By 2035, roughly nine times more cancer patients in the EU-27 could gain access to radioligand therapies—a precision treatment that aims radiation directly at tumor cells while sparing healthy tissue. A new study published in The Lancet Regional Health—Europe reveals that eligible patient populations could surge from 10,700–13,200 today to 125,900–182,600 within a decade, a shift that demands urgent infrastructure planning across the continent.
Radioligand therapies represent a significant advancement in cancer care. These targeted treatments work by delivering radiation precisely to malignant cells, minimizing collateral damage that has long defined conventional radiation and chemotherapy. As these therapies expand to treat additional cancer types and earlier disease stages, the potential patient pool expands dramatically—but only if health systems are ready.
The research, conducted by scientists at the WifOR Institute, modeled treatment uptake across four major European economies: Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. Their projections paint a picture of unprecedented demand. The lower bound estimate alone—125,900 newly eligible patients by 2035—represents a tenfold increase from current figures. At the upper range, 182,600 patients could qualify, fundamentally reshaping oncology capacity across Europe.
"Until now, limited quantitative evidence has been available on the potential scale of demand for radioligand therapies in Europe. This study helps close that gap," explains Dr. Platon Peristeris, a senior researcher for health economics at WifOR Institute and co-author of the analysis. That gap had left planners uncertain about how to allocate resources for a treatment class that didn't previously exist in volume.
The challenge ahead is neither small nor abstract. Health care systems need what Dr. Diego Hernandez, another co-author, describes plainly: "time to expand infrastructure, obtain licenses, train specialized staff, and integrate new therapies into clinical practice." These requirements aren't trivial. Radioligand therapy facilities require specialized equipment, radiation safety protocols, and clinicians trained in their administration. A tenfold patient surge cannot be accommodated by simply adding more appointment slots; it demands systemic change.
Dr. Malina Müller, Head of Health Economics at WifOR Institute, frames the stakes in terms of opportunity: "This study highlights the importance of long-term planning for treatment capacity to ensure that advances in cancer care can reach their full potential for patients." Without that planning, the medications that researchers develop may sit on shelves while patients wait for available appointments and facilities that don't yet exist.
The projections assume continued innovation and regulatory approval for these therapies across additional cancer indications. If that trajectory holds—as many oncologists expect—the window for action is already narrowing. Health systems that begin infrastructure expansion now will be well-positioned to serve their populations by 2035. Those that wait risk bottlenecks, rationing, and the heartbreak of available treatments that cannot be delivered.
The study serves as both a beacon and a warning: the promise of radioligand therapy is real and substantial, but realizing it requires intentional, sustained investment in the unglamorous work of workforce training, facility construction, and system integration. For cancer patients across Europe, that preparation happening now could mean the difference between hope and helplessness in a decade's time.