INTER-LOCAL: international call for better local treatment of rare and/or hard to treat cancers
Five leading European cancer charities are joining forces in INTER-LOCAL, an international funding call aimed at accelerating clinical research into local treatment strategies for rare and hard-to-treat cancers. This initiative is a response to the urgent need for more effective and accessible therapies for patients facing limited treatment options.
The Swedish Cancer Society (Sweden), Norwegian Cancer Society (Norway), Scientific Foundation of the Spanish Association Against Cancer ( FCAECC; Spain), Stand up to Cancer (Kom op tegen Kanker; Belgium), and the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF; the Netherlands) are collaborating to stimulate cross-border clinical trials that focus on innovative local therapies in the domain of surgery and radiotherapy.
Why This Call Matters
Despite major advances in cancer treatment, survival rates for certain cancers remain alarmingly low. Rare cancers and hard-to-treat cancers often lack effective therapies, especially in advanced stages. Drug development alone has not sufficiently addressed these gaps, and local treatments - such as surgery and radiotherapy - offer promising alternatives that are often underfunded and underexplored.
Local therapies have evolved into highly precise interventions that can significantly improve patient outcomes and quality of life. However, their development faces limited financial incentives and fragmented research efforts. INTER-LOCAL aims to change that by fostering international collaboration and providing dedicated funding.
Scope and Objectives
The INTER-LOCAL call supports late-phase (phase 2/3), international clinical trials focused on local treatment interventions for rare and/or hard-to-treat cancers. Eligible proposals must demonstrate:
- A clear focus on rare cancers (incidence <6/100,000 / year) and/or hard-to-treat cancers with low survival rates (5-year-survival < 25%) .
- Use of radiotherapy or surgery as the core experimental intervention.
- A strong rationale for international collaboration, including patient recruitment, harmonization of protocols, and implementation of results.
- Inclusion of partners from at least three of the five funding countries (Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Norway, Sweden), with optional inclusion centers from other countries. Maximum collaboration between the funding countries will be taken into account during the evaluation of the clinical trial applications.
- A robust plan for patient involvement, quality-of-life assessment, and long-term impact.
For additional details, please refer to the call documents below.
Call documents
The documents listed below provide all necessary information and templates for completing your pre-proposal.
Call text
Overview of scope, requirements, submission procedure, eligibility, evaluation process and more.
Guidelines for Budget Request
Overview of eligible costs, funding conditions, budget categories and more.
Guidelines on Patient Centricity & Patient Involvement
Instructions on how to write a project proposal for the patient advocacy committee (PAC).
Patient Advocacy Committee Pre-proposal Application Form
Required form for submitting patient-focused project information in clear, accessible lay language.
Please note: this form must be uploaded to the Grant Application System of the Swedish Cancer Society once completed. Use the designated area under the Patient Advocacy Committee tab.
Pre-proposal Budget Sheet
Required template for detailing all project costs.
Please note: this budget sheet must be uploaded to the Grant Application System of the Swedish Cancer Society once completed. Use the designated area under the Project Budget tab. The project duration, total requested budget, and any complementary funding sources for the project should also be entered in the appropriate fields within this tab.
Preliminary timeline
| Opening pre-proposal application: | 1 December 2025 |
| Webinar for applicants (see below): | 9 December 2025 (16:00-17:00 CET) |
| Closure pre-proposal application: | 22 January 2026 |
| Opening full proposals: | 27 April 2026 |
| Closure full proposals: | 18 June 2026 |
| Rebuttal week: | 7 September 2026 |
| Funding Decision: | 27 October 2026 |
Apply for funding
You can submit your pre-proposal via the Grant Application System of the Swedish Cancer Society:
If you encounter technical problems or have questions about the Grant Application System, please contact [email protected].
Webinar
Join our online session tot get practical guidance on applying to the INTER-LOCAL call:
- Overview of the call: scope, objectives, eligibility, and budget structure
- How to prepare a competitive proposal: criteria, key dates, and tips
- Live Q&A: ask your questions to the programme team
Date & time
Tuesday 9 December 2025, 16:00-17:00 CET
Who should attend
Researchers working in the domains targeted by the call, especially those considering submitting an application.
How to join
Please register by emailing [email protected]. After registering, you'll receive the webinar link.
