WHAT’S NEW FOR THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE TRADITIONAL “ENDOONCO” CONGRESS AT THE VIII “For Life” Forum

Today we will talk with Professor Sergey Pirogov – Head of the Endoscopy Department of the P. Hertsen Moscow Oncology Research Institute – the branch of the National Medical Research Radiological Centre of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation,  about what’s new to expect from the participants of the traditional “EndoOnco” congress, which will be held as part of the “For Life – 2025” Forum.

“You, of course, know that several years ago, with the assistance of our CEO, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrey Dmitrievich Kaprin, we opened the Russian-Japanese center and the “EndoOnco” school, where the department employees first studied, and then they passed on their experience to the cadets – endoscopists who come to us from all regions of the country. This year we decided to see what we got. So the emphasis will not be on experts from other countries, but on our own students, so to speak, who have gone through the school of the P.Hertsen MORI.

Analyzing the most important criteria of our work – gastrointestinal cancer morbidity and mortality, we see that thanks to the introduction of new, progressive diagnostic technologies, such indicators as early-stage cancer detection and median survival have shown positive dynamics in recent years. The number of precancers and cancers detected and treated endoscopically at early stages is growing significantly, the level of late detections and, accordingly, mortality is decreasing. We know that the endoscopic service of the Russian Federation has grown and strengthened significantly. We often perform operations that are not performed in other countries at all.

For example, endoscopic submucosal dissection, of which we had two today alone. It is performed in Asian countries, but is quite rare in Europe. And not many specialists perform it. In some countries, this is only 2-3 people. And now, in our country, at least 300 doctors know how to do this, and about 80 of them were trained in our Center. And when we see that our students have achieved great heights and, perhaps, even sometimes operate on some localizations better than we do, we rejoice. This means that our efforts have achieved their goal.

Of course, within the framework of the Forum “For Life” we will have a large program of master classes with a live broadcast from the operating rooms of the P. Hertsen Institute. And, interestingly, our friends, our students, will demonstrate their experience this time, I know that they have something to show. We may just be standing nearby.

And, of course, the program of the “EndoOnco” congress will include scientific discussions, exchange of observations and ideas from leading experts; another endoscopic quiz – “Own Game”. And we also decided to hold a special session of young specialists this year. We all remember very well how difficult it can be at first to speak in front of an audience, to speak from the podium. We want to help our young colleagues with this”.