Date
December 13 - 15, 2002
.
Objectives
After the success of the former three international "Gene to Cure" conferences, dedicated to colorectal cancer, biliopancreatic malignancy and glioma respectively; the fourth international congress is organised, now dedicated to Cancer of the Esophagus and Gastric Cardia. The conference is again organised by the European Cancer Centre in collaboration with the Comprehensive Cancer Centre Amsterdam and the European Postgraduate Gastro-Surgical School. 
As has become the standard for this unique conference series, all aspects of esophageal cancer will be covered, from genetic research to clinical treatment. The world's leading experts will present the latest findings in their fields. To enable a good state of the art overview on the status of this terrible disease we have alternated clinical lectures with presentations on basic research topics. A unique feature of the conference will be the live demonstrations on the latest developments
in endoscopy, imaging and surgery. There will be numerous opportunities for all professionals involved in esophageal cancer research, treatment and care to update their knowledge and interact with the leaders in the field. We hope to have aroused your curiosity and enthusiasm and look forward to meeting you in Amsterdam in December 2002
.
Organizing committee
Guido N.J. Tytgat
Harry Bartelink
René Bernards 
Giuseppe Giaccone
Godefridus J. Peters
Jan J.B. van Lanschot
Johan A. Offerhaus
.
Location
All activities will be hosted by the Academic Medical Center of the University of Amsterdam, conveniently located in South-East Amsterdam near Schiphol Airport, and easily reached by car and public transportation.

Accreditation
This conference has been granted by the Accreditation Council of Oncology in Europe (ACOE/FECS) for 15 CME credit points. Please note that CME credit points are only granted for educational sessions and not for satellite symposia. European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) has granted 18 ESMO-MORA, category 1, credit points. 

Dit congres is geaccrediteerd door: 
· Nederlands Genootschap van Maag-Darm-Leverartsen: 15 uren 
· Nederlandsche Internisten Vereeniging 
· Nederlandse Vereniging voor Pathologie: 18 accreditatiepunten 
· Nederlandse Vereniging voor Radiotherapie en Oncologie: 15
   accreditatiepunten 
· Nederlandse Vereniging voor Heelkunde: 18 accreditatie-uurpunten,
   categorie I
.
Sponsors
Janssen Pharmaceutica
Olympus
Foundation for Clinical Research Netherlands Cancer Institute

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM

Friday December 13, 2002
.
       Session 1    Epidemiology and Oncogenesis:plenary
..........................Oncogenes & suppressor genes
                             A. Berns, Amsterdam, NL
..........................Changing incidence patterns
                             C. La Vecchia, Milan, It
..........................Esophageal columnar metaplasia
                             G. Triadafilopoulos, Palo Alto, USA
       Session 2    Live demonstrations of surgical procedures
..........................Transhiatal resection with side-to-side anastomosis 
..........................Extended transthoracic resection (pos. LN at EUS-FNA)
..........................Jejunal interposition for gastric cancer
..........................Diagnostic laparoscopy and/or thoracoscopy
..........................Endosonographic staging, cadiac node FNA 
..........................Endoscopic mucosal resection of high grade
..........................dysplasia / early cancer
..........................Photodynamic therapy 
..........................Prosthesis
       Session 3    Epidemiology of premalignant procedures
..........................Prevalence and trends
                             J. Lagergren, Stockholm, S
..........................Premalignant conditions 
                             P. Correa, New Orleans, USA
..........................Role of Acid/ biliary reflux
                             G. Triadafilopoulos, Palo Alto, USA
..........................Role of nitrosamines in cancer of the cardia
                             K. McColl, Glasgow, UK
       Session 4    Diagnostics I:  Clinical presentation / manifestations of cancer
                          of esophagus and cardia
..........................Clinical vignettes (hypercalcemia) 
                              E.M.M. Quigley, Cork, IRL
..........................Role of diet and smoking
                               J. Lagergren, Stockholm, S
..........................Risks in head and neck cancer patients
                               H. Scherübl, Berlin, G
..........................Endoscopy, endosonography, spectroscopy 
                                J. Bergman, Amsterdam, NL
       Session 5    Diagnostics II: imaging and staging
..........................CT - MRI 
                                W.R. Lees, London, UK
..........................PET scanning
                                 P. Flamen, Leuven, B
..........................Monoclonal Imaging
                                 S. Schneebaum, Tel Aviv, Is
..........................Laparoscopy
                                 H.J. Stein, München, G
..........................Detection and staging of early esophageal cancer -
..........................the Japanese system 
                                 H. Inoue, Yokohama, J
       Session 6    Cellular and molecular genetics
..........................Carcinogenesis of squamous cell cancer
                                  A. Rustgi, Philadelphia, USA 
..........................Carcinogenesis of adenocarcinoma 
                                  J.A. Jankowski, Birmingham, UK
..........................The role of EBV in cancer of the cardia
                                  C.J.L.M. Meijer, Amsterdam, NL
..........................Angiogenisis, metastasis and invasion
                                   H. Watanabe, Niigata, J
       Session 7    Screening and prevention: plenary
..........................Preventive strategies for squamous cancer 
                                    N. de Vries, Amsterdam, NL
..........................Preventive strategies for adenocarcinoma; the role of surveillance
                                    R. DuBois, Nashville, USA
..........................The role of acid suppression and antireflux surgery in columnar
..........................metaplasia 
                                    T. DeMeester, Los Angeles, USA
..........................An integrated approach 
                                    I. Modlin, New Haven, USA

