Five years of collaboration, innovation and impact in cancer screening 
Eveline Heijnsdijk was interviewed on the EU-TOPIA-EAST results, the 5 year project that ended May 2026.
EU-TOPIA-EAST delivered a portfolio of exploitable results with strong potential to support the development, implementation and evaluation of organised cancer screening programmes. Building on the consortium’s expertise in cancer screening research and programme implementation, the project translated scientific evidence into practical tools, methodologies and policy recommendations.
A major achievement was the development and application of the EU-TOPIA-EAST roadmap methodology, which provides a structured framework for identifying barriers, defining priorities and planning evidence-based improvements to cancer screening programmes. The methodology was successfully applied in multiple countries and demonstrated its adaptability across different healthcare settings.
The project also strengthened monitoring systems and data infrastructures through alignment with the CanScreenECIS framework, contributing to improved data quality, harmonised performance indicators and enhanced programme evaluation capacity. Microsimulation modelling generated robust evidence on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of screening strategies.
Significant implementation achievements were obtained in the three exemplary countries. Georgia strengthened the foundations for organised breast cancer screening through infrastructure development, training and improved information systems. Montenegro achieved measurable improvements in organised colorectal cancer screening, supported by favourable implementation conditions and strong institutional engagement. In Romania, despite external organisational and funding constraints, the project strengthened governance, monitoring systems and implementation planning, creating favourable conditions for future programme development.
Key exploitable outputs include the roadmap methodology, monitoring frameworks, screening guidelines, information system specifications, implementation experience and microsimulation models. Overall, EU-TOPIA-EAST delivered a coherent set of practical tools, methodologies and evidence-based recommendations that are expected to continue supporting the optimisation and sustainability of organised cancer screening programmes beyond the project lifetime.
Future efforts will focus on ensuring the long-term sustainability, uptake and further development of the methodologies, tools and implementation experience generated by EU-TOPIA-EAST.
The project was launched in May 2021 and will continue to April 2026.
This project has received funding from the European Unionʼs Horizon2020 Programme under grant agreement no 965014
