Presentation of the Centre

For over five decades, IPO Porto has been at the forefront of oncology innovation in Portugal, integrating clinical care with cutting-edge research. As the leading cancer institution in the country, IPO Porto serves directly the northern region of Portugal with approximately 3.7 million residents, ensuring access to advanced treatments and high-quality care. Each year, IPO Porto welcomes over 10,000 new patients, demonstrating its commitment to prioritizing patient needs. In collaboration with the Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), IPO Porto forms the Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (Porto.CCC), a consortium dedicated to establishing a regional oncology ecosystem in North of Portugal.

Main Research Activities

IPO Porto is officially recognized as R&D Research Center within Portugal’s scientific landscape. Its structure includes 5 translational research groups, 2 clinical research groups, and 1 group dedicated to study cancer epidemiology, outcomes, and patient quality of life. The center also features an Oncology Nursing Research Unit and a Clinical Research Unit (including an Early Phase Clinical Trials Unit). Recently, the Research Center renewed its "Excellent" rating in an international evaluation conducted by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology.

Core Facilities

IPO Porto is organized into 12 comprehensive outpatient tumor/pathology clinics. Inpatient facilities comprise 351 beds, one intensive care unit, and 12 operating rooms. Advanced resources include:

• Theranostic facilities
• Robotic surgery
• Nine linear accelerators (one for intraoperative RT)
• A Brachytherapy Service
• A Chemotherapy Day Care Hospital with 60+ chairs
• An in-house Precision Oncology Program for genomic/biomarker testing (accelerating pediatric/adult patient access to biomarker-driven clinical trials)
• The Center for Innovative Therapeutics in Oncology (CITO), established in 2024, with dedicated inpatient/outpatient facilities for clinical trials, including phase 1 studies.

Education

IPO Porto’s Educational Department, known as the Portuguese School of Oncology of Porto (EPOP), delivers top-tier education and professional development for students and professionals in Oncology, Medicine, and Health Sciences. Its mission is to advance the knowledge of IPO Porto staff, partner institutions (universities, polytechnics), affiliated organizations, and the broader healthcare community.