Saturday December 14, 2002
.
       Session 8    Therapeutic advances
..........................Neo adjuvant chemotherapy
                                    P. Clark, Liverpool, UK 
..........................Opportunities for radiotherapy in the multimodality treatment 
                                    J.E. Tepper, Chappel Hill, USA
..........................Neo-adjuvant chemoradiation
                                    T. DeMeester, Los Angeles, USA
..........................Endoscopic methods for ablation of dysplasia/early cancer:
..........................a critical analysis 
                                    C. Ell, Wiesbaden, G
       Session 9    Histo-cytological and molecular diagnosis
..........................Role of the pathologist in staging - pitfalls 
                                    R. Riddell, Hamilton, C
..........................Role of tumour markers 
                                    F. T. Bosman, Lausanne, CH
..........................Detection of micrometastasis
                                    G.C. O'Sullivan, Cork, IRL
..........................Special forms: verrucous, adenoid cystic undifferentiated small
..........................cell, collision tumor 
                                    K. Geboes, Leuven, B
       Session 10   Radiation Therapy
..........................Modern radiotherapy approaches for esophageal cancer
                                    C. Haustermans, Leuven, B
..........................The role of brachytherapy in palliative and curative setting 
                                    F. Mornex, Lyon, F
..........................The contribution of radiobiology to the design of clinical trials
..........................with a combined modality treatment for esophageal cancer 
                                    A. Begg, Amsterdam, NL
..........................Assessment of treatment response 
                                    V. Grégoire, Brussels, B
       Session 11   Chemotherapy
..........................Chemotherapy of cancer of the cardia
..........................The role of neo adjuvant chemoradiotherapy
                                     A. van der Gaast, Rotterdam, NL
..........................Palliative chemotherapy
                                     C.J. van Groeningen, Amsterdam, NL
..........................New developments in systemic therapy
                                     G. Giaccone, Amsterdam, NL
       Session 12   Surgical therapy
..........................Extent of surgical resection
                                     J. J. B. van Lanschot, Amsterdam, NL
..........................Prognostic factors of resected adenocarcinoma
                                     A. H. Hölscher, Köln, G
..........................Esophago-gastric anastomosis: optimal type and location 
                                    M.B. Orringer, Ann Arbor, USA
..........................Role of lymph node dissection in the neck 
                                     T. Lerut, Leuven, B
..........................Surgical approach of early cancer 
                                     H.J. Stein, München, G
..........................Minimally invasive esophageal resection
                                     J.D. Luketich, Pittsburgh, USA
       Session 13   Immuno and gene therapy
..........................Possibilities for gene therapy
                                     D.T. Curiel, Birmingham, USA
..........................Onyx viruses 
                                     F. McCormick, San Francisco, USA
..........................Neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy for locally advanced
..........................esophageal carcinoma:
..........................        a) Basic aspects
..........................        b) Clinical results 
                                     G.J. Peters, Amsterdam, NL
                                      G. Giaccone, Amsterdam, NL
       Session 14   Palliation, pain management and quality of life
..........................Brachytherapy vs stent: treatment of malignant 
..........................tracheo-esophageal fistula 
                                     P. D. Siersema, Rotterdam, NL
..........................Ablative therapies
                                     S.G. Bown, London, UK
 ..........................Photodynamic therapy
                                     L. Gossner, Wiesbaden, G
..........................Quality of life analysis
                                     J.M. Blazeby, Bristol, UK
       Session 15   Future prospects in treatment: plenary
..........................Future role of surgery
                                     J.R. Siewert, München, G
..........................Future role of radiotherapy
                                     H. Bartelink, Amsterdam, NL
..........................Future prospects of microarrays and small molecules
                                     R. Bernards, Amsterdam, NL
..........................Multimodality therapy
                                     T.N. Walsh, Dublin, IRL

Sunday December 15, 2002
.
       Workshops   Endoscopic Mucosal Resection
                             J.J. Bergman, Amsterdam
                           Photodynamic therapy
                             P.D. Siersema, Rotterdam
                           Pathology
                             G.J.A. Offerhaus, Amsterdam
                           Novel chemotherapeutic possibilities
                             G. Giaccone, Amsterdam
                           Radiotherapy
                             H. Bartelink, Amsterdam
                           Robotic surgery
                             I.A.J.M. Broeders, Utrecht
                           Molecular targets Targetted therapy (microarray/tissuearray)
                              R. Bernards, Amsterdam
                           Gene transfer
                             P.J. Bosma, Amsterdam
                          Pitfalls in the interpretation of mucosal resection
                              F. ten Kate, Amsterdam
                               H. Watanabe, Niigata 
                          Models for experimental columnar dyspasia 
                              J.J.B. van Lanschot, Amsterdam
                          Role of acid in columnar metaplasia 
                              J. Dent, Adelaide 
                               G. Triadafilopoulos, Palo Alto

REGISTRATION

Registration:
Participants can register through the European Cancer Center
The Fee:  to be announced

Information:
Further information, mailings and a registration form can be obtained through:

   European Cancer Center
   PO box 9236
   NL-1006 AE Amsterdam
   The Netherlands
.
   E-mail: