About us
Introduction, mission and the background of oncodiabetology.
Dr. Róbert János Bánhegyi, PhD
Professional & scientific biography
Dr. Róbert János Bánhegyi was born on 8 May 1975 in Mosonmagyaróvár. He earned his medical degree at the University of Debrecen in 2000. He became board-certified in internal medicine (2006), hematology (2008) and clinical oncology (2010). He obtained a licence in family medicine in 2011 and in hospice–palliative medicine in 2014. In 2016, he completed postgraduate training as a healthcare management specialist at Corvinus University of Budapest. He later pursued doctoral studies at the Doctoral School of the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, and defended his PhD thesis in 2023 in the field of oncodiabetology. By coining and applying the term, he was the first worldwide to publish and write a dissertation using the concept in 2022.
After graduating, he worked in Gyula at the Infectious Diseases Department (Hepatology & Immunology) of Békés County Central Hospital. From January 2004 he worked in the Chronic Internal Medicine Department, and from May the same year he joined the Oncology Center team. Between 2009 and 2010, alongside his inpatient oncology work, he led the hospital’s Mezőhegyes Convalescent Unit. Since 2012, he has served as deputy medical director of the center. From 2012 to 2019, he was a hematology and oncology expert for the National Health Insurance Fund (NEAK; formerly OEP). Since 2015 he has taught at the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences in Gyula of Gál Ferenc University (formerly Szent István University), and from 2024 he has been an assistant professor.
In recognition of his work and his successful leadership of the Mezőhegyes Convalescent Unit, he received commendation from the hospital’s director-general in 2010. In the same year, he won the Hungarian Clinical Oncology Society’s research award with his project on the relationship between type 2 diabetes and malignant tumors (“Antitumor use of insulin-sensitizing antidiabetic drugs”). In 2018, he was elected “Oncologist of the Year” through a nationwide vote and received the Dollinger Memorial Medal. In 2023, he won a Special Prize of the Richter Merit Medal in the category “Specialist physician performing the year’s most outstanding scientific or innovative work” with his project “Introduction to oncodiabetology.” In 2024, he received the Albert Szent-Györgyi Medical Award by public vote in the Southeast and Central Hungary region, and in the same year he was again commended by the director-general for his pioneering scientific and professional organization-building work.
His professional and scientific focus is on shaping oncodiabetology as a new interdisciplinary discipline, developing its foundations, and promoting widespread understanding and acceptance of the associated clinical mindset. His broader scientific interests include analyzing the epidemiological, metabolic, genetic and therapeutic links between obesity (and cachexia), type 2 diabetes and malignant tumors. He conducted his first data collection on the diabetes–cancer relationship in 2001 and presented his results at a hospital scientific event in 2002. His first related publication appeared in 2010. On 1 March 2024, he founded the world’s first oncodiabetology professional medical organization, the Hungarian Onco‑Diabetology Association, and on 11 October 2024 he organized a similarly unique, Hungary-originated event in name, topic and structure: the First Hungarian Oncometabolic and Onco‑Diabetology Conference. He hopes that the new organization and its regular events will become a source of pride not only for Gyula and Békés County, but also for the wider Southern Great Plain region and Hungary, further enhancing the professional recognition and scientific reputation of Békés County Central Hospital and especially its Oncology Center.
Gyula, 1 July 2024
Mission statement
The Hungarian Onco‑Diabetology Association was founded as the world’s first medical scientific society focusing on oncometabolism and explicitly carrying the banner of oncodiabetology.
Our mission centers on the research, clinical care and prevention of metabolic disorders that contribute to malignant tumor formation and accompany cancer.
Our goals include continuous learning and training, spreading the oncodiabetology mindset, providing professional and scientific information, fostering collaboration across related specialties, and achieving a high level of satisfaction among patients and professionals.
We strive to maintain continuous scientific activity in oncometabolism—especially oncodiabetology—and to strengthen the connection between research and clinical practice.
We work as a public service. Our “profit” is better quality of life, longer survival and recovery for affected patients, and successful prevention of cancer and its associated metabolic disorders.
Introduction
Donations and support are welcome to the account below; upon request, we provide a confirmation afterwards:
OTP 1173-3027-2836-8841-0000-0000
Board members
- Dr. Róbert János Bánhegyi, PhD – President
- Dr. Anita Renáta Kolozsi – Vice President
- Dr. Beatrix Rácz – Secretary
(The Association does not engage in direct political activity; it is independent of political parties and provides no financial support to them.)
Our goals
Improving the prevention, recognition and treatment of tumors developing in patients with metabolic disorders—especially abnormal glucose metabolism—and metabolic complications (particularly those related to carbohydrate homeostasis) occurring in cancer patients, by exploring the theoretical background and optimizing clinical practice.
Our activities
To achieve its goals, MODE undertakes a range of activities.
Our core mission
Establishing, spreading and promoting a unified national approach to oncodiabetology as a new discipline, to improve life prospects, quality of life and survival of people affected by—or at increased risk due to—cancer, diabetes and obesity.
Related tasks
- Building close collaboration and a professional–scientific bridge with Hungarian oncology (MOT, MKOT), diabetology (MDT), endocrinology (MEAT) and obesitology (MOMOT, MET) societies; organizing joint working‑group sessions at our events whenever possible.
- Publishing research results, publications, professional recommendations, position statements and notes.
- Coordinating and supporting basic research in oncodiabetology.
- Facilitating professional information access for interested specialists (physicians and healthcare professionals).
- Producing and distributing oncodiabetology publications in print or electronic form.
- Organizing and supporting forums, congresses, symposia, trainings and continuing education events in oncodiabetology.
- Supporting our members’ participation in oncology, diabetology, endocrinology, obesitology and other professional events.
Definition of oncodiabetology
A new interdisciplinary discipline (and medical mindset) that, in its strict sense, explores the links between cancer and disorders of carbohydrate metabolism, and in a broader sense investigates multi‑level (oncodiabetological and oncometabolic) relationships between malignant tumors and pathological changes in overall metabolism and nutritional status. Its emergence has been supported by the epidemiological trends of the last century and the rapidly expanding knowledge related to antineoplastic (anti‑cancer) and antidiabetic therapies. It includes the optimal management of diabetogenic and other metabolic or endocrine effects of anticancer treatments, as well as the influences of diabetology medications on carcinogenesis and antineoplastic therapy. Key aims include identifying the most favorable cytostatic–antidiabetic combinations for quality of life and survival, preventing diabetes in cancer patients, and tumor prevention in people living with diabetes and obesity.