Key Dates in the Life of Gustave Roussy

Professor Gustave Roussy opens the first cancer clinic open to the public. This pioneering initiative already combines patient care, research, and education. 

Professor Gustave Roussy founded the Cancer Institute to bring together patient care, scientific research, and medical training under one roof.

1934 - Moved to Villejuif

Professor Pierre Denoix proposed the TNM classification system, which is still used worldwide to describe the stage of cancers.

The Cancer Institute was renamed the Gustave Roussy Institute. That same year, Dr. Odile Schweisguth established the first department in Europe specializing in childhood cancers. 

Establishment of the first cancer epidemiology unit.

Establishment of France's first statistical research unit

The first computer shared with Inserm was put into service. This innovation marked the beginning of the electronic health record. 

Opening of the current Gustave Roussy building on the Hautes-Bruyères campus in Villejuif and dedication of the research pavilions.

Discovery of the LAG-3 gene, which has led to the development of new therapeutic approaches in immuno-oncology.

^First use of electrochemotherapy on a patient

Development of the rapid breast cancer screening pathway, which has become a benchmark and forerunner of the Instadiag program. More than 25,000 women have benefited from it. 

The Discovery of JAK2 and TET2 Mutations: A Revolution in Our Understanding of Leukemias and Malignant Blood Disorders.

Launch of a research program focused on the genetic and molecular analysis of tumors to enable personalized treatments.

Demonstration of the impact of the gut microbiota on the efficacy of immunotherapies.

First landmark publication in precision medicine: high-throughput tumor sequencing as a diagnostic tool.

The School of Cancer Sciences was established to train and bring together researchers, clinicians, and healthcare professionals in the field of cancer research. 

The institute officially became the Gustave Roussy Institute, taking the name of its founder, Professor Roussy.

Opening of the Molecular Medicine Building on the Gustave Roussy Campus 

Structuring early-stage trials that will establish the institution as a European leader.

Gustave Roussy has become the first healthcare facility in France to be equipped with the Da Vinci Xi surgical robot, offering patients shorter hospital stays, less pain, and a faster recovery. 

Gustave Roussy performs the world's first mastectomy without a scar on the breast using the Da Vinci Xi robot and launches the Cancer Core Europe consortium. 

Launch of the “Curing Childhood Cancer in the 21st Century” campaign, aimed at accelerating research and therapeutic innovations for young patients. Gustave Roussy is launching the “Golden September” initiative, a month of action to raise awareness about childhood cancers.

Launch of the PRISM program in partnership with Paris-Saclay University, Inserm, CentraleSupélec, and Unicancer to shape the future of precision medicine. This program aims to pioneer the medicine of tomorrow, from new clinical practices to future cancer treatments. In 2026, PRISM was awarded the government’s University Hospital Institute (IHU) designation.

Opening of new interventional radiology suites and creation of Europe’s largest integrated facility within an operating room complex dedicated entirely to oncology. 

Gustave Roussy is ranked as the 5th best cancer hospital in the world and 1st outside the United States in the Newsweek rankings. As a result, Gustave Roussy consistently ranks among the top hospitals in these rankings every year.

Launch of the Interception program to identify individuals at risk for cancer and development of 3D printing of medications within the hospital pharmacy. 

Co-founded the Paris Saclay Cancer Cluster (PSCC), an international biocluster designed to accelerate innovation in oncology. 

Installation of the first photon-counting scanner used in oncology in France. 

An article published in *Nature* proposing a classification of cancers based on their molecular characteristics. The year also saw the opening of MyCare and the launch of the FRESH program

Inauguration of the MyCare Center, a facility dedicated to supportive care and its scientific evaluation.

FRESH (French Sequencing Hub for Liquid Biopsy), a flagship precision medicine program in oncology, offers a nationwide liquid biopsy pathway that enables advanced tumor genomic profiling through a simple blood draw. 

Inauguration of the Villejuif-Gustave Roussy metro station (Line 14), connecting the Institute to downtown Paris and Orly Airport in less than 15 minutes. The station was named “the most beautiful station in the world” by the Prix Versailles.

The Gustave Roussy Prize, established with the support of Pierre Fabre Laboratories as its founding sponsor, is an annual award that honors a researcher whose work has a major impact on patient care.

French President Emmanuel Macron laid the cornerstone for the new research building.

The visceral surgery team at Gustave Roussy has performed a right colectomy and a hepatectomy—the first of their kind in France—assisted by the Da Vinci Single Port robotic surgery system.

Publication in *The Lancet* of a study that is revolutionizing radiation therapy for breast cancer, the arrival of ZapX technology, and the accelerated development of artificial intelligence in oncology.