Evidence and Research in Rectal Cancer, 27 – 29 April 2008,Rome

Aim of the course
This course, jointly organised by ESTRO, ESSO and ESMO wants to promote an integrated approach between all specialists involved in rectal cancer to tailor the best treatment for each individual patient. The treatment of rectal carcinoma is as variable as its clinical presentations. During the past decades surgical approaches have become more standardised with the introduction of total mesorectal excision and new surgical technologies allowing endoscopic surgical procedures and local excision by transnasal endoscopy microsurgery are now available in many centres. A broad spectrum of treatment modalities have been examined such as postoperative radiochemotherapy with different 5FU-based schedules, preoperative radiotherapy short course (5 Gy in 5 days), long course (alone or in combination with 5Fubased regimens or with new drugs), IORT in primary disease, and combinations of drugs in patients with metastatic disease. New imaging techniques are now allowing a better definition of tumour extension and staging. With combination of lectures, case discussions in small groups and debates, the course aims to offer a truly multidisciplinary programme, focussing on the advantages of the different treatments for the different presentations of disease and ongoing and future research in rectal cancer. The course will take place in Rome, the Italian capital and world heritage city. The course venue is located in the Gemelli Hospital in the centre an easily reachable.

Target Group

The target group consists of surgeons, radiotherapists and medicals oncologists involved in the multidisciplinary treatment of cancer and all other specialists and trainees who have a special interest in rectal cancer and are willing to update their knowledge.

Educational programme

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Pre-course questionnaire report

- What did we learn in the last 20 years
- Critical reading of literature
- Staging by imaging
- Multimodality primary treatment
- Chemotherapy in adjuvant & metastatic setting
- Case discussion on early stage.

Monday, April 28, 2008

- Areas at risk for tumour recurrence
- (Pathology, Surgery and Radiotherapy point of view)
- Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy
- (short course preop, long course preop and medical oncologist point of view)
- Late toxicity
- Case discussions on intermediate stage

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

-Case discussion on advanced stage
- Follow-up
- New developments in
  o surgery
  o radiotherapy
  o medical oncology
- New trend of the research
- Take home messages
- Post-course questionnaire