Fatima Cardoso, President of the Advanced Breast Cancer (ABC) Global Alliance and Head of Clinical Trials, Scientific Affairs, and International Development in Breast Oncology at Centre Antoine Lacassagne in Nice, France, has been named a candidate for the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) Board of Directors for the 2026–2028 term.
Dr Cardoso is among 24 candidates running for 14 seats on the UICC Board. The new Board will be elected by UICC full-member organisations during the 2026 UICC General Assembly, which will take place virtually on October 20, 2026. Electronic voting will open on October 13 and close at 14:30 CEST on October 20.
Fatima Cardoso’s Career in Breast Cancer and Global Cancer Policy
Born in Mozambique and raised in Portugal, Dr Cardoso is a medical oncologist specialising in breast cancer. She received her medical degree from the University of Porto and subsequently worked at the Jules Bordet Institute in Brussels and completed a fellowship at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
In 2010, she returned to Portugal and founded and directed the first certified Breast Unit in the country at the Champalimaud Centre, where she remained until January 2025.
She is now based in Nice, France, where she leads Clinical Trials, Scientific Affairs, and International Development in Breast Oncology at Centre Antoine Lacassagne.
Dr Cardoso is also the founder and President of the Advanced Breast Cancer (ABC) Global Alliance and the ABC International Consensus Guidelines and Conference. Her research interests include breast cancer biology, prognostic and predictive biomarkers, new anticancer agents, and clinical trials.
She has held leadership and advisory roles across major international oncology organisations, including ASCO, ESMO, AACR, ESO, EORTC, the European Cancer Organisation, and UICC. She is also a Fellow of the European Academy of Cancer Sciences and ESMO, a member of the College of the European School of Oncology and Academia Europaea, and has authored approximately 400 publications.
Fatima Cardoso was recognised by OncoDaily as one of the 100 Influential Women in Oncology in 2026.
Why Fatima Cardoso Is Running for the UICC Board
In her candidate statement, Dr Cardoso said she wants to continue advancing the global cancer agenda while ensuring that people living with advanced and metastatic cancer are represented in cancer policy and decision-making.
“I would like to be the voice for those living with metastatic/advanced cancers and their families.”
She highlighted the high proportion of patients diagnosed with advanced disease in many low- and middle-income countries, as well as the continued risk of metastatic recurrence among patients initially diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.
Through her work with the ABC Global Alliance, Dr Cardoso has focused on addressing the specific needs of people living with advanced cancer, including access to timely diagnostics, biomarkers, high-quality pathology, appropriate treatment, and multidisciplinary care.
She said these priorities should be incorporated into national cancer planning and highlighted her ongoing work on policy changes related to care, psychosocial support, and financial protection for people with advanced cancer.
“I believe UICC is the ideal platform to promote these much-needed policy changes at global level.”
Fatima Cardoso receiving the 2025 Yvonne Award for Lifetime Achievement from OncoDaily, presented by Lidia Schapira.
Advancing Equity and Access to Cancer Care
Dr Cardoso brings extensive experience in global cancer policy, access, and health equity, alongside her clinical and research expertise in breast cancer.
She has served on the boards of organisations including ESMO, ECCO, and EORTC and has contributed to committees across leading international oncology organisations.
Through the ABC Global Alliance, she has also collaborated with global initiatives including the WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative and the Lancet Breast Cancer Commissions.
Her work has focused particularly on women’s cancers and on strengthening access to high-quality cancer care across different healthcare settings.
Dr Cardoso also highlighted her involvement with the ATOM Medicines Expert Advisory Group and Country Support Committee, as well as the UICC Breast Cancer programme.
A Focus on Advanced and Metastatic Breast Cancer
A central element of Dr Cardoso’s candidacy is the need to ensure that advanced and metastatic cancer receives greater attention within cancer control strategies.
She noted that people living with advanced cancer have specific clinical, psychosocial, and financial needs that should be reflected in national and international cancer policies.
Her experience leading the ABC Global Alliance has placed her at the centre of efforts to develop international consensus around advanced breast cancer management and to strengthen collaboration among healthcare professionals, advocates, policymakers, and patients.
Dr Cardoso said her experience in global cancer policy, access, equity, clinical oncology, and international collaboration would allow her to contribute to UICC’s priorities while strengthening partnerships across the cancer community.
Watch Dr Fatima Cardoso’s video message outlining her experience, priorities, and vision as a candidate for the UICC Board of Directors for the 2026–2028 term.
UICC Board Elections 2026
The 2026 UICC election will determine 14 members of the Board of Directors for the 2026–2028 term.
UICC full-member organisations will vote during the virtual General Assembly on October 20, following the opening of electronic voting on October 13. Voting will close at 14:30 CEST, with election results scheduled to be announced during the General Assembly.
UICC states that its candidate profiles are provided by the candidates themselves to inform UICC members participating in the election.
Read further on OncoDaily: C S Pramesh Named Candidate for UICC President-elect 2026–2028
