The Spanish Association Against Cancer in Málaga has allocated nearly three million euros to cancer research in the province over the last five years. It maintains 15 active projects and calls for generational change among researchers.
The Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) in Málaga has allocated nearly three million euros to cancer research in the province over the last five years, according to data released by the organisation this Thursday on the occasion of World Cancer Research Day, as reported by Diario Sur. Currently, it maintains 15 research projects in Málaga, with a total investment of 1,962,891.56 euros, to which 810,759 euros were added during 2025.
The figures were announced at an awareness-raising event held at the Cine Albéniz to celebrate the tenth anniversary of World Cancer Research Day (WCRD), which brought together researchers, healthcare professionals, patients, and institutional representatives. The meeting aimed to bring the scientific advances closer to society and show their impact on patients' lives.
The provincial president of the AECC in Málaga, Juan Carlos Martín, called for research that is "sufficient" and "sustained over time" to ensure generational change. The organisation warns that the average age of research staff in Spain already exceeds 50 years. Martín also advocated for research to be accessible to patients regardless of their place of residence.
"Research with impact: research projects that drive life projects"
Among those participating in the event were oncologist Antonio Rueda, president of the Technical Committee of Málaga and head of the Medical Oncology service at the Hospital Clínico Virgen de la Victoria; oncology professor Emilio Alba; the scientific deputy director of IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND, Melissa García; the medical director of the Hospital Regional, Abel García Sola, and researchers Juan Zafra and Óscar Martínez Tirado.
Together with Martínez Tirado, local resident Nico Adega, a survivor of osteosarcoma and world champion in paracanoe, who lost a leg due to the disease, explained how research can change the prognosis and life chances after cancer. Adega was also a European champion.
The national campaign launched by the association for the anniversary is titled "Research with impact: research projects that drive life projects" and features Fernanda Picón, an oncology patient with metastatic cancer for eight years, who shares with several researchers the impact that research has had on her life.
Among the highlighted projects are investigations into new CAR-T therapies for HER2+ breast cancer, strategies to avoid resistance to immunotherapy in certain lymphomas, and studies to identify resistance to combined treatments in lung cancer patients. The AECC aims to exceed 70% survival in cancer by 2030, a goal that requires continued promotion of research, especially in tumours with low or stagnant survival rates.
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