Dr. Sigrun Eyrúndardóttir

Dr. Sigrun Eyrúndardóttir is a consultant medical oncologist at Landspítali – The National University Hospital of Iceland, the country's only university hospital and the sole provider of specialist oncology services for Iceland's entire population of approximately 380,000 people. With over 20 years of experience in medical oncology, she is one of Iceland's leading cancer specialists, providing comprehensive systemic cancer treatment to patients with breast cancer, gastrointestinal malignancies, lung cancer, and other solid tumours.

Practising oncology in Iceland presents a unique professional environment: as one of a small cohort of medical oncologists serving the entire national population, Dr. Eyrúndardóttir manages a broader range of cancer types than most oncologists in larger countries, while also contributing substantially to research — particularly through Iceland's extraordinary capacity for cancer genetics studies made possible by the country's detailed genealogical records and the work of deCODE Genetics.

Her research contributions have been particularly notable in the area of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer genetics. Iceland is home to specific founder mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes — pathogenic variants that are present at elevated frequency in the Icelandic population relative to most other European populations due to the founder effect. Dr. Eyrúndardóttir has collaborated with deCODE Genetics and international partners to characterise the prevalence, penetrance, and clinical implications of these founder mutations, contributing to genetic risk assessment and prevention strategies for Icelandic cancer patients and their families.

Beyond genetics, her clinical practice is distinguished by her commitment to integrating palliative and supportive care into the management of patients with advanced cancer — ensuring that quality of life considerations are addressed alongside treatment efficacy at every stage of the patient journey.

Dr. Eyrúndardóttir completed her medical degree at the University of Iceland before undertaking postgraduate specialty training in Iceland and Scandinavia. Like many Icelandic specialists, she pursued advanced subspecialty training at leading Nordic cancer centres — gaining exposure to high-volume breast cancer programmes, gastrointestinal oncology services, and clinical trial environments that complemented the more generalist experience available within Iceland.

She was awarded her PhD for research into cancer genetics in the Icelandic founder population, focusing particularly on BRCA1/2 mutations and their clinical manifestations. This research established her as a recognised expert in the population genetics of hereditary cancer and the clinical management of individuals from high-risk families — a field of growing importance as cancer genetics testing becomes more widely accessible.

Dr. Eyrúndardóttir holds the Fellowship of the European Society for Medical Oncology (FESMO) and is a board-certified medical oncologist. She holds an academic appointment at the University of Iceland and contributes to the training of junior doctors and medical students in oncology and palliative medicine. She is a member of the Nordic Society of Gynaecological Oncology (NSGO) and maintains active connections with Scandinavian oncology networks.

Dr. Eyrúndardóttir's primary clinical focus is the systemic treatment of breast cancer at all stages — from early breast cancer managed with curative intent through neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy and targeted therapy, to metastatic breast cancer requiring multi-line treatment with careful attention to quality of life and treatment burden. She has particular expertise in the management of BRCA-mutated breast cancer, including the use of PARP inhibitors such as olaparib, and HER2-positive disease treated with trastuzumab-based regimens.

In gastrointestinal oncology, she manages patients with colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, and other GI malignancies — delivering chemotherapy, targeted therapy (including bevacizumab, cetuximab, and FOLFOX-based regimens), and immunotherapy where indicated. She coordinates care closely with surgery, gastroenterology, and radiology colleagues through multidisciplinary tumour boards.

Palliative oncology and the integration of supportive care into active cancer treatment is a defining feature of Dr. Eyrúndardóttir's clinical practice. She works closely with Iceland's palliative care services to ensure that patients with advanced or incurable cancer receive comprehensive symptom management, psychosocial support, and advance care planning alongside their systemic treatments. Her genetic counselling involvement — identifying and supporting patients and families with hereditary cancer syndromes — is another important component of her clinical practice.

Dr. Eyrúndardóttir has contributed to over 60 peer-reviewed publications in journals including the New England Journal of Medicine (collaborative genetics studies), JAMA Oncology, Annals of Oncology, and Breast Cancer Research. While her publication volume reflects the inherent constraints of practising in a small country with limited research infrastructure, the quality and scientific significance of her contributions — particularly in cancer genetics — has been substantial.

Her most recognised research contributions involve the characterisation of BRCA1 and BRCA2 founder mutations in the Icelandic population — studies that have established the specific mutational spectrum present in Iceland, quantified the population-level prevalence of these variants, and investigated their association with breast, ovarian, and other cancer risks. These findings have directly informed genetic counselling and testing protocols within the Icelandic healthcare system and have contributed to the international scientific literature on BRCA mutation epidemiology in founder populations.

She has also contributed to Nordic collaborative studies on cancer treatment outcomes, including breast cancer registry-based research examining treatment patterns and survival data across Scandinavian populations. Her participation in deCODE Genetics research collaborations has given her access to one of the world's most powerful genetic epidemiology resources, enabling research contributions that would be impossible for a clinician in most other small countries.

Dr. Eyrúndardóttir consults in Icelandic, English, and Danish, and Landspítali is experienced in providing oncology services to international patients and residents. Iceland's membership in the European Economic Area (EEA) means that EU/EEA patients are entitled to medically necessary healthcare during visits to Iceland under European health insurance arrangements.

For elective oncology consultations, second opinions on breast cancer or hereditary cancer genetics, or palliative care consultations, international patients can arrange appointments through Landspítali's outpatient oncology services. The hospital's cancer genetics service — informed by deCODE Genetics research — provides a particularly distinctive resource for patients from Icelandic diaspora communities or individuals of Icelandic heritage who wish to understand their hereditary cancer risk in the context of the specific Icelandic BRCA founder mutations.

Telemedicine consultations are available for second opinions on breast cancer management, hereditary cancer risk assessment, and palliative treatment planning. This is particularly useful for patients in remote locations or those for whom travel is difficult due to illness, enabling access to Dr. Eyrúndardóttir's expertise without requiring a visit to Reykjavík.

Dr. Eyrúndardóttir has been recognised by the Icelandic Cancer Society with its Research Award for her contributions to cancer genetics research in the Icelandic population — a recognition that reflects both the quality of her research and its direct relevance to Icelandic public health and cancer prevention. Landspítali has honoured her with its Clinical Excellence Award for sustained contributions to the quality of cancer care delivered at the national hospital.

She is a Fellow of the European Society for Medical Oncology (FESMO) and participates in ESMO educational and scientific programmes. Her deCODE Genetics collaborations have resulted in contributions to some of the most widely cited cancer genetics publications of the past two decades, reflecting the global significance of Icelandic population genetics research. She contributes to continuing medical education in oncology within Iceland and to postgraduate training programmes for Icelandic medical trainees.