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SPARC — Support of Personalized Medicine Approaches in Cancer

Transforming Cancer Care Through Personalised Medicine

SPARC (Support of Personalized Medicine Approaches in Cancer) is a three-year EU4Health project advancing equitable and sustainable personalised cancer medicine across Europe. By uniting hospitals, universities, research institutions, and patient organisations, SPARC builds the framework for implementing personalised medicine into real-world healthcare systems, ensuring that scientific innovation translates into tangible benefits for all patients.

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Project at a Glance

Programme

EU4Health (EU4H-2024-PJ-03)

Grant Agreement No.

101232874

Duration

November 2025 – October 2028 (36 months)

Coordinator

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain)

Partners

17 organisations across 8 EU countries

Pilot studies

7 (cancers including lung, breast, pancreatic, melanoma, neuroblastoma, hematological, and adrenocortical tumours)

Our Mission

SPARC accelerates the adoption of personalised oncology across Europe by validating protocols for next-generation sequencing (NGS) and liquid biopsy, strengthening Molecular Tumour Boards (MTBs), expanding training and certification for healthcare professionals, and embedding patient engagement and health-equity principles in every step of the process.

About SPARC

Overview

Personalised medicine has emerged as a transformative approach to cancer care, offering targeted therapies based on individual genetic, molecular, and clinical profiles. Yet despite its promise, implementation across Europe remains fragmented, limited by uneven access to diagnostics, disparities in clinical capacity, and lack of harmonised policy frameworks.

SPARC addresses these challenges by creating a collaborative ecosystem where innovation meets implementation. The project supports Member States in integrating personalised medicine into clinical practice, aligning with Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, the EU Health Data Space, and the forthcoming Joint Action on Personalised Medicine (PCM JA).

By bridging clinical, technological, and policy domains, SPARC contributes to a Europe where every patient benefits from timely, data-driven, and equitable cancer care.

Learn More About SPARC

Objectives & Approach

SPARC’s objectives are structured around six interlinked pillars representing its holistic approach to personalised oncology:

1

Evidence and Standardisation

SPARC develops validated, harmonised protocols for NGS and liquid biopsy to ensure reproducible and interoperable diagnostics across Member States. Evidence collected from seven cancer pilots feeds into consensus-based guidelines for clinical use.

2

Clinical Integration through Molecular Tumour Boards (MTBs)

By establishing MTBs in pilot centres, SPARC enhances multidisciplinary decision-making and ensures that molecular findings are meaningfully translated into patient care. A model for integrating liquid biopsy data into MTBs across diverse healthcare environments will be developed and shared Europe-wide.

3

Digital and AI-Driven Tools

The project reviews and specifies digital tools that enable data integration, tele-oncology, and AI-assisted interpretation, facilitating seamless collaboration between researchers, clinicians, and patients while maintaining full GDPR compliance.

4

Training, Certification, and Capacity Building

SPARC delivers comprehensive education programmes for healthcare professionals from introductory molecular oncology to expert-level modules in liquid biopsy and MTB practice alongside certification schemes ensuring standardised competencies across Europe.

5

Patient Engagement and Empowerment

Patient organisations co-create training and communication materials to enhance literacy in personalised medicine. Patients and citizens participate in advisory committees, contributing directly to pilot design, evaluation, and policy outcomes.

6

Equity, Sustainability, and Policy Impact

Through evidence-based mapping, SPARC identifies inequities in access to personalised medicine and formulates policy recommendations and sustainable business models for equitable implementation across EU healthcare systems.

Cancer Pilots Overview

SPARC conducts seven clinical pilots across major and rare cancers to demonstrate practical integration of personalised medicine approaches. Each pilot tests cost-effective NGS and liquid biopsy (LBx) workflows, assesses clinical utility, and feeds into harmonised protocols and policy recommendations.

1 Lung Cancer: Evaluation of targeted NGS and LB platforms in non-small-cell lung cancer (stages III-IV), assessing feasibility, sensitivity, and implementation barriers.

