The European Society of Surgical Oncology, ESSO, was founded in 1981 to advance the art, science and practice of surgery for the treatment of cancer.
By arranging scientific conferences, professional exchanges and seminars, ESSO endeavours to ensure that the highest possible standard of surgical treatment is available to cancer patients throughout Europe. It aims to foster multi-disciplinary collaboration in the clinical management of cancer patients.
ESSO is increasingly involved in the training of surgeons concerned by cancer care throughout Europe and in promoting the development of guidelines of good practice in cancer surgery. The Society also seeks to promote knowledge and education about cancer care and to facilitate basic and clinical research in oncology.
It is well recognised that a majority of patients cured from cancer are cured by surgery. However, surgical oncology is not recognised as a subspeciality in all European countries. One of the Society's missions is to have this field established as an important speciality in oncology.
Promoting education in cancer surgery is thus one of the main objectives of ESSO. Hence, the Education Committee of ESSO offers fellowships to support trainees in surgical oncology. The aim of these fellowships is to allow young surgeons to work in another specialist centre to either expand their experience or learn new techniques.
ESSO Education and Training Committee has also developed a Core Curriculum in surgical oncology with recommendations for both the trainees and the cancer centres.
Further to the Cori Curriculum and the training fellowships, ESSO has developed a surgical oncology examination in conjunction with the Surgical Board of UEMS. This examination is open to suitably qualified European candidates, and will provide validation of a surgeon’s continued professional development in the field of surgical oncology as well as indicating his/her competency to practise in this area. ESSO is pleased to support every year the participation of young surgeons in the prestigious Flims workshop on methods in clinical cancer research organised jointly by ECCO - the European CanCer Organisation, AACR and ASCO.
ESSO endeavours to foster a multi-disciplinary collaboration in the management of cancer patients and hence actively contribute to multidisciplinary educational courses and projects on specific tumours in partnership with other cancer organisations.
The Society recognises the importance of organ based societies in the field of surgery. To accommodate this, ESSO has provided a platform, in the form of their biennial meeting, to encourage organ based surgeons and surgical oncologists to discuss and disseminate information related to the area of surgical oncology.
The next ESSO Congress will take place in Bordeaux (France) from 15 to 17 September 2010.
Further, ESSO is a partner in several multidisciplinary projects addressing specific tumours.
Exchange of information is also encouraged in the official journal of ESSO, the European Journal of Surgical Oncology, EJSO.
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