Mission: Cancer (Horizon Europe)

The Mission on Cancer aims to improve the lives of over 3 million people by 2030 through prevention, improved treatments, and support for patients and families to live longer and better lives. Its four core goals are:

Deepen understanding of cancer
Prevent what is preventable
Improve diagnosis and treatment
Enhance quality of life

Five cross-cutting priorities guide the Mission: ensuring equitable access, promoting innovation, addressing childhood cancer, advancing personalised medicine, and engaging citizens.

The Mission targets all cancers across all age groups and regions, including underserved populations, and is implemented through a health-in-all policies approach. It draws support from EU programmes (e.g. EU4Health, Digital Europe, Erasmus+), public-private investments, and international cooperation.

It also aligns with the European Green Deal, addressing environmental and lifestyle-related cancer risks. Digital innovation is central—promoting AI, biomarkers, smart health apps, and personalised interventions.

Work Programme 2025 - Key actions:

Understanding Cancer: The Commission will promote collaboration among national and regional funding bodies to support translational cancer research, with a special focus on studying the impact of environmental exposures on childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancers.
Prevention and Early Detection: In partnership with the Cities Mission, efforts will be made to enhance cancer prevention by encouraging active mobility—such as cycling and walking—while also contributing to reduced greenhouse gas emissions from transport.
Diagnosis and Treatment: Support will be provided for innovations in surgical techniques, particularly for patients with metastatic cancer, and for early-stage, investigator-led multinational clinical trials in paediatric oncology.
Quality of Life: The Commission will fund pragmatic clinical trials aimed at improving nutrition and, consequently, the quality of life for older adults (65+) living with cancer.

In addition, continued support will be given to the network of National Cancer Mission Hubs (NCMHs) to facilitate implementation and coordination across countries.

Call topics mit der Einreichungsfrist 16.09.2025

HORIZON-MISS-2025-02-CANCER-01: Sustained collaboration of national and regional cancer funders to support the Cancer Mission through translational research
HORIZON-MISS-2025-02-CANCER-02: Understanding the effects of environmental exposure on the risk of paediatric, adolescent and young adult cancers
HORIZON-MISS-2025-02-CANCER-03: Innovative surgery as the cornerstone of affordable multi-modal therapeutic interventions benefitting cancer patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease
HORIZON-MISS-2025-02-CANCER-04: Investigator-initiated multinational early-stage innovative clinical trials for paediatric cancer
HORIZON-MISS-2025-02-CANCER-05: Pragmatic clinical trials to enhance the quality of life of older cancer patients (65 years and older) through nutrition
HORIZON-MISS-2025-02-CANCER-06: Support to the network of National Cancer Mission Hubs (NCMHs)

Gesamtbudget: 117.45 MEUR

Den vollen Text des Arbeitsprogramms "Missions" (2025) finden Sie hier.