Currently more and more cancer centers are established in order to offer optimal multimodal therapy for patients with cancer. The primary aim of these centers is to combine therapy and research according to the already existing US models. The Nationales Centrum für Tumorerkrankungen (NCT) was recently founded in Heidelberg, a city particularly suited for such a national institution as it holds several large university hospitals of stellar reputation and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). In this context the DKFZ has specifically built two new departments, one for translational oncology and another for preventive oncology. Additionally, the university hospital has founded a new department for medical oncology. The aim of the NCT is to treat all cancer patients within a multimodal concept. Moreover, as many patients as possible should be enrolled into studies. All clinical sections have access to the NCT study center. The study center supports the researches in all study-related aspects with the primary aim to incorporate study concepts into adequate protocols. Furthermore, a tissue bank has been established in order to enable access for researchers and clinicians to all tumor entities for research purposes. Practiced interdisciplinary working is the basic strategy for following the proposed goal. Only with considerable efforts of all involved parties a long-term improvement of oncological treatment modalities can be achieved.