Towards an Athens Comprehensive Cancer Center (ACCC)

An Integrated Center for Research on Cancer in Athens (ACCC- Athens Comprehensive Cancer Center) is being established involving relevant selected laboratories in research centers and universities and selected clinics in public hospitals. In addition, collaboration with companies from sectors such as pharmaceutical, biotechnology, cancer diagnostics and bioinformatics is taking place. \nThe main objective of ACCC is to strengthen the interdisciplinary cancer research and especially to improve the lives of patients of this multi-factorial and heterogeneous disease. Researchers in Athens are already developing new diagnostic and prognostic assays, analyzing and utilizing response predictors in personalized treatments and also working towards developing new drugs by chemical synthesis. ACCC aims to contribute to the transfer of knowledge to public hospitals. Today it is estimated that about 50% of the national hospital capacity in beds in hospital-clinics are located in the center of Athens with usually high occupancy rates, therefore direct communication with research centers and specialized university departments is favored.\nThe main objectives of the Athens Comprehensive Cancer Center ACCC are:\nA. Strengthen translational research (from the research laboratory to the clinic)\nB. Enhance the health of the citizens with innovative methods