The Second Annual Meeting of the Prevention and Early Detection (P&ED) Cluster – Implementation Research recently took place in Barcelona, hosted by the Public Health Agency of Catalonia and organised by the PIECES team. The PIECES project (involving University of Stirling) aims to adapt existing evidence-based primary cancer prevention programmes (including tobacco and second hand smoke) to improve implementation outcomes.
The event brought together representatives from all six Cluster projects — PIECES, ONCODIR, CPW – Cancer Prevention At Work, PREVENT, CO-CAPTAIN, and 4P-CAN — for a collaborative exchange of insights, progress, and future directions. Over the course of the meeting, participants reflected on achievements from the past year and explored opportunities to align efforts and strengthen collaboration across working groups.
The Cluster is a collaborative approach that aims to coordinate and integrate the efforts of six different cancer prevention projects. Together, they are working to increase societal and policy impact on cancer prevention and early detection.
The First P&ED Cluster Round Table
A major highlight of the event was the inaugural P&ED Cluster Round Table, titled: “From Research to Practice: Implementing Effective Cancer Prevention Strategies Across Europe”. This engaging session fostered dynamic discussions between speakers and attendees, underscoring the urgent need to translate scientific research into real-world strategies that can make a tangible impact on cancer prevention across Europe. The round table was moderated by Dr. Wolfgang Fecke, Executive Director of the Association of European Cancer Leagues (ECL), and featured expert panelists from across the Cluster.
As the P&ED Cluster continues its work, this meeting marked another important step in building a collaborative foundation to help reduce the burden of cancer through innovation, partnership, and impact-driven research.