The importance of international collaboration
In a small country like the Netherlands, pediatric oncology care and research cannot be developed in isolation. The Princess Máxima Center therefore collaborates intensively with leading international hospitals and research institutes. By sharing knowledge, data, and research outcomes, we can accelerate the development of new treatment methods and innovations for children with cancer in the Netherlands.
At the same time, as the largest pediatric oncology center in Europe, the Máxima Center has the ambition and moral responsibility to share its expertise with the 25,000 children diagnosed with cancer in Europe each year and the approximately 400,000 children affected worldwide. This is particularly crucial given that survival rates in many parts of Europe and the rest of the world lag significantly behind those in Northern and Western Europe.
Forms of international collaboration
To achieve our mission, we collaborate in five key ways:
High-level research partnerships
We work closely with leading international research centers, such as the Hopp-KiTZ Pediatric Tumor Center in Heidelberg, Germany, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the United States. These partnerships accelerate innovations in immunotherapy, molecular diagnostics, and personalized treatments. Shared knowledge and data at an international level ensure that new therapies become available more quickly, including for children in the Netherlands.
Twinning partnerships
The Princess Máxima Center partners with hospitalsin Eastern and Southern Europe, the Middle East, Eurasia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Indonesia. The primary goal of these partnerships is to support our partner institutes in developing into top-tier pediatric oncology centers. These strategic partnerships focus on improving care and research, ensuring more children have access to high-quality pediatric oncology care.
Together with our partners, we train healthcare professionals, strengthen molecular diagnostics, and support the establishment of trial and data centers. We also contribute to the development of healthcare infrastructure, diagnostic and treatment protocols, and research capacity at these centers. In some cases, children from these regions come to the Máxima Center for complex treatments that are unavailable in their home countries or to participate in phase I/II clinical trials.
Individual collaborations in care and research
Pediatric oncology care at the Máxima Center has a strong international character. For nearly every tumor type, our specialists participate in international clinical trial groups that develop treatment protocols. This allows us to contribute to top-level care. Additionally, our researchers actively seek international collaborations to advance their research. These individual connections drive innovations and improve treatments for children worldwide.
Treatment of international patients
Through our International Patient Office (IPO), we receive patients from other countries who do not have access to specific treatments or experimental therapies (phase I/II trials) in their home country. These children receive the best possible care at the Máxima Center and often participate in clinical trials. This not only helps them but also contributes to accelerating research results that ultimately benefit children worldwide.
Governance and policy involvement
The Máxima Center plays an active role in international policy development, including within SIOP (the International Society of Pediatric Oncology), its European branch (SIOP-Europe), and the EU Cancer Mission Board. Through these efforts, we help shape the future of childhood cancer research and care, both in Europe and globally.
The Twinning partnerships and the treatment of international patients through the International Patient Office (IPO) fall under the responsibility of Máxima International. This organizational division of the Princess Máxima Center is led by:
- Rob Pieters – Chief Máxima International
- Gert-Jan Kaspers – Director Máxima International
- Wout Alers – Managing Director Care, Máxima International
What do we achieve?
Through these international collaborations, we create impact on multiple levels. In the Netherlands, we accelerate innovations and improve our care and research. Internationally, we help develop top pediatric oncology centers, reduce disparities in care quality, and increase survival rates for children with cancer. Together, we are building a future in which every child with cancer receives the best possible care and the greatest possible chances.