NCT/UCC Dresden: Ten years of cutting-edge research for better cancer therapies and individualized patient care

The National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT/UCC) Dresden has been combining scientific innovation and modern patient care under one roof for the last ten years. Experts from the fields of medicine, research and technology cooperate closely to significantly improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Thanks to strong ties with the University Cancer Center (UCC), founded in 2003, and the interplay of clinical expertise, high-tech infrastructure and interdisciplinary research, NCT/UCC represents a center in Dresden that has set high standards throughout Germany.

In Germany, around half a million people are diagnosed with cancer every year. Behind these figures are individual stories, families and the hope of a cure. Above all, those affected need structures in place that swiftly transfer scientific progress to patients. The NCT/UCC Dresden conducts research and provides care, interweaving the work of doctors, researchers and a number of technical disciplines.

Founded in 2015 as the second national NCT site, the NCT/UCC Dresden is supported by the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Carl Gustav Carus University Hospital, TUD’s Faculty of Medicine and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR). Researchers and doctors are developing innovative diagnostic procedures, more precise therapies and new, tailor-made approaches to cancer medicine. With the expansion of the NCT to a total of six sites in 2023, this collaboration was developed and funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space as part of the National Decade Against Cancer.

Minister President Michael Kretschmer praises this development: "Cancer is one of the most feared diseases in our society. The fact that we have such a strong network of excellent cancer medicine in Saxony today is a great benefit for the people in the state, but it of course goes well beyond that. Dresden has become a beacon for research with results quickly arriving where they are needed the most — with the patients."

The NCT/UCC Dresden focuses on precision medicine: state-of-the-art radiotherapy, robot-assisted surgery, molecular diagnostics and cellular immunotherapy. Since its foundation, it has relied on spatial, organizational and scientific proximity, specifically in the space between the laboratory and clinic. As part of the Dresden University Medicine campus, the NCT/UCC links oncological research with the clinical facilities and the eleven organ cancer centers.

© UKD / Marc Eisele

The NCT building, which opened in 2020, combines high-tech laboratories, outpatient care and communication — all under one roof. Among other things, it houses an experimental operating theater with sensor technology, an imaging platform for clinical studies and laboratories for molecular and cell biology research. This infrastructure forms the basis for more precise diagnostics, modern radiotherapy and AI-supported treatment planning — key components of personalized oncology.

The patient-centered approach, supplemented by psychological and social support, not only increases the chances of recovery, but also improves the patients’ quality of life. However, the remit of the NCT/UCC Dresden is not limited to those directly affected. With their experience of their own illness, they form the third pillar of needs-guided cancer research. Patients therefore constitute an essential part of the strategic planning and development of research projects and clinical studies. They can actively participate in the Patient Advisory Board of the NCT/UCC Dresden. The members of the Patient Advisory Board are also involved in events and are an important point of contact for patients at the center.

Prof. Michael Baumann, Chairman of the DKFZ Management Board, places this development in a national context: "Dresden is a shining example of what is possible when strong partners pursue a common goal. In close cooperation with Heidelberg, the site was a pioneer for what we are now promoting across all sites with our One NCT: Sharing knowledge, harmonizing data and jointly developing clinical studies. For patients, this means swifter access to innovative therapies. To this end, there are patient representatives at each location as well as the Patient Research Council at a national level, which bundles issues that matter to patients across all locations."

"Our goal as a university hospital is to provide the best possible diagnosis and treatment to those suffering with cancer, and this requires the close integration of modern research and clinical practice," emphasizes Prof. Uwe Platzbecker, Medical Director of the University Hospital Dresden. "At the NCT/UCC, doctors, nurses and researchers do not work side by side, but hand in hand. This approach is the key to translational medicine," he emphasizes the direct benefit for patients: "Clinical studies provide access to the latest diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, interdisciplinary tumor boards guarantee the best possible decisions, while molecular tumor diagnostics allow individual therapeutic approaches."

For Prof. Esther Troost, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at TU Dresden, the center impressively demonstrates what is possible when medicine, life sciences and engineering collaborate to find solutions: "The NCT/UCC Dresden is a prime example of how synergies can blossom from diversity. Here, students and researchers learn that modern cancer medicine is all about teamwork. The Dresden School of Clinican Scientists with their Camino and ONCOnnect program, the Digital Clinical Trialist Program or the Mildred Scheel Early Career Center and, last but not least, the OncoRay doctoral program all create a network that promotes talent and ensures scientific excellence in the long term."

"For the HZDR, the partnership with the NCT/UCC Dresden is something special because it closely combines fundamental research, technology development and clinical application," explains Prof. Sebastian M. Schmidt, Scientific Director of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf. "Our research aims to detect and treat tumors with better precision – with as few side effects as possible." He points to the strong technological basis: "With innovative radiooncology procedures, new radiopharmaceutical labeling substances and state-of-the-art imaging platforms, we are creating conditions that are already setting international standards. Together, we are pursuing one goal: to treat cancer better and more gently."

Conclusion and outlook
Ten years after its foundation, the NCT/UCC Dresden is a beacon of modern cancer medicine in which research, technology and care are intertwined. The social benefits should not be underestimated: "Thanks to the cooperation of all partner institutions and the active involvement of patients, therapies are continually becoming more individualized, effective and gentle. Ultimately, the goal of our efforts is and remains to give patients years of high-quality life despite their illness," explains the Executive Board of Directors of the NCT/UCC Dresden with Prof. Hanno Glimm, Prof. Mechthild Krause, Prof. Martin Bornhäuser and Prof. Jürgen Weitz.

For the coming years, they are focusing on the further expansion of digitalization, AI, robotics and image-based processes, all the while staying true to the anniversary motto "10 years of NCT in Dresden - knowledge that gives life."

Contact:
Anne-Stephanie Vetter
Staff Unit Public Relations of the Carl Gustav Carus Faculty of Medicine of TUD Dresden University of Technology
National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT/UCC) Dresden
+49 351 458 17903