Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Centre, Gliwice Branch

The Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Centre and Institute of Oncology — Gliwice Branch (Centrum Onkologii — Instytut im. Marii Sklodowskiej-Curie, Oddzial w Gliwicach) is one of Poland's largest and most important comprehensive cancer treatment and research institutions. Originally established as the Oncology Institute in Gliwice in 1947, it was formally integrated into the nationwide Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute framework in 1951, taking its name from Poland's most famous scientist, the double Nobel laureate Marie Curie, whose pioneering work in radioactivity and radium research laid the scientific foundation for modern radiation oncology.

Located on Wybrzeże Armii Krajowej in Gliwice, Silesia — a region of Upper Silesia with a dense industrial population historically at elevated cancer risk — the Centre was founded with an explicit mission to comprehensively diagnose and treat cancer in an integrated, patient-centred manner. Over nearly eight decades, the Gliwice Branch has grown into a full-service oncology centre with inpatient hospital capabilities, outpatient clinics, and a significant biomedical research department.

The Centre is internationally recognized for its expertise in radiotherapy, particularly advanced external beam radiation techniques and brachytherapy, and is one of the most experienced radiotherapy centres in Central Europe. Its nuclear medicine department offers diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear procedures, including thyroid cancer treatment with radioactive iodine (I-131). The surgical oncology programs encompass cancer operations across all body sites, and the medical oncology department administers systemic chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. The Centre also houses clinical research programs and participates in multinational cancer clinical trials.

The Gliwice Branch holds ISO 9001 quality certification and adheres to Polish and European oncology guidelines. It cooperates with international cancer research networks and publishes extensively in peer-reviewed oncology journals, reflecting its status as both a leading clinical institution and a serious research centre.

The Maria Sklodowska-Curie Cancer Centre in Gliwice provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary cancer care spanning surgical oncology, radiation oncology, medical oncology, and nuclear medicine. Surgical oncology departments cover breast cancer surgery (including breast-conserving surgery and reconstruction), head and neck surgery (thyroid, oral cavity, laryngeal and pharyngeal cancers), thoracic surgery (lung, esophageal, and mediastinal tumors), abdominal oncological surgery (colorectal, gastric, hepatobiliary, and pancreatic cancers), gynecological oncology (cervical, endometrial, ovarian cancers), and urological oncology (prostate, kidney, bladder cancers). The radiation oncology department is one of the most advanced in Poland, offering three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT), image-guided radiotherapy (IGRT), stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), and brachytherapy for gynecological, prostate, and head-and-neck tumors. Medical oncology programs deliver cytotoxic chemotherapy, targeted biological agents, and immunotherapy protocols aligned with current ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology) guidelines. Nuclear medicine services include whole-body scintigraphy, PET-CT for staging and treatment monitoring, and therapeutic radioiodine (I-131) for differentiated thyroid cancer — a service for which the Gliwice Centre has significant national expertise. Clinical pathology and molecular diagnostics support tumor characterization for personalized treatment planning.

The Gliwice Cancer Centre campus accommodates the full infrastructure of a comprehensive oncology hospital. Multiple inpatient oncology wards provide beds for pre-operative, post-operative, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy patients, with specialized nursing care tailored to the needs of cancer patients. The radiotherapy department operates modern linear accelerators (linacs) with cone-beam CT on-board imaging for daily image-guided treatment delivery, along with treatment planning systems capable of generating highly conformal dose distributions to tumors while protecting adjacent healthy tissues. The brachytherapy suite supports high-dose-rate (HDR) treatments for gynecological and prostate cancers. The nuclear medicine department is equipped with gamma cameras, PET-CT scanners, and dedicated radioiodine therapy rooms with radiation-shielded isolation capability. A modern pathology laboratory undertakes histopathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular analyses of biopsy and surgical specimens, providing the diagnostic foundation for treatment decisions. Diagnostic imaging services include CT, MRI, and ultrasound. Operating theatres are equipped for oncological surgery across all specialties, including laparoscopic and robotic-assisted approaches where appropriate. Day hospital facilities allow chemotherapy and immunotherapy infusions on an outpatient basis. A clinical research unit supports investigator-initiated and industry-sponsored clinical trials in oncology.

The Maria Sklodowska-Curie Cancer Centre in Gliwice is primarily a national referral oncology centre serving the Polish population and particularly the dense Silesian industrial region. International patients seeking specialist oncology second opinions, advanced radiotherapy planning, or nuclear medicine thyroid cancer treatment may contact the Centre's administration to explore treatment options. Poland offers cancer treatment at costs significantly lower than Western Europe — typically 40 to 60 percent less for equivalent procedures — making the Gliwice Centre of particular interest to international patients from Germany (which borders Poland and is reachable by car or rail from Gliwice), as well as UK, Scandinavian, and North American patients seeking quality European cancer care at reduced cost. English-language communication is available with senior medical staff. Gliwice is well connected to Katowice Airport (serving major European cities) and to Katowice Główny railway station, which has frequent connections to Warsaw and other European destinations. Patients should contact the Centre's oncology department (onkologia@io.gliwice.pl) to discuss their diagnosis and obtain a preliminary opinion before travelling.

The Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Centre in Gliwice holds ISO 9001 Quality Management System certification, confirming that its clinical and administrative processes meet internationally recognized standards for systematic quality management and continuous improvement. The Centre operates under the direct supervision of the Polish Ministry of Health as part of the national Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute network, which provides regulatory oversight of clinical standards, research ethics, and patient safety. All oncological treatment programs adhere to guidelines developed by the Polish Society of Clinical Oncology (PTOK), the Polish Society of Surgical Oncology, and European oncology bodies including ESMO and ESTRO (European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology). Radiotherapy quality assurance programs follow the protocols of international medical physics standards, with regular equipment calibration and dosimetry audits. The Centre participates in the Polish National Cancer Registry and contributes data to European cancer research databases, reflecting its commitment to population-level quality monitoring and outcomes transparency. Postgraduate oncology training is recognized by the Polish Medical Council, establishing the Centre as an accredited site for specialist training in surgical oncology, radiotherapy, and nuclear medicine.