A European-wide foundation to accelerate Data-driven Cancer Research

Project Information

EOSC4Cancer

Grant agreement ID: 101058427

DOI

10.3030/101058427

Project closed

EC signature date 9 June 2022

Start date 1 September 2022

End date 31 May 2025

Funded under

• Research infrastructures

Total cost

€ 7 814 549,51

EU contribution

€ 7 814 549,00

Coordinated by

BARCELONA SUPERCOMPUTING CENTER CENTRO NACIONAL DE SUPERCOMPUTACION
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - EOSC4Cancer (A European-wide foundation to accelerate Data-driven Cancer Research)

Reporting period: 2023-09-01 to 2025-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

To accelerate cancer research and its impact on European citizens, EOSC4Cancer has contributed to setting the foundations for a pan-European infrastructure for discovering, accessing, and analysing clinical and molecular data. By integrating existing tools and best practices, the project enhanced data management, interoperability, and reuse in support of the EU Mission on Cancer.

Five use cases linked to the different stages of the Cancer Patient Journey, from prevention to treatment, guide the technical work, reflecting key cancer research data flows. EOSC4Cancer enabled access to genomics, imaging, and clinical data through improved, interoperable, and federated systems, supporting data reuse for research and clinical translation.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The EOSC4Cancer use cases formed the scientific core of the project, guiding technical developments based on real-world cancer research needs. They shaped efforts in data harmonisation, integration, workflow design, and demonstrators implementation.

The project focused on enhancing and integrating existing tools to improve data sharing and analysis. For example, cBioPortal, used for visualising clinical and genomic data, was extended to support imaging and linked to platforms like Galaxy and OpenVRE. This enabled seamless, cross-platform workflows and improved interoperability. EOSC4Cancer also produced protocols to support FAIR data and software practices, with results demonstrated in colorectal cancer use cases and designed for wider adoption across tumour types and future EU Mission on Cancer initiatives.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

EOSC4Cancer has delivered a tightly integrated set of technical results addressing key challenges along the cancer patient journey. Real-world use cases drove the development of interoperable tools and workflows for data discovery, access, harmonisation, and analysis, targeting bottlenecks in the cancer research data ecosystem.

To support uptake, the project produced publicly available best practices, recommendations, and a Roadmap for the Future of the European Cancer Data Landscape, an actionable vision co-developed with diverse stakeholders to guide the creation of a federated, privacy-aware, clinically relevant data ecosystem.
EOSC4Cancer extended RDMkit with a cancer-specific page offering tailored FAIR data guidance for oncology, covering data types such as genomics, imaging, and clinical records. Hosted by ELIXIR, it will be maintained through regular community-driven updates.

The project also initiated the harmonisation of screening data, producing a codebook of 55 elements for colorectal cancer screening. This lays the foundation for cross-border comparability and reuse, with next steps focused on broader validation and alignment with HL7 and other initiatives.

Technical demonstrations include a Beacon v2 prototype for federated genomic data discovery, tested on colorectal cancer use cases, and a pan-European metadata catalogue (Data Resources Map), which enables the alignment of heterogeneous datasets.

For clinical decision support, EOSC4Cancer developed two complementary trial-matching tools: TrialMatchAI (AI-based automatic matching) and the MCTM module in the MTBP (manual curation). These systems enhance the integration of molecular data into clinical decision support systems (CDSS) workflows.

EOSC4Cancer prioritised the enhancement and alignment of existing tools and infrastructures, avoiding duplication and demonstrating the value of building on proven platforms. This strategic approach establishes a robust foundation for future initiatives, including UNCAN-Connect, and supports the evolution of Europe’s cancer data-sharing ecosystem.

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