The Medi-CaSE Training School on “Data Monitoring and Evaluation within Cancer Screening Programs” has successfully concluded in Turin, Italy, bringing together participants and experts from across Europe for three intensive days of training, discussion and hands-on group work.
The course guided participants through the full lifecycle of cancer screening data — from the foundations of organized screening programs to the practicalities of monitoring, quality assurance and stakeholder communication.
Day 1 laid the groundwork, covering the core principles of organized screening, the design of screening pathways, participation and equity, governance models, and an overview of European guidelines for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening. The day closed with a group exercise in which participants mapped a screening pathway and discussed organizational bottlenecks.
Day 2 turned to monitoring, indicators and quality assurance, with sessions on key performance indicators, data systems and real-world data challenges, and the interpretation of indicators across breast, cervical and colorectal programs. Participants explored the European Cancer Information System (ECIS) and other monitoring infrastructures, tried out live dashboards, and took part in an interactive session on the WG1/IARC questionnaire, comparing experiences and challenges across countries.
Day 3 looked at data beyond monitoring, connecting clinical practice, cancer registries and system-wide collaboration. Topics included the role of data in clinical decision-making and HPV testing strategies, linkage with cancer registries, the use of monitoring data to uncover inequalities (drawing on the EU-TOPIA experience), and examples of data connectivity through the TRACE project. Participants were also introduced to a practical priority-assessment tool developed within the EUCanScreen Joint Action. The final afternoon focused on communicating screening data effectively, with a practical session in which groups developed tailored communication strategies for policymakers, clinicians and the public. The school closed with a plenary discussion, final reflections and course evaluation.
A venue with a story of its own
The Training School was hosted at the SERMIG –Arsenale della Pace, in the heart of Turin’s Borgo Dora district. Originally built as a 19th-century military arsenal — one of Italy’s first weapons factories — the complex was abandoned after the Second World War until 1983, when it was taken over by SERMIG (Servizio Missionario Giovani) and transformed, through the voluntary work of thousands of people, into the “Arsenal of Peace”: a place of hospitality, dialogue and encounter open to visitors, volunteers and people in need around the clock. Its blend of history and community spirit provided a fitting and inspiring backdrop for three days dedicated to strengthening collaboration across the European cancer screening community.
