – Tampere University

• Unique clinical research unit operating within the Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology at Tampere University.
• Decades of experience in conducting pharma sponsored clinical trials.
• 10 regional vaccine research clinics

The Vaccine Research Center operates a network of ten regional vaccine research clinics whose staff include professional study nurses, medical laboratory technologists and investigators. The network of clinics enables the Center to carry out extensive nation-wide trials and to offer a robust contribution to large multinational studies.

Land of Pediatric Expertise

The Nordic countries have a joint development project, NordicPedMed, aiming to develop a Nordic network and increasing the level of clinical studies on children.

Pediatric Early Phase Trials Unit PeeTu – Tampere

• Expertise, infrastructure and resources to conduct clinical trials in children.
• Capacity to provide services to the whole Finnish pediatric population (1,2 million).
• Close co-operation with the adult early phase clinical trial center and biobanking within the hospital.

The major goal of PeeTu is to provide access to early phase clinical trials for children with relapsed or refractory cancers. An additional aim is to find novel agents to treat various other conditions in children and adolescents across pediatric subspecialties.