News
Four New Grants Awarded in ACROBATIC’s January 2026 Call
In the most recent funding round with a deadline on 16 January 2026, ACROBATIC received a total of eight applications. Following a competitive evaluation process, four new grants have been awarded to high-quality research projects spanning all three of ACROBATIC’s clinical focus areas: prehabilitation and preoperative risk assessment (CFA1), surgical innovation and technique (CFA2), and survivorship (CFA3).
ACROBATIC Welcomes Five New Affiliated Research Projects
ACROBATIC is pleased to welcome five new affiliated research projects that address key challenges in modern cancer surgery. Together, the projects focus on improving patient outcomes through better risk assessment, optimised perioperative care, innovative surgical strategies, and high quality clinical data with direct relevance to everyday practice. WP 1.9 WP leader: Michael Achiam , Professor, DMSc., Ph.d., MD, Department of Digestive Diseases, Transplantation and General Surgery, Rigshospitalet, Denmark. Title: Preoperative evaluation and prehabilitation in esophagogastric cancer surgery. Abstract: Background: Esophagogastric cancer predominantly affects older adults, and despite advances in surgical care, >50% of patients undergoing curative surgery develop postoperative complications. Complications worsen survival and quality of life and substantially increase healthcare costs (up to 241% after complicated esophagectomy). The preoperative period provides a window for optimisation, yet evidence for prehabilitation remains inconsistent, partly due to heterogeneous, single-modality interventions and inclusion of relatively fit patients. A decentralised, multimodal approach targeting high-risk patients may improve outcomes and reduce social inequality in line with Kræftplan V.
New International Vulvar Cancer Project Joins ACROBATIC
We are excited to welcome a new international research project to ACROBATIC. Focusing on key predictors of lymph node metastasis and recurrence in vulvar cancer, the study aims to advance more personalized and less aggressive treatment strategies. Read the full abstract below. WP 2.30 WP leader: Liselotte Petersen Due , Kolding Sygehus, Gynecologic/Obstetric deparment. Title: Impact of lymph vascular space invasion and tumor location on risk of lymph node metastases and recurrence in patients with vulvar cancer. Abstract: Purpose: This study aims to identify a subgroup of Vulva cancer (VC) patients with a low risk of lymph node metastases who may benefit from less aggressive treatment. We aim to investigate following; 1) Predictive factors of lymph node involvement and in newly diagnosed VC patients with a special focus on drainage patterns and lympho-vascular space invasion (LVSI), and 2) risk factors for metastasis in women with early-stage vulvar cancer and 3) Risk factors for regional and distant recurrence in patient with early-stage vulva cancer. Method: The study is an international retrospective observational population-based cohort study. Study 1 is based on data from VC patients identified in the Danish Gynecological Cancer Database (DGCG). Study II and III include population-based data on VC patients identified from the Netherlands Cancer Registry (NCR) and the Swedish Quality Registry for Gynecologic Cancer (SQRGC). Results: The overall purpose is to identify a low-risk group of VC patients who may benefit from a less aggressive treatment strategy than applied today.
ACROBATIC congratulates Marie Øbo Larsen, PhD student at Aarhus University, for her oral presentation at the Nordic Melanoma Meeting 2025
ACROBATIC congratulates Marie Øbo Larsen, PhD student at Aarhus Universitet, who received an ACROBATIC travel grant to participate in the Nordic Melanoma Meeting 2025 , held 10–12 November 2025 in Tromsø, Norway , where she delivered an oral presentation of her translational melanoma research. Marie presented her work entitled: “Peri-operative Treatment with Tranexamic Acid (TXA); Prognostic and Treatment-Related Impact of the Plasmin(ogen) Pathway in Melanoma”.
