European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO)
ESMO is the leading European professional organisation committed to advancing the specialty of medical oncology and promoting a multidisciplinary approach to cancer treatment and care.
Since its founding in 1975 as a non-profit organisation, ESMO’s mission has been to advance cancer care and cure. We achieve this through fostering and disseminating good science that leads to better medicine and determines best practice.
The ESMO community is a powerful alliance of more than 10,000 committed oncology professionals from over 120 countries. As a trusted organisation with 40 years of experience and over 500 expert committee members, ESMO serves its members and the oncology community through:
- Excellence in post-graduate oncology education and training
- Leadership in transforming evidence-based research into standards of cancer care in Europe
- Dedicated efforts to foster a more favorable environment for scientific research
- Innovative international platforms to share expertise, best practices and disseminate the most up-to-date scientific research to as wide an audience as possible.
ESMO has expanded its membership offering through OncologyPRO, ESMO’s scientific and educational portal. ESMO’s scientific journal, Annals of Oncology, ranks among the top clinical oncology journals worldwide. ESMO events are the meeting place in Europe for medical oncologists to update their knowledge, network and exchange ideas. ESMO also unites key oncology stakeholders and forges strategic partnerships to address critical issues related to the profession and practice of medical oncology. Join the ESMO community today!
Breast International Group (BIG)
The Breast International Group (BIG) is a non-profit organisation for academic breast cancer research groups from around the world, with its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
BIG facilitates breast cancer research at international level by stimulating cooperation between its members and other academic networks, and collaborating with, but working independently from, the pharmaceutical industry. Large-scale cooperation is crucial to make significant advances in breast cancer research, reduce wasteful duplication of effort, and optimally serve those affected by the disease.
Founded by leading European opinion leaders in 1996, BIG now constitutes a network of 55 groups based in Europe, Canada, Latin America, Asia and Australasia. These research entities are tied to several thousand specialised hospitals and research centres worldwide. BIG also works closely with the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the North American Breast Cancer Group (NABCG), so that together they act as a strong integrating force in the breast cancer research arena.
International collaboration makes it possible to conduct studies that would not be possible for a single research group or network to carry out on its own, especially as treatments become increasingly targeted. Combining efforts makes it possible to quickly enrol large numbers of patients, or to share data and knowledge and efficiently answer important scientific questions.
To get to know the BIG network and its activities better, visit: www.bigagainstbreastcancer.org
EBC Council
The European Breast Cancer Council (EBC Council) is an association of European organisations involved in breast cancer. The three founding members of the organisation are EORTC Breast group, EUSOMA and EUROPA DONNA.
The mission of the Association is to raise awareness and improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care of breast cancer patients.
- Goals and objectives in support of the Association’s mission shall be to:
- Increase awareness for breast cancer.
- Promote consensus on controversial issues concerning breast cancer.
- Uphold and disseminate guidelines related to screening, prevention, treatment, research and care aspects of breast cancer in cooperation with our members and partners.
- Promote and support educational activities of professionals and advocates in the field of breast cancer.
- Promote and support research initiatives and the dissemination of knowledge in the field of breast cancer.
- Promote and support initiatives aiming at improving the quality of care.
- Build a reliable source of information on breast cancer.
- Streamline communications between different actors active in breast cancer prevention, education, advocacy and all aspects of research, treatment and care.
- Stimulate and support the coordination of breast cancer events in Europe.
To further the above goals and objectives, the Association provides a platform for its Members and Partners by carrying such activities as the organization of international scientific meetings and study groups, amongst other events. www.ebccouncil.com
Foundation “St.Gallen Oncology Conferences” (SONK)
“St.Gallen Oncology Conferences” (SONK), founded in 1996, is a not-for-profit educational Foundation after Swiss law, registered with the Department of Interiors of the Canton of St.Gallen in Eastern Switzerland.
The main goal of the Foundation SONK is the promotion of education for oncologists, oncology nurses and other health care professionals in oncology and hematology. This is achieved by organising international conferences in English. Apart from this, the Deutschsprachig-Europaische Schule fur Onkologie (deso), a sector of SONK, also offers several annual seminars in clinical oncology, advanced nursing oncology and supportive/palliative care for physicians, nurses and other health care professionals. It also represents a coordinating platform for further deso seminars in Austria, Germany, South-Tirol/Italy and Switzerland.
The office of the foundation SONK is closely linked with the site and administration of the privately-operated, but State-licenced Tumor and Breast Center ZeTuP St.Gallen. For many years St.Gallen Oncology Conferences has organised and realised (in “uneven“ years) the important bi-ennial St.Gallen International Breast Cancer Conferences with around 4000 participants from all over the world and with the prominently published and highly respected St.Gallen breast cancer treatment consensus recommendations, as well as the bi-annual International Conferences on Gastro-Intestinal Cancer in “even“ years.
Chairpersons of St.Gallen Oncology Conferences are Professor Dr. oec. Dr. h.c. (mult.) Rolf Dubs, former chancellor of the University of St.Gallen (for the Foundation Council) and Professor Dr. med. Hans-Jorg Senn, Scientific Director of the Tumor- and Breast Center ZeTuP St.Gallen, Switzerland (for the Scientific and Organisational Committee). CEO of the Foundation SONK is Dr. Agnes Glaus, Ph.D., R.N., also linked with the ZeTuP St.Gallen.
Please visit our Foundation and its educational projects: www.oncoconferences.ch