CONGRESS NEWS

All.Can Belgium Lung Cancer Working Group: Ready for take-off

BJMO - volume 18, issue 1, february 2024

I. Demedts MD, PhD, J. Van Meerbeeck MD, PhD, A. Awada MD, PhD, T. Berghmans MD, PhD

SUMMARY

All.Can Belgium is multi-stakeholder, non-profit organisation working to improve the efficiency of cancer care by focusing on what matters to patients. In this spirit, they bring together healthcare professionals, representatives from patient organisations, policymakers, researchers, and the pharmaceutical industry. Over the last decade, we have witnessed a dramatic evolution in the treatment landscape for patients with lung cancer. However, to have a more profound impact on the lung cancer burden, these therapeutic advances need to be coupled with effective strategies for lung cancer screening, prevention, and patient support. By leveraging on the collaboration between healthcare professionals, patient organisations, policy makers and the pharmaceutical industry, the Lung Cancer Working Group established by All.Can Belgium wants to address the most prominent needs in the care pathway for patients with lung cancer. On the 16th of November 2023, the official launch of the Lung Cancer Working Group was celebrated with a symposium coupling lectures on pertinent issues in lung cancer with patient testimonials.

(BELG J MED ONCOL 2024;18(1):33–9)

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Highlights from the European Neuroendocrine Tumour Society congress

BJMO - volume 17, issue 4, june 2023

W. Lybaert MD, T. Vandamme MD, PhD, L. Mariën MSc, O. Islam MD, S. Chhajlani MD, I. Van der Massen MSc, N. Ahmadi Bidakhvidi MD, C.M. Deroose MD, PhD

SUMMARY

The 2023 edition of the European Neuroendocrine Tumour Society (ENETS) congress was held in Vienna between 22nd and 24th March. This article aims to provide an overview of the most remarkable findings and insights presented during this congress.

(BELG J MED ONCOL 2023;17(4):139–49)

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Highlights of the ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium 2023

BJMO - volume 17, issue 3, may 2023

W. Lybaert MD, A. Demols MD, PhD

SUMMARY

This year’s conference was organised in San Francisco from 19 until 21 January 2023, again as a hybrid event. It was an excellent meeting, not with the immune checkpoint inhibitors in gastroesophageal cancer in first position this time, like last year, but with two new promising targeted therapies in that tumour type: zolbetuximab and regorafenib. Immunotherapy is also pushing more in the neoadjuvant setting of MSI-high local/locally advanced gastric/gastroesophageal junction tumours. NALIRIFOX is a new chemotherapy scheme that beats gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel in first-line metastatic pancreatic cancer, while the addition of nab-paclitaxel to cisplatin + gemcitabine in first-line advanced biliary tract cancer brings no advantage. Finally, yet importantly, trifluridine/tipiracil + bevacizumab outperforms trifluridine/tipiracil alone in later-line metastatic colorectal cancer. The combination of botensilimab + balstilimab is also very promising in this more refractory disease setting.

In this report, the most important headlines will be discussed, with comments on the clinical relevance of the different studies.

(BELG J MED ONCOL 2023;17(3):91–9)

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A collective report of EMUC21 and ESUI21: Critical updates, highlights and hot topics

BJMO - volume 16, issue 6, october 2022

H. Van Poppel MD, PhD, G. Salomon MD

SUMMARY

The 13th European Multidisciplinary Congress on Urological Cancers (EMUC21) and the 9th Meeting of the EAU Section of Urological Imaging (ESUI21), two events where interdisciplinary expertise and innovation culminated, took place in Athens, Greece from 25 to 28 November 2021. This article provides a collective report of the events’ vital updates and hot topics covered.

(BELG J MED ONCOL 2022;16(6):307–9)

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Highlights of the European Neuroendocrine Tumour Society Congress

BJMO - volume 16, issue 6, october 2022

W. Lybaert MD, T. Vandamme MD, PhD, L. Mariën MSc, O. Islam MD, I. Van der Massen MSc, I. Karfis MD, PhD, H. Eggers , M. Peeters MD, PhD

SUMMARY

The first World NET Forum brought together leading scientists in the neuroendocrine tumour (NET) field to present their cutting-edge research to inspire other scientists and clinicians. This meeting focused mainly on models in NET research, NET tumour biology, as well as therapeutic and diagnostic advances. This article discusses some of the most relevant and promising studies.

(BELG J MED ONCOL 2022;16(6):310–22)

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ESOU22: Updates on GU cancers and meeting highlights

BJMO - volume 16, issue 4, june 2022

M. Rouprêt MD, PhD

SUMMARY

The 19th Meeting of the EAU Section of Oncological Urology (ESOU22) delivered imperative updates on genitourinary (GU) cancers and expert insights to participants in Madrid, Spain and online from 21 to 23 January 2022. This report provides some of the conclusions and highlights of the recently-concluded hybrid meeting.

(BELG J MED ONCOL 2022;16(4):196–7)

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De-escalation of therapy in head and neck cancer: Where are we standing now, anno 2022?

BJMO - volume 16, issue 4, june 2022

W. Lybaert MD, R. de Bree MD, PhD, J. Meulemans MD, PhD, J-F. Daisne MD, PhD, F. Duprez MD, PhD, D. Nevens MD, PhD, R. Van Hoeyweghen MD, PhD, K. Boeykens RN , J. De Ceulaer MD, W. Huvenne MD, PhD, O. Lenssen MD

SUMMARY

The annual winter meeting of the ‘Vlaamse Werkgroep Hoofd-Hals Tumoren’ on 11 December 2021 handled the different possible de-escalation strategies in the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck region (SCCHN) in anno 2022. Which surgical techniques can be used nowadays to diminish long-term morbidities in SCCHN? To which extent can we lower radiotherapy doses and regions in the treatment planning of SCCHN? Are the systemic treatment options of SCCHN always radical for each patient or more personalised? Is a comprehensive geriatric assessment feasible and already used in our head and neck oncology practice? Last but not least, how can we optimally sustain our patients with nutrition before, during and after treatment of head and neck cancer?

(BELG J MED ONCOL 2022;16(4):198–208)

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