EURO EWING Consortium

The EURO EWING Consortium (EEC) is a collaborative project involving 20 European partners and is funded through European Union’s Framework Programme 7 (FP7). It brings together the most active clinicians and scientists in Europe dedicated to improving survival from Ewing sarcoma.

What is Ewing sarcoma?

Ewing sarcomas are fatal, rare bone cancers particularly affecting young people with 85% of cases occurring before 30 years. Approximately 600 new cases of Ewing sarcoma are diagnosed in the European Union every year. About 60% of patients achieve long term survival with current treatment but there has been no improvement in this proportion for 25 years.

What are the aims of the EURO EWING Consortium?

1. To carry out a clinical trial for patients that have recently been diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, to compare different chemotherapy regimens to determine which is more effective and/or has fewer side effects. The trial is called Euro Ewing 2012.
2. To carry out a clinical trial for patients with Ewing sarcoma that has come back after treatment or have primary Ewing sarcoma that is not responding to therapy, to compare four different chemotherapy regimens to find out which is most effective and/or has fewest side effects. The trial is called rEECur.
3. To carry out the collection and analysis of tissue samples from patients in the clinical trials to allow investigation of related biology.
4. To develop and and support patient advocacy.
5. To share information about Ewing sarcoma research.

What has the EURO EWING Consortium achieved so far?

• The Euro Ewing 2012 trial is open in seven countries (UK, Spain, France, Belgium, Czech Republic, The Netherlands and Republic of Ireland) and has recruited over 200 patients (December 2016).
• The rEECur trial is open in 7 countries (UK, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Norway, France Hungary) and has recruited over 100 patients (December 2016).
• Samples from patients have been collected and analysed to work out which types of sample would be best for detecting biomarkers that could be used to predict the response of patients to treatment.
• Patient advocates have given their perspective at EURO EWING Consortium meetings and presented and publicised the Consortium at international conferences through presentations and posters.
• Information on the project has been made available on the EURO EWING Consortium website.