By the Department of Orthopedics of the Semmelweis University of Budapest, Hungary |
The Basic Instructional Course on Bone Tumors, held on 2 and 3 October 2015, was organized by the Department of Orthopedics of the Semmelweis University of Budapest (Hungary), EFORT (European Federation of National Associations of Orthopedics and Traumatology) and EMSOS (European Musculo-Skeletal Oncology Society). The attendants were 62 young trained orthopedics specialists and trainees from over 12 countries. Most participants were from Hungary (27), Romania (11) and Croatia (6), but some colleagues from Austria, Germany, Switzerland and even Indonesia attended as well.
In the absence of Semmelweis University Rector Ágoston Szél, the Vice-Rector Ferenc Bánhidy opened the conference, by giving an overview of the accentuated fields of medicine at Semmelweis University. He gave the management of primary tumors of bone as an example, as nationwide 80% of these patients are managed at the Department of Orthopedics.
Former EMSOS President Rob Grimer praised the joint course of the two substantial organizations and Semmelweis University. Following discussions with the President of UEMS, the course may be considered as a base course for the European Examination in Orthopedics.
In his opening remarks former EFORT President Professor Miklós Szendrői gave a short presentation on the organization and educational goals of EFORT.
The course itself lasted one and a half days with intensive presentation sessions (24 half hour lectures) on the most frequent problems regarding primary and metastatic bone tumors.
Professor Grimer gave a talk on bone tumor staging and epidemiology, Professor Szendrő – who formerly worked as a pathologist analyzing histology samples for Orthopedic Department for 15 years – gave a lecture on the clinico-pathologies of bone tumors, and Professor Leithner, from Graz (Austria), gave a lecture on the forms of histological sampling. The presentation on chemotherapy, an important instrument in the interdisciplinary treatment of these rare tumors, was given by Honorary Professor Zsuzsanna Pápai, and the lecture on radiotherapy by Ágoston Péter MD.
The Director of the famous Bologna Tumor Center, Professor Ruggieri gave a talk on the significance of surgical margins, on certain benign bone tumors and small cell tumors of bone, while Imre Antal senior lecturer presented tumor-like lesions. Professor Szendrői gave presentations on giant cell tumors of bone, malignant cartilage forming tumors and reconstructive procedures of the lower limb. His presentations also included the results of recent multicenter studies. Professor Lehner from Heidelberg gave a lecture on the reconstruction of the upper limb, while Professor Grimer the director of the Birmingham Tumor Center gave a talk on the removal of tumors around the pelvis.
The section on bone tumors of the spine drew much attention. Peter Paul Varga, the Director of the National Center for Spinal Disorders, gave an excellent presentation on the surgical management of primary and metastatic bone tumors of the spine. Following his presentation a round table was formed with Dr. Pápai and Dr. Ágoston to discuss the indications for radio- and chemotherapy in the treatment of spinal metastastases.
Professors Leithner and Lehner spoke about treatment algorhythms and diagnostics of metastases on the long bones of the extremities. Professor Szendrői gave a talk on the prognostic factors and survival rates of rare but increasingly more significant radical metastasectomies.
The organizers emphasized that the course be practical with much information that may be utilized on a day-to-day basis. All sessions ended with case presentations, with diagnostic and treatment algorythms defined interactively with the audience.
The presentations were handed to the participants in electronic form. The participants rated the course as 96% satisfactory, and recommended that the course be repeated.
More information:
- EFORTnet eLibrary with over 300 resources on Musculoskeletal Tumors
- E.M.S.O.S. European Musculo-Skeletal Oncology Society Website
- Department of Orthopedics of the Semmelweis University
In the opening message of the course, former EMSOS President Rob Grimer praised the joint course of the two substantial organizations and Semmelweis University.
Photo courtesy of Semmelweis University
Faculty members of the joint EFORT, EMSOS and Semmelweis University Basic Instructional Course on Bone Tumors, held in Budapest, Hungary
Photo courtesy of Semmelweis University
