About us
The Bulgarian Joint Cancer Network (BJCN) is a national cancer network in the Republic of Bulgaria. The abbreviation of the network – СОНМ [sɔnm], is an old Bulgarian word meaning both gathering of many people together and a gathering of gods (pantheon).
The legal format of BJCN is a non-governmental non-profit association with public benefit activities. In social terms, it is an open cluster organization, that functions as an ecosystem of medical and non-medical societies with a wide range of multidisciplinary interrelations in the field of oncology.
The BJCN operates through network synergies, being differentiated into cluster sectors and relevant coordination groups, adhering to three principles: (i) multiplication of cluster interactions, (ii) exchange of mutual benefits and (iii) positive external cluster effect.
The main goals of BJCN are to achieve synergy in the expert functions of the individual medical societies in Bulgaria dealing with fundamental and/or clinical oncology; optimize the cooperation between the societies in different disciplines and the “triangle” of social knowledge (universities, industry, government); initiate and develop innovations for oncological care in Bulgaria, including screening and prevention, diagnosis and treatment, psychosocial support and quality of life and digitalization.
Cluster sectors
Clinical guidelines, periodicals, conferences
01
02
Comprehensive oncology centers, networking, innovation
Screening and early diagnosis programs
03
04
Programs for psychosocial support and quality of life assessment
Continuing medical education in oncology and hematology
05
06
Research, digital reconstructions and registers
Interinstitutional / international synergies and partner network
07
08
Pediatric oncohematology
Finance, mediation and ethics
09
Management Board
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dimitar KALEV
President
Clinical guidelines, periodicals, conferences
Prof. Dr. Dobrin KONSTANTINOV
Vice President
Pediatric oncohematology
Prof. Dr. Margarita GUENOVA
Vice President
Continuing medical education
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Asya KONSOULOVA
Comprehensive centers, networking, innovation
Prof. Dr. Galina KIROVA
Screening and early diagnosis programs
Prof. Dr. Grigor GORCHEV
Finance, mediation and ethics
Prof. Dr. Draga TONCHEVA
Research, digital reconstructions and registers
Ekaterina VITKOVA
Programs for psychosocial support and quality of life assessment
Dr. Jasmina KOEVA
Interinstitutional / international synergies and partner network
Projects
MORÉ Clinical Guidelines
Evidence-based guidelines have been developed annually by national multidisciplinary expert boards since 2010. They include recommendations for clinical behavior in solid tumors with different localization in adults and children, predictive biomarkers, and psychosocial support in oncology. The Oxford CEBM method has been used for evidence analysis and formulation of recommendations, and since 2020 – the GRADE approach.
MORÉ Monographs
Oncological monographic texts by Bulgarian and foreign authors are dedicated to current issues of prevention, screening, diagnosis, TNM-staging and treatment of malignant diseases in adults and children.
MORÉ Conference
An annual national conference with multidisciplinary participation, held since 2010, is thematically dedicated to specific malignancies in adults and children. It includes plenary and discussion sessions. It is traditionally held in the second half of October.
MORÉ Training Seminars
Videoconferencing modules for continuing medical education in oncology and hematology are thematically dedicated to the most current diagnostic and therapeutic problems in solid tumors and hematological neoplasms. They include lectures by leading experts, training demonstrations and evaluation tests.
MORÉ Textbooks
Collections of scientific articles are thematically dedicated to specific malignant diseases in adults and children and intended for continuing medical education in oncology and hematology. The textbooks include literature reviews and are developed by the experts who authored the sections in the evidence-based clinical guidelines.
MORÉ Prospective Breast Cancer Screening Study
A prospective observational study to compare the effectiveness of thermal imaging against conventional breast cancer screening procedures. The design was developed in collaboration between cancer experts’ teams and Kelvin Health JSC.