Prof. Bjørn Naume

Prof. Bjørn Naume is a professor of medical oncology at the University of Oslo and a senior consultant at Oslo University Hospital's Radiumhospitalet — Norway's national cancer hospital and one of Scandinavia's most prestigious oncological institutions. Over a career of more than 28 years, he has established himself as one of Norway's foremost breast cancer specialists and a leading international researcher in the biology of tumour dissemination and minimal residual disease.

The Radiumhospitalet has a long-standing tradition of excellence in cancer research and treatment, and Prof. Naume has been central to its breast cancer programme for decades. He leads a multidisciplinary breast cancer team that manages patients with all subtypes of breast cancer — from early-stage disease amenable to curative treatment to metastatic disease requiring complex, multi-line systemic therapy. His clinical practice integrates the latest advances in targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and precision oncology.

Prof. Naume's scientific contribution centres on the biology and clinical significance of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) in breast cancer. His group was among the first in Europe to systematically study CTCs as markers of minimal residual disease — detectable cancer cells in the bloodstream of patients who appear disease-free after primary treatment — and has produced landmark studies demonstrating that CTC presence predicts relapse risk and can be used to guide treatment intensification decisions.

Beyond his research, Prof. Naume is deeply committed to the translation of research findings into improved clinical care. He has led and participated in numerous clinical trials examining neoadjuvant therapy response, adjuvant treatment strategies, and the management of metastatic breast cancer, contributing to the evidence base that shapes Norwegian and international clinical guidelines.

Prof. Naume completed his medical degree at the University of Oslo Faculty of Medicine. He undertook postgraduate training in internal medicine and subsequently in medical oncology at Oslo University Hospital, where he was mentored by leading Norwegian cancer specialists during the formative period of modern breast cancer systemic therapy.

He earned his PhD for research examining the immunobiology of haematopoietic cells and the mechanisms of tumour immunosurveillance — an early interest in the intersection of immunology and oncology that informed his subsequent focus on circulating tumour cell biology. Following his doctorate, he developed specialist expertise in breast cancer management and established a dedicated research laboratory focused on minimal residual disease detection and tumour cell dissemination.

Prof. Naume holds the Fellowship of the European Society for Medical Oncology (FESMO), awarded to recognised European oncology leaders. He is a full professor at the University of Oslo Institute of Clinical Medicine and supervises doctoral researchers and postdoctoral fellows in his breast cancer biology laboratory. He has been involved in the design and execution of multiple Norwegian and international clinical trials.

Prof. Naume's clinical focus encompasses all stages and subtypes of breast cancer. In early breast cancer, he oversees neoadjuvant (pre-operative) chemotherapy strategies, postoperative adjuvant treatment, and the integration of molecular tumour profiling into treatment decisions. He has particular expertise in the management of HER2-positive breast cancer, including the sequential use of trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) in both curative and palliative settings.

For patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, he tailors endocrine therapy regimens and oversees the use of CDK4/6 inhibitors (palbociclib, ribociclib, abemaciclib) in both early and metastatic settings. He also manages patients with triple-negative breast cancer, including those who may benefit from immunotherapy with pembrolizumab or PARP inhibitor therapy in BRCA-mutated tumours.

A distinctive feature of his practice is the systematic use of circulating tumour cell analysis and circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) assessment to monitor treatment response and detect early relapse. Prof. Naume participates actively in sentinel lymph node biopsy coordination and multidisciplinary tumour board discussions, ensuring that each patient's treatment plan reflects the most current evidence and clinical expertise.

Prof. Naume has authored over 200 peer-reviewed publications in leading oncology journals including the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO), Breast Cancer Research, Annals of Oncology, the British Journal of Cancer, and Clinical Cancer Research. His work is widely cited and has been presented at ASCO, ESMO, and San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) annual meetings.

His most celebrated research involves CTC analysis in breast cancer — particularly studies demonstrating the prognostic importance of CTC detection before and after primary treatment, and studies evaluating the utility of CTC dynamics for monitoring treatment response in metastatic disease. These investigations have contributed to the evolving scientific and regulatory framework for the use of liquid biopsy tools in breast cancer management.

Additional significant research contributions include studies of neoadjuvant chemotherapy response as a surrogate endpoint, investigations into the optimal sequencing of adjuvant therapies, and contributions to the Norwegian Breast Cancer Registry — a population-level resource tracking breast cancer incidence, treatment patterns, and outcomes in Norway. Prof. Naume has served as principal investigator for multiple Norwegian and Nordic breast cancer clinical trials.

Prof. Naume consults in both Norwegian and English and welcomes referrals from international patients seeking expert opinion on breast cancer diagnosis, treatment planning, and second opinions. Radiumhospitalet is well-equipped to receive international patients and has an experienced international patient coordination team that can assist with referral management, appointment scheduling, and accommodation arrangements in Oslo.

EU/EEA patients may be eligible for cross-border healthcare funding and can access treatment at Radiumhospitalet under appropriate authorisation from their home country health authority. Non-EU patients are accommodated on a private referral basis. For patients unable to travel, telemedicine second-opinion consultations are available, allowing Prof. Naume and his team to review pathology, radiology, and clinical history remotely and provide written treatment recommendations.

Particularly for patients with complex or rare breast cancer presentations — including HER2-positive, triple-negative, or BRCA-mutated disease — access to Radiumhospitalet's comprehensive breast cancer programme, which integrates genetics, pathology, imaging, surgery, oncology, and research, offers significant clinical value.

Prof. Naume has been the recipient of the Norwegian Cancer Society's Research Prize, one of the most prestigious research awards in Norwegian oncology, in recognition of his contributions to breast cancer biology and clinical research. The Norwegian Breast Cancer Group (NBCG) has honoured him with its Lifetime Achievement recognition for sustained leadership in Norwegian breast cancer medicine.

The Radiumhospitalet has recognised his sustained academic excellence with its Academic Award, presented to faculty members whose research has achieved significant national and international impact. Prof. Naume is a Fellow of the European Society for Medical Oncology (FESMO) and has served on ESMO working groups and scientific committees. He has been a faculty member at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium and regularly chairs sessions at ESMO Breast and ASCO annual meetings.