In May 2025, the ONCOSCREEN consortium gathered in Lithuania for a four-day plenary meeting. One full day was dedicated to Living Lab-style sessions, designed to foster open discussion among clinicians, researchers, public health professionals, and policymakers on the future of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening.
Lithuania’s newly centralized CRC screening program provided a real-world backdrop. The country is shifting from an opportunistic model to a system where all citizens aged 50–75 receive direct invitations via mail and SMS, coordinated through national centres. Greece also shared its recent launch of a centralized program, using free self-tests and digital outreach.
Discussions focused on the need to move beyond age-based screening toward personalized, risk-based approaches. Risk factors like lifestyle, family history, and even wearable data could better identify who truly needs early intervention. Participants emphasized the limitations of current tools like the FIT test and highlighted the urgent need for more sensitive biomarkers and AI-supported screening pathways.
Sustainability was another key theme. The group explored financing models, including successful examples from Lithuania where family doctors were incentivized to increase screening uptake. The potential role of private partners—such as insurers or employers—was also raised.
Finally, there was strong agreement on the need for dynamic, “living” guidelines that can evolve with emerging evidence and technology.
The Living Lab day not only advanced ONCOSCREEN’s goals but also helped lay the foundation for ONCODIR, the follow-up project focused on personalized cancer prevention. The insights gathered are helping shape a smarter, more targeted approach to CRC screening across Europe.