Presentation of the Centre

The Oncology center at the Heart and Brain Centre of Excellence is a leading cancer care institution, focused at establishing state-of-the-art health care by providing personalized and innovative approach in screening, diagnostics, treatment and follow-up of patients with cancer. The Oncology Center at H&B is a part of the Bulgarian Cardiac Institute (BCI)- the most influential healthcare organization on the Balkans since 2008. Today BCI integrates two high-tech centers of clinical excellence in Pleven and Burgas; five specialized cardiology hospitals and 15 primary health care medical centers across the country.

Main Research Activities

The Oncology Center at H&B has introduced as a pioneer a cardio-oncology-based approach in the clinical practice and also has in view a development of innovative approaches for anticancer management with reduced cardiotoxicity. We collaborate with many national and international universities and university hospitals on scientific projects and research programs in cancer and cancer genetics. We aim to establish screening, early detection and risk reduction programs and measures, inclusive by molecular genetic testing and genetic counseling that we offer to our patients. We are currently running a very successful scientific projects on post-covid clinical consequences in the Bulgarian population. We participate in clinical trials in all phases, including phase 1.

Core Facilities

• The Clinic of Medical Oncology (with Clinical TrialsDepartment);
• The Clinic of Oncohaematology:
• The Department of Radiotherapy;
• Different surgical Clinics and Anaesthesiology;
• Gynaecology;
• Orthopaedics;
• Psychotherapy;
• Molecular pathology and genetics;
• The department of Cardiooncology.

Education

Scientific and educational activities are fundamental for Heart and Brain's future development. We are training students, residents, specialists and post-doctoral students, and are participating in interventional and non-interventional clinical trials.

Presentation of the Centre

The Bulgarian Joint Cancer Network (BJCN) is a dynamic ecosystem in Bulgaria, structured by many co-existing medical societies, experts, models, structures, trials, educational seminars and politics for elaboration, sharing and implementation of modern oncological care. BJCN is an eminence of the patient-centered synergy. BJCN is a non-government horizontal cluster of 18 societies and 55 high quality experts, delivering care in oncology. BJCN has been first established in March 2022. It consists of 9 sectors, functioning in key organizational, scientific, clinical and interinstitutional activities. Historically, it is and upgrade of the MORÉ project (Multidisciplinary Oncological discussions and extracts).

Main Research Activities

BJCN is currently developing the following projects: Mental health for Ukrainian refugees with cancer, Digital ecosystem of the anticancer guidelines, licensed translation of the TNM classification and the Toronto guidelines for pediatric cancer, educational seminars on solid tumors, hematological malignancies and pediatric oncohematology. BJCN is an initiator of conference sessions for digital reconstructions for presentation of novel medical Bulgarian and international IT companies. We are partners in the international consortium together with institutes from Romania, Moldova and North Macedonia.

Core Facilities

BJCN has started a prospective trial for comparative assessment of thermal images versus conventional screening techniques for breast cancer. An original digital platform for teleoncology is in a process of approbation in order to test the process of guidance between every diagnostic and therapeutic modalities.

Education

BJCN is creating national expert boards for a particular cancer localization, consisting of authors of national evidence-based clinical guidelines. The network publishes dedicated Educational book on different cancer localisations. BJCN is also constructing and original digital platform for education and accreditation of oncologists – ?-CME-O.