First meeting of HEADSpAcE project

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has hosted the first meeting of a new project: Translational Studies of Head and Neck Cancer in South America and Europe (HEADSpAcE).

The HEADSpAcE multicentre study is funded by the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. The study aims to investigate the determinants of late stage of presentation of head and neck cancer and assess the impact on prognosis and survival in Europe and South America.

The project focuses on several priority areas, including barriers and facilitators to early detection and/or diagnosis of head and neck cancer and predictors of prognosis, adapted to specific settings. The study also aims to provide input to national programmes and policies, focusing on screening, early detection and/or diagnosis, and/or prognosis, as well as offering novel opportunities for the development of targeted therapies.

For this kick-off meeting, IARC convened an international consortium of 15 partner institutes: seven from Europe, seven from South America, and one from the USA. The study investigators have a strong history of collaborating together.