About the Nordic Thoracic Oncology Group
Lung cancer remains one of the most important cancer challenges in the Nordic countries. Improving outcomes requires stronger collaboration across countries, specialties, registries, clinical studies, and translational research.
The Nordic Thoracic Oncology Group (NTOG) brings together clinicians and researchers working in thoracic oncology across Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
Our purpose is to strengthen lung cancer research and improve patient care through coordinated Nordic collaboration. By linking clinical expertise, registry data, translational research, and shared educational work, NTOG supports projects that are difficult for a single country to conduct alone.
The network aims to inspire and conduct multidisciplinary, cross-country comparative and collaborative research with practical relevance for patients, clinicians, researchers, and healthcare systems in the Nordic region.
Why Nordic collaboration matters
Modern lung cancer care is increasingly precise. That creates a research problem: clinically important subgroups may be too small for robust studies within one country.
Pooling expertise and data across the Nordic countries makes it possible to study diagnostic pathways, treatment strategies, outcomes, quality indicators, rare molecular subgroups, and implementation models with greater statistical and clinical relevance.
This approach is especially important as lung cancer is divided into biologically and clinically distinct subtypes based on histology, stage, molecular profile, treatment modality, and patient characteristics.
People across Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
Oncology, pulmonology, radiology, pathology, surgery, radiotherapy, basic research, and registry science.
Comparative studies can identify variation, best practices, and opportunities for improvement.
The aim is better evidence, better care pathways, and better outcomes for people with thoracic cancers.
What NTOG works on
NTOG supports research, education, protocol development, and clinical harmonisation across the Nordic region.
Clinical and registry-based research
Collaborative studies using clinical cohorts, Nordic registries, quality indicators, and real-world outcomes.
Translational research
Research linking clinical questions with pathology, molecular testing, biomarkers, biobanks, and laboratory science.
Guidelines and protocols
Nordic harmonisation of diagnostic pathways, MDT work, molecular testing, screening, and treatment planning.
Education and meetings
Symposia, courses, seminars, professional exchange, and educational activities for thoracic oncology professionals.
Working principles
NTOG is built around practical collaboration, scientific quality, and shared Nordic expertise.
- Multidisciplinary work: lung cancer care requires coordinated expertise across diagnostics, treatment, surgery, radiotherapy, pathology, imaging, nursing, and supportive care.
- Nordic comparison: variation between countries can reveal best practices and guide quality improvement.
- Research feasibility: collaboration increases the ability to study smaller clinical and molecular subgroups.
- Education and harmonisation: shared protocols, courses, and meetings support more consistent high-quality care.
- Patient impact: the ultimate goal is better outcomes and more evidence-based care for people with lung cancer and other thoracic malignancies.
Learn more
Explore NTOG’s mission, current work packages, expert network, steering committee, and Nordic Lung Cancer Symposium.