ECCO 15: 34th ESMO Multidisciplinary Congress in Berlin: a step forward to a high-quality global oncology forum

Abstract

A few weeks ago a joint ECCO/ESMO meeting was held in Berlin. The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), a membership-based society, and the European CanCer Organisation (ECCO), established as a federation of different oncology societies, carried out for the fi rst time a joint meeting in an attempt to combine their efforts and unite forces to host a cobranded biennial multidisciplinary partnership meeting that will provide the best and most up-to-date scientifi c data for everyone working in cancer. This joint venture plans also to strengthen initiatives aimed at providing all cancer patients with equal access to high-quality cancer treatment. The ECCO was formed in September 2007, during the 14th European Cancer Conference (ECCO14) in Barcelona, to replace a previous organisation, the Federation of European Cancer Societies (FECS). It has six founding members: the European Association for Cancer Research (EACR), European Society of Surgical Oncology (ESSO), SIOP Europe – the European Society for Paediatric Oncology, European Oncology Nursing Society (EONS), European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ESTRO) and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO). In addition, there are currently seven full members (EANO, EUSOMA, EORTC, ESGO, ESO, ESOP and EUROSKIN) and seven advisory members (EBMT, ECL, Europa Donna, Europa Uomo, FAC, OECI and UICC). On the other hand, the ESMO is the leading European non-profi t, professional organisation for medical oncology promoting multidisciplinary cancer treatment around the world. ESMO unites medical oncologists, oncology specialists, healthcare professionals, caregivers, patients and policymakers in a global alliance committed to eradicating cancer and ensuring equal access to high-quality treatment for all patients. Thanks to its state-of-the-art education and training programmes, ESMO plays an instrumental role in providing the oncology community with the most up-todate scientifi c research and information available. ESMO is dedicated to educating and supporting oncologists, optimising patient care, disseminating cancer-specifi c information to the public and advocating patient rights. The ECCO/ESMO meeting can be considered a great success for many different reasons. The fi rst is that more than 15,000 attendees from more than 60 countries were registered at the meeting, a size not previously seen at European Oncology meetings. The second was the educational programme, covering multiple areas of interest and focusing mainly on a multidisciplinary approach to different neoplastic diseases, but paying attention also to basic science and translational research as a keystone for further developments. But, most importantly, a key feature to guaranty the real success of the meeting was the quality and relevance of the papers presented. Oncology is certainly changing. Like many issues nowadays, oncology is becoming a globalised matter. The amount of information is overwhelmingly increasing and as professionals, institutions and societies we all need to process and interpret this huge amount of data. Moreover, to present and discuss these new findings, independent forums or congresses organised by professional societies are essential to allow the adequate and timely reporting of recently analysed trials and new research achievements. Not long ago, all the important fi ndings related to any major undertaking from new drug development to phase III trials were only reported at American meetings. Most European investigators were elaborating on their data and waiting for the ASCO to report the fi ndings there. ASCO was the main worldwide forum for the presentation of any new information and the oncology community considered ASCO as the only source for relevant new fi ndings that should be applied to routine clinical practice. It is important to acknowledge that ASCO has always offered members and guests a very carefully thought out and high-quality educational and scientifi c programme, selecting important papers to be presented for the fi rst time at the annual meeting. In recent years there has been a marked growth in the contribution of European investigators. For example, the number *AC is a member of the Steering Committee of the Educational Committee of ESMO and chairs the e-learning and continuing medical education working group.