EMUC23
15th European Multidisciplinary Congress on Urological Cancers
2-5 November 2023 I Marseille, France
Interview with Valérie Fonteyne, ESTRO representative for the EMUC scientific committee
Can you tell us briefly about the objectives of the European Multidisciplinary Congress on Urological Cancers (EMUC) 23, and why it is a must-attend congress for professionals in the field of urological cancers?
EMUC23 will bring an overview of the most important trials of 2023. Within a three-day programme, up-to-date insights in the fields of prostate, bladder, kidney and testicular cancer will be presented by a multidisciplinary faculty. The aim is to provide all evidence that can be implemented immediately in daily clinical practice.
With the collaboration of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), the European Association of Urology (EAU) and ESTRO, EMUC23 brings together experts from various medical disciplines. How does this multidisciplinary approach contribute to the advancement of therapies for patients with urological malignancies?
The collaboration of ESMO, EAU and ESTRO at EMUC2023 underlies the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, which is essential for the provision of optimal care for cancer patients.
What are some of the key topics and areas of focus that will be covered during EMUC23? Can you highlight any specific sessions or presentations that attendees should look forward to?
Several sessions are devoted to new treatment modalities and how to use them in daily practice.
Within the section entitled ‘New horizons for high-risk localised prostate cancer’, Professor Gillisen will present her vision on how to use systemic treatment for men with high-risk localised prostate cancer.
In the section called ‘Innovative concepts and new modalities of treatment in urothelial carcinomas’, members of a multidisciplinary panel will present their points of view on how to select patients for conservative management of muscle-invasive and metastatic bladder cancer (MIBC) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Within several multidisciplinary case discussions, latest evidence will be translated into ways to implement new insights from research in clinical practice.
Radiotherapy plays a crucial role in the management of urological cancers. How will EMUC23 address the latest advances and challenges in radiotherapy for genito-urinary malignancies, and what can attendees expect to learn in this area?
The latest advances in this field will be presented. Among others, I’m looking forward to the presentation by Alison Tree on gains in the field of MRI-guided radiotherapy and the increasing importance of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy.
Also, organ preservation is a hot topic. Whether or not radiotherapy is a key to bladder preservation will be discussed in the session by Stephanie Kruze on how patients can be selected for conservative management of MIBC after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Last but not least, the place of radiotherapy will be discussed in the different clinical case discussion sessions.
Networking is an important aspect of any congress. How does EMUC23 encourage networking and collaboration among attendees, and what are the potential benefits of building professional connections during the event?
EMUC brings together the stakeholders of the different disciplines. The venue is usually small, which enables close interaction among attendees and encourages networking.
Who should consider attending EMUC23? Is it primarily targeted towards experienced professionals or also suitable for trainees and early-career individuals?
EMUC is a multidisciplinary congress that involves medical oncologists, urologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists and pathologists. It is designed to be a very practical congress that highlights the latest evidence in different urological malignancies. Information gathered at EMUC can be translated directly into clinical practice. Therefore EMUC is suitable for all participants who want to gain practical updates on the evidence that has been gathered in 2023 within a short time.
Valérie Fonteyne
Radiation oncologist
University Hospital
Gent, Belgium