Where progress is redesigned with purpose and delivered back to those who need it most
Every issue of CancerWorld explores the places where science meets humanity, where personal stories reshape public systems, and where progress in oncology is defined not only by discovery, but by dignity. Our December edition brings that spirit into focus, led by two cover stories that reflect the past, present, and future of cancer care.
We begin with Prof. Robert A. Weinberg, whose accidental journey into biology became the foundation of modern cancer science. His reflections, from the discovery of oncogenes to the writing of The Hallmarks of Cancer, remind us that true insight is not measured in data volume, but in clarity, mentorship, and ideas that endure.
Our second cover story reveals Prof. Andrea Ferrari, not only the architect of European pediatric sarcoma research, but the doctor whose presence transforms Progetto Giovani into a sanctuary for adolescents. This portrait uncovers the person behind the legend, the scientist who helped reinvent maintenance therapy, the mentor who shaped AYA oncology, and the human being who protects passion as fiercely as his patients.
From these two leaders, the issue unfolds into a tapestry of policy, innovation, survivorship, and lived experience.
Minister Robert Troy grounds our policy focus with Ireland’s Right to Be Forgotten, showing how leadership shaped by loss can restore fairness to survivors rebuilding their lives.
Prof. Paolo A. Ascierto charts immunotherapy’s next chapter beyond the PD-1 plateau, where mRNA vaccines, smart cytokines, and T-cell engagers redefine the future, provided Europe prepares for access and equity.
Dr. Christos Tsagkaris reframes cancer screening through health-rights literacy, insisting that awareness matters only when people can actually navigate the systems meant to protect them.
In Kenya, Diana Mwango reports on a quiet revolution: cancer therapy delivered at home, challenging assumptions about where treatment must happen and who it should serve.
Dr. Enrico Franceschi brings neuro-oncology’s hidden burden into view, arguing that survivorship for brain-tumor patients begins at diagnosis and must include cognition, identity, and long-term support.
In a deeply human story, Isabel Deprince opens the world she paints for her late brother, a landscape of horses, color, and connection, reminding us that art can carry grief where words cannot.
Dr. Arjun Gupta reframes time as a form of toxicity, urging us to count not only survival gains but the days patients spend traveling, waiting, and enduring care.
And our Co-Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Adriana Albini, closes the loop with the rise of Common Sense Oncology, a movement calling for evidence that reflects what patients truly value: survival, quality of life, fairness, and time.
Across these pages, December’s issue reminds us that progress is built by people who choose to care as deeply as they investigate. With this final issue of 2025, we pause, reflect, and prepare for a new year of stories, voices, and discoveries. See you in 2026.
