From 19th to 23rd of October 2018, over 26,000 oncology professionals from around the world came together to exchange their experiences about the present and future of cancer care at the congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO).
With over 26,000 oncology professionals from around the world exchanging their experiences about the present and future of cancer care, the 2018 edition of the congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) was one of a series of top medical congresses hosted by the Messe Munich, 19-23 October.
The ESMO 2018 Congress brought together experts from all fields of oncology – researchers, clinical doctors, nurses and patient advocates alike. The programme included almost 2,000 oral and poster presentations, distributed in more than 200 sessions. Many pioneering research results were presented.
One key element of the ESMO Congress was the tailor-made programme developed to meet the needs of different categories of professionals: two major tracks of the programme were dedicated to cancer nursing --in collaboration with the European Oncology Nursing Society (EONS) and to patient advocacy – developed by the ESMO Patient Advocacy Working Group, with some 200 international patient representatives. The Young Oncologists Track was catered especially to young oncologists who could benefit from the experiences of their colleagues and take the opportunity to network.
ESMO President Josep Tabernero sums up: "’Securing access to optimal cancer care’ is the leading thought of ESMO, as stated also in the motto of the ESMO 2018 Congress. With our multidisciplinary, integrated approach, we have managed to cover the entire spectrum of cancer care, from scientific research to clinical practice. The five days in Munich were packed with promising new studies, inspiring discussions, and making new contacts. Probably the greatest challenge for the congress delegates was to choose from the multitude of interesting topics."
The ESMO 2018 Congress occupied the entire ICM (International Congress Center Munich) and numerous exhibition halls. "As city of science with two top-ranking universities and two faculties of medicine, Munich is predestined to host high-calibre medical congresses of this scale," declares Geraldine Knudson, Head of München Tourismus, which also houses the Munich Convention Bureau. “We are happy that we could contribute to the success of the ESMO 2018 Congress with Munich's outstanding congress infrastructure and enchant our guests with the hospitality and culture of our liveable city." Visible expressions of the cordial welcome extended by the city were the "Munich Welcomes" flags hoisted in the city centre and at the exhibition sites.
