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Vilnius University has joined a €10 million European research project seeking to improve the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer and reduce differences in care between countries.
The university announced its participation in PALACROS on 7 September 2026. The project brings together academic institutions, hospitals, industry partners and patient organisations from across Europe. Its stated goal is to develop a common, evidence-based treatment model that combines chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery in a more coordinated way.
A European approach to complex treatment
Locally advanced pancreatic cancer can be difficult to treat because tumours may be close to major blood vessels and other vital structures. In such cases, decisions about whether surgery is possible, and how it should be combined with other treatments, can vary considerably between hospitals and countries.
PALACROS is designed to address that variation. The consortium will study how treatment should be sequenced and how specialist teams can make decisions using shared clinical evidence. The project also intends to develop recommendations that could eventually be incorporated into national healthcare systems.
Amsterdam University Medical Center, which coordinates the initiative, describes PALACROS as a programme focused on improving access to specialised multimodal care. The European Commission’s CORDIS database lists Vilnius University as one of the participating institutions and records the university’s role in the Horizon Europe project.
Vilnius contribution focuses on research and regional access
Vilnius University’s participation is led by Associate Professor Aistė Kielaitė-Gulla. The university says its researchers will contribute to the development of treatment standards and help ensure that research conducted in Lithuania is connected to a wider European clinical and academic network.
A particular focus will be placed on the Baltic countries. That regional dimension is significant because access to highly specialised cancer treatment can differ depending on a patient’s location, the availability of surgical expertise and the capacity of hospitals to coordinate complex care.
The project also includes work on artificial-intelligence-supported medical imaging. According to Vilnius University, these tools will be studied for their potential to improve assessment of tumour spread, support surgical planning and help clinicians identify patients who may benefit from complex operations. Their purpose within the project is to support medical decision-making; the announcement does not suggest that automated systems will replace doctors.
Training and quality of life included
PALACROS is not limited to laboratory research. The consortium plans to develop international training programmes for surgeons and promote the use of advanced surgical techniques in different European healthcare settings.
Researchers will also collect patient-reported information about well-being, treatment effects and longer-term outcomes. This means that the project will assess success not only through technical or clinical measures, but also through the experience of people receiving care.
Vilnius University says the consortium includes 22 partners from 12 European countries. The project is part of the European Union’s Mission on Cancer, which supports collaborative research intended to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
From research consortium to possible standards
The initiative will take time to produce results. It is a research and coordination project rather than a new treatment that patients can access immediately. Its practical value will depend on the evidence generated through the project, the success of clinical cooperation and the willingness of healthcare systems to adopt any recommendations that emerge.
For Lithuania, however, joining the consortium gives researchers a direct role in a major European effort to address one of the most demanding areas of cancer care. It also places Vilnius University within a network working to connect medical research, specialist training and patient-centred healthcare.
The project’s broader ambition is straightforward: patients with similar medical needs should have a better chance of receiving high-quality, coordinated care regardless of where in Europe they are treated.
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