Strengthening cancer research and expertise

Grants for cancer research

Cancer Foundation Finland had two grant rounds in 2025: in spring, 71 travel grants were awarded, and in autumn one major grant, 53 research group grants, and 41 doctoral grants were distributed. In addition, eight travel grants were awarded from the Children’s Cancer Fund to healthcare teams treating childhood cancers.

The principles and criteria for awarding grants are reviewed annually. In May, the Foundation’s experts met to assess development needs. As a result, a significant share of the 2025 grants became multi-year awards, and only five were one-year grants were awarded, in line with research guidelines introduced by Cancer Foundation Finland in 2022. Grant decisions are based on expert assessments by the Foundation’s evaluation committees and the recommendations of the Grant Committee.

Other scientific support

Support for the Finnish Cancer Registry and Mass Screening Registry. The Finnish Cancer Registry and the Mass Screening Registry receive government funding via the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) to maintain their core operations. Cancer Foundation Finland supplemented this with €1.2 million, including funding for an epidemiological researcher position (intended for a doctoral researcher).

Foundation for the Finnish Cancer Institute. Cooperation between the Cancer Foundation and the Foundation for the Finnish Cancer Institute is based on a 2023 agreement. This defines the forms of collaboration and funding principles. In 2025, Cancer Foundation Finland provided €0.3 million in support to the Foundation for the Finnish Cancer Institute. The funding enabled two Pink Ribbon research professorships (3-year terms) and two Pink Ribbon cancer researcher positions (2-year terms).

Through the Nordic Cancer Union, €0.2 million was allocated to joint Nordic cancer research.

The Finnish Cancer Registry as a national data resource

Compilation of cancer cases. The Finnish Cancer Registry maintains national data on cancers and screenings for the THL. For each new cancer case, a case summary is produced containing key diagnostic information. (See Section 4a for data products.)

Cancer Foundation Symposium

Since 1974, the Cancer Foundation has organised an annual symposium (except during pandemic years) for physicians and other experts involved in cancer diagnosis and treatment. The event attracts 100–140 clinicians and researchers each year. In 2025, the 51st symposium was held in Espoo, focusing on prostate cancer.

Strengthening expertise through grants, training and communication

Training collaboration. Experts from the Cancer Organisations lectured actively at universities of applied sciences, Dia College of Finland, and the adaptation training courses of the Finnish Social Insurance Institution (Kela). Topics included cancer as an illness, risk factors, treatment pathways, the needs of older patients, and services provided by the CSF.

Finnish Cancer Registry training. The Registry trained numerous researchers and students, including by supervising master’s theses in statistics and health sciences, and doctoral dissertations. Its Director served as a part-time professor of epidemiology at the University of Tampere.

Strategic research and expert work

The CSF participated in the EU Joint Action on cancer and NCD prevention, co-leading the “Health in All Policies” work package with the THL.

The Cancer Registry contributed expert work to national bodies, including:

• The screening subcommittee of Finland’s Council for Choices in Health Care (Palko)
• National screening expert groups

In 2025, key topics included expanding breast cancer screening age groups and initiating lung cancer screening in a research setting.

Updates to national screening quality manuals also began.

Work continued on updating the current treatment guidelines (cervical, vaginal, and external genital cell mutations). The Cancer Registry’s development manager participated in the preparation of the screening section of the guideline.