Events
9th ESDO Masterclass. Decoding the Gut: Challenges and Advances in Gastrointestinal Oncology
11 12 2025
On 5-6 December, in Kaunas, the Division of Biological, Medical, and Geosciences of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, together with the European Society of Digestive Oncology (ESDO), the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LUHS), and the Lithuanian Society of Gastroenterologists held the international conference ‘9th ESDO Masterclass. Decoding the Gut: Challenges and Advances in Gastrointestinal Oncology’. The ESDO is one of the member societies of the United European Gastroenterology Organisation (UEG).
Prof. Juozas Kupčinskas, an alumnus of the Young Academy of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, head of the Gastroenterology Department of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, opens the conference.
Despite the hybrid war waged by dictator Lukashenko and attempts to block the country's airports with balloons, the conference was very successful. Lectures on the latest developments in the treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal cancer were given by ESDO lecturers from Belgium, Italy, Austria, Canada, Morocco, and Poland, as well as specialists from the LUHS, Vilnius University, Nacional Cancer Centre, Klaipėda University: Prof. Pieter-Jan Cuyle, Prof. Arndt Vogel, Prof. Eric Van Cutsem, Prof. Thomas Seufferlein, Prof. Gertjan Rasschaert, Prof. Piotr Visocki, Prof. Maria Bencivenga, Prof. Michela Guardascione, Prof. Maciej Gryzak, Prof. Zineb Benbrahim, Prof. Ana-Maria Bucalau, Acad. Limas Kupcinskas, Dr Edita Baltruskeviciene, Assoc. Prof. Povilas Ignatavicius, Prof. Almantas Maleckas, Assoc. Prof. Henrikas Pauzas, Dr Alvydas Česas, Prof. Laimas Jonaitis, Prof. Gediminas Kiudelis, Prof. Elona Juozaityte, Prof. Giedrius Barauskas, Dr Erika Korobeinikova, Dr Domas Vaitiekus, Assoc. Prof. Sigita Liutkauskienė, Prof. Juozas Kupčinskas, Dr Rolandas Gedgaudas, Prof. Tomas Poškus, Assoc. Prof. Goda Sadauskaitė, Dr Egidijus Morkūnas.
The event was opened by its main organisers. Prof. Juozas Kupčinskas, an alumnus of the Young Academy of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences and head of Gastroenterology Department at the LUHS, and Dr Egidijus Morkūnas, a gastroenterologist-oncologist and a member of the ESDO Board (LUHS), welcomed the leading European specialists in gastrointestinal oncology to this unique multidisciplinary conference, which addressed the most relevant topics: early biomarkers, precision oncology, the importance of the microbiome, CAR-T therapy, robotic surgery, and the application of artificial intelligence.
Over 100 gastroenterologists, oncologists, and surgeons participated in the conference, with another 100 joining remotely.
Dr Jadvyga Olechnovicienė, Senior Coordinator of the Division of Biological, Medical, and Geosciences
Prof. Limas Kupčinskas, academician, chair of the Division of Biological, Medical, and Geosciences
