1. Regional radiotherapy and oncology network in SEE countries
Dr Salmin Salkovic
Oncology and Radiotherapy Clinic, Clinical Centre of Montenegro

2. Definition of the South East Europe (SEE)
The first known use of the term "Southeast Europe" was by Austrian researcher Johann Georg von Hahn (1811–1869) as a broader term than the traditional “Balkans”
Southeast Europe or Southeastern Europe (SEE) is a geographical region of Europe, consisting primarily of the Balkan peninsula. There are many overlapping and conflicting definitions as to where exactly Southeastern Europe begins or ends or how it relates to other regions of the continent.

3. SEE population:
State Population (2016)[70] Density/km2 (2013)[71] Life expetancy (72)
Republic of Albania ,886, years
Bosnia and Herzegovina 3,515, years
Republic of Bulgaria ,153, years
Republic of Croatia ,190, years
Hellenic Republic ,783, years
Kosovo* [a] ,771, years[73]
The FYR Macedonia ,071, years
Montenegro , years
Romania ,760, years
Republic of Serbia ,076, years
Republic of Slovenia ,064, years
Turkey ,620, years
70 "Eurostat – Tables, Graphs and Maps Interface (TGM) table". europa.eu.
71 "List of Countries by Population Density".
72 Country Comparison: Life Expectancy at Birth". CIA: The World Factbook. Retrieved 20 January "Kosovo". The World Bank. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSC 1244/1999 and the ICJ opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence

4. Specificity of cancer in SEE in brief
Advances of the cancer disease
III/IV TNM stage
High incidence of lung, breast , cervical, head and neck cancer, skin cancer
Head and neck oropharyngeal cancer caused use of alcohol and tobacco is in increase versus. in Western Europe HPV infection is in increase

5. Why do we need network: FACTS
Multidisciplinary tumor boards
Team work doctors of different specialisations
Center with the high volumes cancer patients have better treatment and better prognosis on patients with cancer
Second opinion
Rare cancer/childhoode cancer
Regional guidellines in cancer treatment

6. MONTENEGRO: Official links today
IORS, Belgrade
CENTER OF RADIOTHERAPY, Banja Luka
ACIBADEM, Istanbul BUT
so is this real official ???

7. Clinical network within the framework of SEEIIST
Concept study - Facility for Tumour Hadron Therapy and Biomedical Research in SEE
Establishment of the two networks proposed: Clinical and Scientific
Two networks are essential for the success of the SEEIIST
Clinical Network – hospitals and oncological institutes from the Region

8. Concept of the Western Balkan Network for Radiotherapy and Oncology under IPA
Multi-country Financial Assistance under IPA II – Call for concepts 2019 (MC IPA 2019) June 2018
Idea for the Concept coming from the Ministry of Science and
the Ministry of Health of Montenegro
Current state: under consideration
Involvement of the other SEE partners,
EU member states, very important

9. Results and impact of the proposed concept
Establishment of the common standards and protocols for treating cancer patients in the region
 Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia have national protocols in treatment of some type of tumours site
 Montenegro use ESMO(european), NCCN protocols(american)
Facilitating medical data sharing and cancer board work
 To analyze data from different countries which can be used in filed of research
 Easy getting second opinion in cancer treatment from clinical center with high volume in treating some type of tumours (rare tumours)
 To organize on line (telemedicine) MTB (cancer board work)

10. Results and impact of the proposed concept
Enabling the use of data in the research and consequently achieving the research results based on the comprehensive and realistic data
Improve the relevance of the research by using the comprehensive data
 Good previous practice under E33040 IAEA Contouring Study/ 2016

11. Proposed Key activities
Mapping of the relevant institutions and actors in WB region
Identification of all relevant centres/actors in the Region/screening of the current state
Creating database for the WB medical, radiation and surgical oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, and researchers in field on Biomedicine
 Institutions are made of people

12. Proposed Key activities
Standardization and harmonization of the electronic medical records of the cancer patients
 Major oncological centres today in the SEE region have medical electronic records
…but in practice communication between the regional institutions there are still hard copies of the medical reports..
 We are sharing similar problems and we have to collaborate with each other – there have to be common standards in the electronical medical records

13. Proposed Key activities
Creating regional electronic system/platform for processing and sharing the medical data on cancer patients, adopted for the use in searching field
One of the results of sharing medical data in the SEE region will be used in clinical research, especially in the institutions with low frequency of the cancer patients or of the patients with the rare cancers
Facilitating the work of the cancer boards
in the Region

14. Proposed Key activities
Capacity building through education and training programme related to use of the electronic system
 Training for the future Users of the electronic system

15. Next steps and conclusion
Concept is only the starting point of the further discussions: there is need for understanding better the current state and needs of each participating country and finding the common benefits from the proposed activities (further development)
Involvement of the EU countries from the SEE region: to follow the results of this potential project, provide best practices, help as experts etc., create basis of the broader SEE Network
Link to the SEEIIST: Creating common regional standards and protocols in the field of treating patients and creating a Regional Platform for data processing and sharing and the Clinical Network are the prerequisites for using the advanced digital system of the future Institute and for working together within this large medical and research infrastructure

16. Thank you for your attention!