• © Berlin Partner. Copyright: Wüstenhagen

    © Berlin Partner. Copyright: Wüstenhagen

    04.02.2026

    World Cancer Day 2026: How research from Berlin is strengthening women’s health

On 4 February, World Cancer Day shines a global spotlight on people, personal stories and advances in research. Under the 2026 motto “United by Unique”, the campaign highlights a key principle that also applies to cancer research: every disease develops differently, and every patient brings individual conditions and needs. This is particularly evident in women’s health, where personalised medicine, targeted prevention and gender-sensitive research are essential. Berlin plays a central role in this field, for example through the MOSAIC research project at the Charité Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Cancer affects women differently than men. While more men worldwide are diagnosed with cancer overall, certain tumour types occur exclusively or significantly more often in women, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer and cervical cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Germany. Around 75,000 new cases are diagnosed each year, and approximately one in eight women will be affected during their lifetime. In Berlin, breast cancer is by far the most frequent cancer diagnosis among women. One in three new cancer cases in women affects the breast.

At the same time, data from Berlin and Brandenburg show that prevention does not yet reach everyone. Only about one in two women who are invited actually take part in mammography screening. Participation rates therefore remain well below the World Health Organization’s recommended target of 70 percent. Studies show that screening can reduce breast cancer mortality by 20 to 30 percent. Reasons for low participation range from fear of pain or radiation exposure to scheduling difficulties and a lack of information. This is precisely where research, awareness-raising and innovative healthcare approaches in the Brain City Berlin come into play.

Cancer research projects in Berlin

One of Berlin’s flagship projects is MOSAIC at the Charité Comprehensive Cancer Center. This international research initiative is creating a high-resolution multi-omics and spatial atlas of different cancer types, including breast, ovarian and lung cancer. The aim is to gain a deeper molecular understanding of tumours and to tailor therapies more precisely to individual patients. To achieve this, researchers in Berlin collaborate with international partners from medicine, technology and artificial intelligence.

At the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, personalised cancer therapies are also being advanced using deep learning. A team led by Altuna Akalin has developed an AI-based tool that integrates complex data from genetics, imaging and clinical findings. The toolkit, called Flexynesis, can analyse very different types of data simultaneously and assess the disease in its full complexity and interaction with multiple factors. This enables clinicians to make better-informed decisions about which therapy is most suitable for which patient. Particularly in breast cancer, this data-driven precision medicine opens up new perspectives, including for advanced stages of the disease.

Cancer as a shared responsibility

This research landscape is complemented by institutions such as the Berliner Krebsgesellschaft, which supports early-career researchers and initiates innovative projects, and the German Cancer Consortium, which closely links basic research with clinical application. Together, they help ensure that new insights reach patients more quickly.

World Cancer Day 2026 makes one thing clear: cancer is no longer solely a medical issue, but a shared societal responsibility. Research in Berlin shows how science, prevention and individualised therapies can work together to strengthen women’s health in a sustainable way. United by unique.

Further information

Across the Brain City Berlin, cancer research is conducted at many institutions, including:

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