Lung Cancer Pilot: Focused on advanced stages, this pilot evaluates the integration of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and liquid biopsy technologies for improved diagnostics and monitoring.

2 Breast Cancer: Analysis of ESR1 mutations and other biomarkers driving resistance in ER+/HER2− patients; defines LB protocols for monitoring treatment response.

Breast Cancer Pilot: Targets resistance mechanisms in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, establishing protocols for ongoing treatment monitoring via liquid biopsies.

3 Pancreatic Cancer: Pilot protocols for LBx-based monitoring, integrating patient and clinician feedback to optimise acceptance and cost-effectiveness.

Pancreatic Cancer Pilot: Develops monitoring strategies using liquid biopsies, with emphasis on user feedback to enhance practicality and reduce costs.

4 Adrenocortical Carcinoma (ACC): Application of targeted NGS panels on LBx samples to replace invasive biopsies in a rare, aggressive tumour type.

Adrenocortical Carcinoma (ACC) Pilot: Explores non-invasive alternatives for rare adrenal tumors, aiming to minimize patient burden through advanced genomic testing.

5 Neuroblastoma: Evaluation of ddPCR markers (TH and PHOX2B) vs RT-qPCR to measure MRD and estimate cost-benefit in paediatric oncology.

Neuroblastoma Pilot: Compares digital PCR methods for minimal residual disease detection in children, balancing accuracy with economic viability.

6 Multiple Myeloma: Assessment of long-read WES to detect somatic variants driving clonal evolution and relapse.

Multiple Myeloma Pilot: Utilizes whole exome sequencing with long-read technology to track disease progression and inform relapse prevention.

7 Melanoma: Validation of custom ctDNA assays to detect MRD during immunotherapy (adjuvant and neoadjuvant settings).

Melanoma Pilot: Validates circulating tumor DNA tests for monitoring immunotherapy responses in early and advanced treatment phases.

Each pilot site hosts a Molecular Tumour Board to interpret results and translate findings into real treatment decisions, ensuring direct clinical impact.

Consortium Partners

The SPARC consortium unites 17 organisations from eight EU Member States, representing clinical excellence, academic leadership, technological innovation, and patient advocacy.

Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)
Hospital da Luz
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice
Fundación IIS La Fe
CNIO
Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Università degli Studi di Firenze
Universidad de Navarra
Instytut Gruźlicy i Chorób Płuc
Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology
Lungs Europe
National Melanoma Society
ELLOK
ECL
SIOPE
ISLB
EAPM

SPARC Training & Engagement

Empowering Health Professionals and Patients for Personalised Oncology

Training for Health Professionals ▼

SPARC offers an integrated e-learning and certification programme for clinicians, molecular pathologists, and researchers. Modules progress from introductory to advanced levels and cover:

  • Principles of liquid biopsy and NGS
  • Laboratory workflow and interpretation of molecular findings
  • Organisation and operation of Molecular Tumour Boards
  • Ethical and legal aspects of personalised medicine
  • Real-world case studies from SPARC pilots

Each course includes interactive content, practical assignments, and knowledge assessments. Certification criteria and accreditation pathways are defined in WP6 deliverables to ensure European-level recognition.

Training for Patients ▼

SPARC develops accessible educational resources co-created with patient organisations to increase understanding of personalised oncology. These materials explain:

  • How genomic testing, LBx, and MTBs shape treatment decisions
  • Common concerns about data privacy, ethics, and trust

Formats include infographics, videos, and multilingual brochures, all available through the SPARC website.

Engagement & Twinning ▼

Engagement activities ensure that citizens, patients, and stakeholders play an active role in shaping SPARC’s outcomes. Actions include:

  • Co-creation workshops with patients and healthcare professionals
  • Twinning and expert exchange activities between Member States to share experience and best practices
  • Stakeholder forums linking policy makers, researchers, and civil society

The objective is to create a pan-European community committed to implementing and sustaining personalised medicine in cancer care.

