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NorTrials Cancer

The NorTrials Centre for Cancer is located at Oslo University Hospital.

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NorTrials Cancer will work to increase the number of clinical trials for cancer patients in Norway, and to increase the number of patients included in ​trials. The aim is to have trial activity throughout the country, and for more hospitals to participate as ​​centres in clinical trials.
 

Organization

Oslo University Hospital (OUS) is a Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CCC), accredited by the European organization OECI. There are cancer trials in many of the hospital’s divisions and departments. For instance in the Department of Oncology, there are 18 sections and 3 organisational units. Each section has a section leader, one person responsible for research and one for each relevant tumour group. There are also active research environments in the department for gynaecological cancer and in several of the surgical departments, in addition to paediatrics. Oslo CCC has a board with broad representation from the departments and divisions with cancer activity, in addition to a research committee.

Clinical research is ongoing at Radiumhospitalet, Ullevaal, Rikshospitalet and Aker Hospital. A new hospital building will be opened in September 2024, at Radiumhospitalet.

In total, we have 16 radiation machines, 10 at Radiumhospitalet and 6 at Ullevaal, these are operated at full capacity during the day and three evening shifts. In addition to regular radiotherapy, we give brachytherapy to patients with prostate and cervical cancer.  

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Centre Lead Åslaug Helland and Coordinator Charlotte Melby

Photo: Eline Feiring

Centre Lead Åslaug Helland and Coordinator Charlotte Melby

Patient Population

OUS has regional responsibility for oncological cancer care in South-Eastern Norway with a population of 2 950 000 people, and local hospital responsibility for five districts in Oslo covering a population of 220 000. This responsibility includes clinical operations, teaching/training, research and professional development. Around 30 000 patients are treated each year. In 2022 – 2023, around 12% of the new patients at Oslo CCC were included in clinical trials.

The centre has invested considerable effort to establish a clinical data warehouse in order to obtain an overview of our own patient population at all times.

Network

The centre already has a well-established network for clinical trials in Norway, as well as experience from the national clinical trial IMPRESS-Norway in which all hospitals with cancer departments participate. We will build on this network and, in addition, develop our cooperation with the industry further.  

Study Experience

There are around 150 ongoing clinical trials ongoing in Oslo CCC. We are involved in the education of medical students throughout their studies. The number of annual scientific publications is around 800.  

Employees and Contact Information

Portrait of Åslaug Helland

Åslaug Helland

Centre Lead

aslaug.helland@medisin.uio.no
A woman smiling for the camera

Charlotte Melby

Coordinator

charbr@ous-hf.no 904 16 238

References/Publications

Publications by Åslaug Helland

Read about Charlotte's network for clinical research nurses and coordinators 

Last updated 5/3/2024