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Common nexus between the services to be able to create multidisciplinary teams

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    - Vall d'Hebron Medical Oncology Department

As a cancer center, VHIO is committed to leading-edge research

To promote the development of scientific research into pioneering clinical practice, thus enabling our patients to benefit from the very latest advances in oncological research

Scientific Report 2008

The database contains 117 publications. These include publications both with and without an impact factor.
TOTAL IF 2008: 715.467

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Vall d'Hebron Medical Oncology Department

Vall d’Hebron University Hospital (VHUH) is the largest hospital in Barcelona and the second largest in Spain; it covers almost all medical and surgical specialities, has more than 1400 beds, and employs over 6000 people.

It also houses various teaching centers, a medical school, public health facilities, research centers, laboratories and other complementary facilities.

This environment provides VHIO with one of the best health care platforms for carrying out oncological research.

Excellent clinical environment for the treatment of cancer diseases.

Multidisciplinary facilities.
University health care teams specializing in clinical and translational research.
Basic research equipment and laboratories.
Technological platforms: -Pathological Anatomy -Genomics -Proteomics -Molecular imaging

The Oncology Department at VHUH

The Oncology Department of VHUH was established in 1995 to meet the new requirements of oncology care and provide a focal point for the different services in order to produce fully interrelated multidisciplinary care teams. Since its creation the department has undergone significant quantitative and qualitative growth in the areas of patient-care, teaching and research, and become a gold-standard center in Europe.

VHUH Oncology Department’s patient care and clinical research currently consists of several units, grouped by disease or knowledge area; breast, digestive, lung, gynecological and head and neck, genitourinary cancer and sarcomas and, finally, high risk patients and genetic counselling. The units work as a team and are managed by a section chief.

Vall d’Hebron University Hospital Health Care Data
(Department of Oncology, 2008)

First outpatient visits 3520
Follow-up outpatient visits 37,856
Day Hospital Treatments 42,351

Additional services, increased quality and clinical excellence:

Functional Units
Support and Palliative Care Unit
Clinical Guides
High Risk and Cancer Prevention Unit
International Fellowship Program
International Cancer Centers networking
Construction of new facilities: Outpatient Medical Offices, Day Hospital, Pharmacy Unit, Clinical Trials Unit, Administrative department, BCC (surgery, medical oncology, radiology, genetics, and oncology day hospital).
New equipment

Comprehensive care for breast cancer: Breast Cancer Center

The VHUH Breast Cancer Center (BCC) has already become a reference center for breast cancer treatment. Oncologists, radiotherapists, geneticists, biologists, surgeons, pharmacy specialists, and radiologists work together at the BCC.

Inaugurated by HM Queen Sofia of Spain in May 2008, the BCC’s main objective is to improve patient care by bringing together the breast-cancer diagnosis, treatment and research services.

Known as Forward and AHEAD, the BCC is located on two floors of the Maternity and Children’s Building, which have been totally refurbished. The redevelopment work and the foundation of the BCC were made possible by the generous donation of Ms. Maria Angels Sanhajua, in memory of her parents.

The center houses the entire patient-care circuit, from medical offices with screening and full diagnostic equipment, to a day hospital with rooms for chemotherapy, medical consultations and pharmacy.

Breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer and represents 30% of all tumors affecting women. In Catalonia, almost 5000 new cases are diagnosed every year, with a significantly increasing trend over the coming years. One in eight women will suffer from breast cancer at some point in their lives, but early detection, research and improved treatments have brought survival rates at five years close to 90%.

Breast cancer represents one-third of all the oncology activity at VHUH. In 2008, the breast disease service alone received 616 first outpatient visits and 12,713 follow-up visits; some 200 patients took part in clinical trials.