Dr. Tiina Leppik

Dr. Tiina Leppik is a medical oncologist at Tartu University Hospital, Estonia's second-largest hospital and the country's principal academic medical center, affiliated with the University of Tartu. With 15 years of oncology experience, she has developed expertise in breast cancer and precision oncology.

Estonia's advanced digital health infrastructure extends to oncology, with electronic pathology records, digital tumor board meetings, and integrated oncology information systems that allow seamless coordination of care. Dr. Leppik has been a champion of using Estonia's e-health platform to improve oncology care coordination across the country.

She completed an advanced oncology fellowship at the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden — one of Scandinavia's premier cancer centers — gaining expertise in breast cancer molecular subtypes and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. Her Nordic training reflects Estonia's orientation toward Scandinavian healthcare models.

Dr. Leppik is an ESMO member and participates in Baltic and Nordic oncology research networks. She is known for her evidence-based approach to cancer treatment and her use of Estonia's digital infrastructure to provide high-quality oncology care.

Dr. Leppik obtained her MD from the University of Tartu Faculty of Medicine in 2006. She completed her oncology residency at Tartu University Hospital and undertook an advanced oncology fellowship at the Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden (2011–2012). Her PhD from the University of Tartu in 2015 focused on molecular predictors of immunotherapy response in melanoma. She is an ESMO member and is certified by the Estonian Health Board in clinical oncology.

Dr. Leppik's primary clinical focus is breast oncology with particular expertise in hormone receptor-positive, HER2-positive, and triple-negative subtypes. She designs and administers chemotherapy, targeted therapy — including CDK4/6 inhibitors, HER2-directed agents, and PARP inhibitors — and immune checkpoint inhibitor regimens for breast cancer, melanoma, lung cancer, and other tumours.

She integrates molecular profiling — including next-generation sequencing (NGS) and PD-L1 testing — into treatment decisions, applying precision oncology approaches that reflect her Karolinska-level training. She manages patients on clinical trial protocols and coordinates with the Estonian multidisciplinary tumour boards. She also leverages Estonia's e-health platform for digital oncology care coordination, remote follow-up, and seamless information sharing across care providers.

Dr. Leppik has published over 16 peer-reviewed articles in journals including Annals of Oncology and Cancer Immunology Research. Her research focuses on immunotherapy biomarkers, breast cancer outcomes in the Estonian population, and digital health in oncology care delivery. She collaborates with oncology groups in Sweden and Finland and participates in Baltic and Nordic oncology research consortia. She has presented at ESMO and the ECCO Oncology conference, building Baltic-Nordic oncology collaboration.

Dr. Leppik speaks Estonian, Finnish, and English and has experience with international oncology patients, particularly from Finland given the close proximity and linguistic links. Tartu University Hospital provides English-language consultation reports. Estonia's e-health infrastructure enables high-quality telemedicine consultations, and video consultations for second opinions and treatment monitoring are available. Estonia's EU membership ensures access to all EMA-approved cancer therapies. For Scandinavian patients, Tartu's location and direct transport links to Helsinki and Stockholm make Estonia a practical and cost-effective destination for oncology second opinions.

Dr. Leppik received the Estonian Society of Oncology Young Investigator Award in 2016 in recognition of her early-career contributions to immunotherapy biomarker research and precision oncology at Tartu University Hospital. She was recognised by Tartu University Hospital for her contributions to digital oncology care coordination — using Estonia's e-health platform to improve information sharing and remote follow-up for cancer patients.

She is an ESMO member, has received ESMO travel grants for participation in international oncology congresses, and has been a presenter at Nordic-Baltic oncology meetings. She has published a PhD from the University of Tartu on molecular predictors of immunotherapy response in melanoma and over 16 peer-reviewed articles in journals including Annals of Oncology.