A non-profit private healthcare facility, the Centre Léon Bérard is affiliated to the National Federation of Centers for the Fight Against Cancer – Unicancer – which comprises 20 centers in France.

The Centre Léon Bérard is dedicated 100% to cancer care and research, combining on one site, in the heart of Lyon, a hospital for patient care and a center for research on cancer.

Basic research is focused on understanding basic biological mechanisms leading to cancers.

This research takes place in the Cancer Research Centre of Lyon (CRCL), located in the Centre Léon Bérard: www.crcl.fr
The Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL) is a centre of Excellence in research on cancer biology affiliated with the national health and research bodies (Inserm and CNRS), the University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, the Léon Bérard Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CLB) and the Lyon University Hospitals (HCL) as clinical partners. Managed by Alain Puisieux and Charles Dumontet, the CRCL was created in 2011. Its mission has been extended by the national authorities for 2016-2020.

Teaching is the third mission of the centers for the fight against cancer. The doctors, researchers and nursing staff, but also all the other professions represented at the CLB, are involved in supporting interns, teaching future professionals or updating the knowledge of practicing professionals in the field of cancer research and care.

The Centre Léon Bérard is affiliated to the UNICANCER group, which comprises 18 centers for the fight against cancer in France, spread over 20 geographical locations. These centers are hospitals as well as centers for research and teaching, dedicated 100% to cancer care and research.

The centers for the fight against cancer were created by a decree dated October 1, 1945, completed by a decree  dated May 2, 2005. These facilities have the status of legal persons under private law and are recognized as being of public utility (ESPIC: établissement de soins privé d'intérêt collectif (private healthcare facility of collective interest))..