From fragmentation to focus: building collaborative networks for rare cancer research – the Italian TYME network as a model for care and innovation?

INTRODUCTION: Rare cancers, individually uncommon but collectively significant, pose major challenges due to their heterogeneity, low incidence, and fragmented expertise. This review addresses the complexities of managing and researching rare cancers, highlighting the necessity for collaborative networks. AREAS COVERED: A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed to identify peer-reviewed articles from 2010 to 2025 focusing on rare cancers, collaborative clinical networks, European Reference Networks (ERNs), and thymic malignancies. The review examines key obstacles such as limited patient populations, uneven expertise distribution, funding challenges, and explores models of collaboration including ERNs and the Italian TYME network. These networks exemplify integrated efforts to improve clinical care, research efficiency, and patient involvement through coordinated governance, registries, and multidisciplinary approaches. EXPERT OPINION: Sustainable, transparent, and inclusive collaborative networks like TYME and ERNs are essential to overcoming rare cancer research barriers. They enable standardized care, robust data sharing, and enhanced clinical trials, ultimately improving outcomes. Continued investment, policy support, and expansion of interoperable digital infrastructures are critical to fully realize the transformative potential of these network models in rare cancer care.