The National Institute of Oncology was founded in 1936 as the Eötvös Loránd Radium and X-ray Institute. In 1952, it and was designated as the National Institute of Oncology and moved to its current location in Budapest. NIO is the only OECI (Organization of European Cancer Institutes) accredited comprehensive cancer center in Hungary (2008,2014 and 2018) and it coordinates the Hungarian oncology network of four regional cancer centers.

The tasks of NIO—beyond providing oncology care to the Central-Hungarian region— include developing multidisciplinary professional standards and guidelines for tumor localization in collaboration with the relevant Advisory Boards; running the National Cancer Registry; providing professional development for oncologists; and integrating translational research results into patient care in Hungary.

Currently NIO operates with a staff of 1044 and annually treats approximately 16 000 new inpatients, and the number of our outpatient cases is over 500 000.

It has 7 dedicated research departments, and 14 clinical and diagnostic departments. Its research/academic staff consists of: 13 full professors, 3 full members and 9 doctors of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences; 14 staff members have habilitation and 55 hold a PhD. Annually, NIO produces more than 100 research publications with a cumulative impact factor over 600 as well as several academic and scientific books and book chapters. There are currently over 100 running investigator initiated, EORTC, IBCSG or company sponsored clinical trials (phase I-IV) at NIO.

NIO holds the oncology chairs of Semmelweis University of Medicine, the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Targu Mures and partially that of Pécs University. NIO also organizes education courses for MDs and nurses in order for them to maintain their professional licences as well as patient education courses.

NIO has also extensive experience in participating in EU projects including the EurocanPlatform, the ERA-NET TRANSCAN, the MagicBullet, the Pirg08, the BenchCan, the iPAAC, the INTENT, the CHRODIS+ and JARC projects and has an ongoing collaboration with European organizations such as the OECI. The National Institute of Oncology is a member of the European Reference Network on Rare Solid Tumors (ERN EURACAN) as well.