Policy Impact

EU & National Alignment

Discover SPARC's alignment with key EU health initiatives.

EU Alignment Preview
EU Alignment Visual

EU & National Alignment

SPARC is fully aligned with European Union health priorities:

  • Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan
  • EU Mission on Cancer
  • EU Health Data Space (EHDS)
  • EU4Health Programme

Through collaboration with the PCM Joint Action, SPARC ensures consistency in approaches to data governance, clinical standards, and capacity building. Policy dialogues and white papers produced under WP8 and WP9 translate scientific findings into actionable recommendations for national and EU decision-makers.

Equity & Sustainability

Addressing disparities and building sustainable models.

Equity & Sustainability Preview
Equity & Sustainability Visual

Equity & Sustainability

SPARC addresses inequities in access to personalised oncology by:

  • Mapping regional disparities in availability and readiness for precision technologies
  • Producing guidelines for integration of PCM in different health systems
  • Proposing sustainable business models (reimbursement, public-private partnerships, cost-sharing)
  • Supporting capacity building through twinning and knowledge exchange

These actions ensure that advances in precision medicine translate into equitable benefits for all European citizens.

Impact Dashboard

Track SPARC's progress with key metrics.

Impact Dashboard Preview
Impact Dashboard Visual

Impact Dashboard

SPARC’s impact will be monitored through quantitative and qualitative indicators, including those mandated by HaDEA’s Action Level Indicators:

  • Number of trained and certified professionals
  • Number of active Molecular Tumour Boards
  • Pilots completed and protocols validated
  • Patients and caregivers reached through education activities
  • Policy documents and recommendations adopted

An interactive dashboard will visualise these metrics on the website.

Explore Dashboard

Synergies

Collaborating for a unified vision in healthcare.

Synergies Preview
Synergies Visual

Synergies

SPARC maintains formal synergies with the Joint Action on Personalised Medicine (PCM JA) and other EU initiatives. The two projects share outputs on training, liquid biopsy, MTBs, and equity, producing joint white papers and synchronised communication strategies.

This collaboration ensures that SPARC contributes to Europe’s broader vision of personalised healthcare.

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Results

Results from SPARC will be openly shared to maximise impact and facilitate uptake of personalised medicine practices across Europe.

Deliverables & Publications

All public deliverables and scientific publications will be available for download in this section. They include:

  • Protocols for NGS and liquid biopsy
  • Reports on MTB integration and training programmes
  • Patient engagement guidelines and education materials
  • Inequality mapping and policy recommendations
  • Sustainability frameworks and business models
  • Communication and policy outreach reports

Each deliverable is linked to its corresponding Work Package and marked with its submission date for transparency.

View Deliverables

Data Architecture & Tools

SPARC establishes a coherent data architecture to support interoperable use of clinical and molecular data while ensuring GDPR compliance. The digital ecosystem map developed in WP5 describes:

  • Interoperability frameworks for sharing clinical/genomic data
  • FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable)
  • Reference specifications for AI tools, tele-oncology and tele-genetics
  • Secure data exchange models for MTBs and remote consultations
Explore Tools

Pilot Results & Insights

Results from the seven SPARC pilots will demonstrate how validated protocols for next-generation sequencing (NGS) and liquid biopsy (LBx) can enhance diagnostic precision, shorten time to treatment, and improve patient outcomes across a variety of cancer types. Each pilot contributes concrete data on:

  • Clinical feasibility: how harmonised testing protocols perform in real hospital workflows
  • Cost-effectiveness: comparison between traditional biopsy and liquid biopsy in clinical follow-up
  • Patient acceptance: insights from surveys and interviews on preferences, literacy, and trust in new diagnostic methods
  • Cross-border reproducibility: evaluation of differences and success factors among pilot sites in various EU Member States

The project will publish best practice case studies and cross-country analyses highlighting lessons learned, barriers to adoption, and practical solutions for scaling personalised medicine at system level.

View Pilot Insights