The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), the leading professional organization for medical oncology, is pleased to announce the second ESMO Asia 2016 Congress. The congress will be held from 16 – 19 December 2016 at the Suntec Convention and Exhibition Centre in Singapore, the scientific and educational congress will be led by an international committee to promote the sharing of expertise and interaction between regional and international experts in oncology.
The inaugural ESMO Asia Congress was held in 2015 in Singapore and saw the attendance of almost 3,000 medical professionals representing various oncology disciplines from 75 countries, convening to discuss and share key research and developments in oncology. This year, just as many healthcare professionals are expected to attend the congress.
ESMO Asia 2016 will bring together oncologists from the Asian region and beyond to discuss on important discoveries in oncology and update delegates on the latest standards of care. Delegates attending the ESMO Asia 2016 Congress will discuss current clinical challenges and novel treatment strategies for particular tumour subtypes as well as updates on translating emerging cancer therapeutics into clinical practice.
The ESMO Asia Congress will comprise both scientific and educational tracks prepared by an international scientific committee
On top of the latest in cancer research, ESMO Asia 2016 Congress will also highlight bioethical, economic and social challenges posed by cancer such as the rising costs of treatments, the need for psychological support for patients, the need for better palliative care and the vital importance of improving access to innovative drugs.
The Opening Ceremony on 16 December 2016 was attended by Guest-of-Honour Senior Minister of State for Environment & Water Resources and Health, Dr. Amy Khor, as well as ESMO President Prof Fortunato Ciardiello. Prof Ciardiello said: “We are glad to be returning to Singapore for the second ESMO Asia Congress. Consolidating activities in Asia underlines the importance ESMO places on collaboration with partners in this region. The program this year will have a strong emphasis on state-of-the-art education and on the current standard of care across all major tumor types. In addition to practical seminars and wide-ranging discussions about how oncologists and other stakeholders can best collaborate for greater treatment results for cancer patients, delegates can look forward to opportunities for interaction with both local experts and key opinion leaders from the international oncology community.”
This year, the keynote lectures are focused on two topics: The differences between tumors and how these differences can impact the design of effective treatments, as well as the link between the common Epstein-Barr virus and nasopharyngeal cancer.
With these two keynote lectures setting the tone for the congress, delegates can also expect a wide range of key discussions pertaining to the clinical relevance of molecular advances and innovative treatment approaches, understanding current clinical challenges in various tumour types and novel treatment strategies for particular tumor subtypes.
Dr. Ravindran Kanesvaran, President of the Singapore Society of Oncology, which is the host society of the congress said, “We are honored to be the host society for the ESMO Asia Congress. Oncology is a rapidly evolving field that requires a multi-disciplinary approach between various healthcare professionals from different backgrounds and experience extending across all areas of cancer care trying their best to bring an end to this growing scourge. This collaborative endeavor is key to improve access, raise the quality of treatment delivery and standard of cancer care in Singapore and Asia in general.”
The ESMO Asia 2016 Congress is supported by 20 of the most important and influential oncology associations in the region, including the Singapore Society of Oncology and the oncology societies from Australia, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Uzbekistan.
ESMO is the leading European professional organization for medical oncology. Comprising 15,000 oncology professionals from over 130 countries worldwide, we are the society of reference for oncology education and information.