ACROBATIC congratulates Julie Lykke Harbjerg, PhD student at Aahus University, for her oral and poster presentation at ESSO 2025
ACROBATIC congratulates Julie Lykke Harbjerg, PhD student at Aahus University, who received an ACROBATIC travel grant to participate in the 44th Congress of the European Society of Surgical Oncology (ESSO), held 15–17 October 2025 in Göteborg, Sweden , where she delivered both an oral and poster presentation. Julie presented her research entitled: “Prophylactic Laparoscopic Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy in Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer. Randomized Controlled Feasibility Study: the ProPEC-I Trial” . About the study: Introduction: The prognosis for advanced gastric cancer (GC) remains poor, and only about one-third of patients can be offered curative treatment. Early peritoneal progression during preoperative chemotherapy frequently leads to dropout from curative care. When peritoneal metastasis (PM) occurs, median overall survival is approximately three months. Although chemotherapy can prolong survival, long-term outcomes remain limited. Hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has shown potential in preventing PM after surgery for GC. The ProPEC-I Trial is the first prospective, randomized study in Denmark to evaluate the feasibility of laparoscopic HIPEC (LS-HIPEC)—and the first worldwide to investigate the safety of administering LS-HIPEC before preoperative chemotherapy. The study aims to lay the foundation for future research into LS-HIPEC as prophylaxis against early peritoneal progression. Methods: This phase I/II randomized feasibility study enrolled 14 patients, assigned 1:1 to either LS-HIPEC or no-HIPEC. The No-HIPEC group received standard treatment: pre- and postoperative chemotherapy and D1+ gastrectomy. The HIPEC group received the ProPEC-I regimen: one cycle of LS-HIPEC with 100 mg/m² cisplatin at 40–41°C, administered intraoperatively during diagnostic laparoscopy, followed by standard treatment. Endpoints included toxicity, morbidity, and quality of life. Survival will be assessed over a five-year follow-up period. Results: LS-HIPEC was technically feasible and well tolerated. One serious adverse event occurred in the intervention arm, but it was unrelated to the HIPEC procedure. Importantly, no patients were excluded from curative treatment due to early disease progression. Conclusions: LS-HIPEC appears feasible and safe without delaying treatment. Larger, adequately powered trials are needed to assess its potential impact on long-term survival and its role in preventing peritoneal metastasis.
Five New Grants Awarded in ACROBATIC’s August 2025 Call
In the most recent funding round with a deadline on 22 August 2025 , ACROBATIC received a total of nine applications . Following a competitive evaluation process, five new grants have been awarded to research projects that will advance knowledge and innovation in cancer surgery and related fields.
ACROBATIC at the Danish Cancer Research Days 2025
This year marked the 7th edition of the Danish Cancer Research Days , a national conference that brings together clinicians, researchers, patient associations, and decision-makers to exchange knowledge and set a joint agenda for cancer research and treatment in Denmark. The 2025 program focused on the future of a differentiated healthcare system, early detection, new treatment technologies, as well as late effects and follow-up , with a strong emphasis on collaboration and translation of research into clinical practice.
ACROBATIC Travel Grant Recipient Presents at IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer
ACROBATIC congratulates Thomas Budolfsen, Research Assistant , who received an ACROBATIC travel grant of DKK 5,000 to participate in the IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) , held on 6–9 September 2025 in Barcelona, Spain .
ACROBATIC Welcomes Two New Projects
ACROBATIC is pleased to welcome two new research projects that have recently become affiliated with the centre: STROMA (WP 2.28) and DaVulvaMob (WP 2.29) . Both projects strengthen ACROBATIC’s collaborative research network and address key challenges in cancer surgery, aiming to improve evidence-based decision-making and patient outcomes. WP 2.28 WP leader: Charles Vesteghem , Center for Clinical Data Science (CLINDA), Aalborg University & Aalborg University Hospital, and Clinical Cancer Research Centre, Aalborg University Hospital, Denmark Title: Solid Tumour Resectability and Operability Decision Support Using Multimodal AI (STROMA) Abstract: Complete surgical resection (R0) is crucial for improving survival and quality of life in patients with malignant solid tumours. However, preoperative assessment of resectability and operability remains challenging, despite advances in imaging and multidisciplinary team (MDT) evaluation. Incomplete resections significantly increase recurrence risk, while inaccurate operability assessments may deny patients curative treatment or expose them to surgical risk. This project aims to develop and evaluate artificial intelligence (AI)-based decision-support tools combining imaging and electronic health registry data to improve preoperative prediction of resectability and operability in cancer patients. The primary objective is an AI model for colorectal cancer resectability using retrospective data. Secondary aims include assessing operability in colorectal cancer and extending models to ovarian cancer, sarcoma, breast cancer, and bladder cancer, with the goal of a generic predictive framework for solid tumours as well as conducting a prospective validation. The study will use multimodal AI methods integrating structured data (e.g., laboratory results, comorbidities), unstructured data (clinical notes, reports), and imaging (CT, MRI, PET, ultrasound). Development will proceed from regional pilot cohorts to national datasets, applying transfer learning for cross-cancer applicability. Data will be processed within secure high-performance computing environments, with prospective validation planned in a randomised clinical design. Leveraging Denmark’s comprehensive, population-wide health data, the project strives to enhance MDT decision-making, reduce unnecessary surgeries, improve surgical margins, and ultimately optimise patient outcomes. Successful implementation may support regulatory approval and provide a transferable methodology for AI-based surgical decision support across multiple cancer types.
Caroline Lilja presents lymphedema research in Canada
Caroline Lilja has been selected to give an oral presentation at the International Lymphedema Framework Conference 2025 in Niagara Falls, Canada.