Cancer is a major public health problem due to its high incidence and complexity. To improve the quality of care, the C17 hospitals have created the XIC-C17, a project designed to ensure an integrated and coordinated approach among centers. This initiative is aligned with the European strategy Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, which aims for 90% of patients to have access to a comprehensive center by 2030.
On October 23, the Farreras Valentí Hall at Hospital Clínic hosted a meeting to begin the project’s analysis phase. The meeting brought together the management teams of the six hospitals in the network; healthcare, management, and process methodology professionals who are part of the XIC-C17 Core Group; and the teams from the newly established Territorial Functional Units.
Which hospitals are part of the network?
The XIC-C17 includes six hospitals: Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Hospital de Granollers, Hospital de Mollet, Hospital de Sant Celoni, Consorci Hospitalari de Vic, and Hospital de Campdevànol. These centers already share a strong history of collaboration, with regional tumor boards, shared oncology services, and joint projects such as colorectal cancer screening and the mobile PET-CT unit.
Towards a comprehensive approach
The XIC-C17 seeks to ensure that patients receive complete care throughout the entire cancer process. This includes prevention and early detection through screening programs and genetic counseling; diagnosis with advanced image, molecular biology, and pathology techniques; and multidisciplinary treatment involving minimally invasive surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and innovative therapies such as CAR-T. It also includes follow-up and surveillance to detect recurrences and secondary neoplasms, in coordination with primary care services.
To make this possible, Territorial Functional Units will be created, initially for four tumor groups: breast, lung, myeloma, and esophagogastric. Each unit will bring together professionals from different hospitals and specialties to establish common protocols, share knowledge, and ensure clinical decisions are made jointly in multidisciplinary committees. Additionally, these units will include quality, research, and innovation indicators, as well as specialized teaching, with the goal of integrating care, research, and training within a single model.
An initiative for better coordinated care
Supported by the Catalan Health Service (Servei Català de la Salut), the project has begun its analysis and functional planning phase. The aim is to obtain an initial overview by March 2026 and move toward a network that integrates care, research, and education. With the XIC-C17, the C17 hospitals strengthen their commitment to more coordinated, innovative, and patient-centered cancer care.
