Program
Day 1
Wednesday 18th of March 2026
3
| Foyer | |
| 16:00 - 16:30 | Registration & Coffee |
| Hall 1 | |
| 16:30 - 17:45 | Opening of the ESDE 2026 conference |
| 16:30 - 16:40 | Introduction to the ESDE 2026 conference Prof. Christiane J. Bruns (Conference Chair) |
| 16:40 - 16:50 | Welcome word Prof. Edoardo V. Savarino (ESDE President) |
| 16:50 - 17:10 | Key Note lecture: Listening to the neighbour: "Evolution of Surgical Technology in gastric cancer" Prof. Han-Kwang Yang (Invited Speaker) |
| 17:10 - 17:30 | Learning from other fields: ''EMT and cell plasticity in metastasis – driving force and therapeutic target'' Prof. Thomas Brabletz (Invited Speaker) |
| 17:30 - 17:45 | Summary and Honorary Member Announcement Prof. Christiane J. Bruns (Conference Chair), ESDE Board |
| Foyer | |
| 17:45 - 18:30 | Networking reception |
Day 2
Thursday 19th of March 2026
3
| Hall 1 | Hall 2 | |
| 08:00 - 09:00 | Registration & Coffee (Entrance Hall) | Registration & Coffee (Entrance Hall) |
| 09:00 - 10:30 | Session 1 Multimodality therapy for locally advanced esophageal cancer Hanneke van Laarhooven (Netherlands) Guillaume Piessen (France) | Session 2 Artificial Intelligence in diagnosis and treatment of esophageal diseases Alexander Quaas (Germany) Luigi Boni (Italy) |
| 09:00 - 09:15 | Best Abstract: Lymph node Yield and Enhanced Survival in Oesophageal Cancer Riadh Salem (UK) | Best Abstract: Scaling TIGER-AI - Applying the Surgical AI Hub Germany to facilitate Artificial Intelligence for Quality Assessment of Lymphadenectomy in RAMIE Martin Wagner (Germany) |
| 09:15 - 09:30 | Is perioperative chemotherapy the new standard of care in esophageal adenocarcinoma? Salah-Eddin Al-Batran (Germany) | AI in detection of Barrett and early esophageal cancer Alanna Ebigbo (Germany) |
| 09:30 - 09:45 | Preoperative chemoradiation in esophageal cancer- personalized choice in the future? Bas Wijnhoven (Netherlands) | AI in histopathology and digital pathology of esophageal cancer Yuri Tolkach (Germany) |
| 09:45 - 10:00 | Role of Cytoreductive therapy and HIPEC in peritoneal M1 AEG Typ II Beate Rau (Germany) | AI for clinical decision-making in (gastro-oesophageal) oncology Maria Bencivenga (Italy) |
| 10:00 - 10:15 | Adjuvant treatment of FLOT/FLOT-D non-responders, Vestige and beyond Florian Lordick (Germany) | AI in esophageal surgery- how far have we come? Jelle Ruurda (Netherlands) |
| 10:15 - 10:30 | Spatial or molecular stratification in multimodality therapies Giovanni de Manzoni (Italy) | Using AI to predict postoperative course after esophagectomy Sheraz Markar (UK) |
| 10:30 - 11:00 | Coffee break (Entrance Hall) | Coffee break (Entrance Hall) |
| 10:30 | UGIRA Meeting (Meeting Room 1st Floor) | |
| 11:00 - 11:30 | Key Note: Translational esophageal cancer research: exploting biology to personalize therapy Lorenzo Ferri (Canada) | |
| 11:30 - 12:45 | Session 3 Robotic surgery for esophageal cancer: State of the Art and future directions Suzanne Gisbertz (Netherlands) Hans Fuchs (Germany) | Session 4 Basic and translational research Lorenzo Ferri (Canada) Florian Lordick (Germany) |
| 11:30 - 11:45 | Best Abstract: The technical detail & short-term outcomes of minimally invasive Robotic Cervical Abdominal Esophagectomy (RACE) via cervical and hiatal approach Takeo Fujita (Japan) | Best Abstract: Single-cell analysis of Barrett`s esophagus and carcinoma reveals cell types conferring risk via genetic predisposition Patrick Plum (Germany) |
| 11:45 - 12:00 | Textbook outcome in robotic esophagectomy Peter Grimminger (Germany) | Best Abstract: CIRCULATE1: Uncovering Tumor Dissemination Through Intraoperative Liquid Biopsy in Gastroesophageal Cancer Mazen Juratli (Germany) |
| 12:00 - 12:15 | Evidence for improved oncologic outcome of minimally invasive surgery for esophageal cancer? Richard van Hillegersberg (Netherlands) | Molecular classification of esophageal cancer: utility beyond diagnostics? Ayesha Noorani (UK) |
| 12:15 - 12:30 | (European) training curriculum in esophageal robotic surgery, state of the art and future challenges Jennifer Straatman (UK) | Current state of preclinical models of Esophageal Cancer Daniel Stange (Germany) |
| 12:30 - 12:45 | Emerging robotic technique in Japan Jun Kinoshita (Japan) | The future of therapy for Esophageal cancer: all comer or patient-informed Radka Obermannova (Czech Republic) |
| 12:45 | CARDIA Meeting (Meeting Room 1st Floor) | |
| 12:45 - 14:15 | Lunch break (Entrance Hall) | Lunch break (Entrance Hall) |
| 13:00 - 14:00 | Workshop (Workshop Room) Turning Surgical Insights into Impact: Where Intelligent Technologies Enable Collaboration Powered by Medtronic | Symposium (Hall 2) Partners in Care: Multidisciplinary perioperative management of resectable GC/GEJC Powered by AstraZeneca |
| 14:15 - 15:45 | Session 5 Individualized organ preservation in esophageal cancer Bas Wijnhoven (Netherlands) Magnus Nilsson (Sweden) | Session 6 Quality of life following curative treatment of EC Sheraz Markar (UK) Klaus Emmanuel (Austria) |
| 14:15 - 14:30 | Best Abstract: Tumor Regression Grade by esophageal layer after neoadjuvant FLOT chemotherapy: insights from a histopathological study Esmee de Bruijn (Netherlands) | Best Abstract: "Physiology of the Gastric Conduit After Esophagectomy for Esophageal Malignancy: Clinical and Manometric Evaluation" Konstantinos Saliaris (Greece) |
| 14:30 - 14:45 | Definitive radiochemotherapy in ESCC- limitations and new perspectives Peter van Rossum (Netherlands) | QoL after neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy versus chemotherapy Jens Höppner (Germany) |
| 14:45 - 15:00 | Expanding boundaries: endoscopic treatment for localized esophageal cancer Franz Ludwig Dumoulin (Germany) | Nutritional recovery and challenges after Ivor Lewis esophagectomy Jessie Elliott (Ireland) |
| 15:00 - 15:15 | Current evidence against organ preservation in esophageal cancer Paul Schneider (Switzerland) | Impact of complications on QoL after esophagectomy Jakob Hedberg (Schweden) |
| 15:15 - 15:30 | Evidence on selective regional lymphadenectomy for high-risk pT1 esophagogastric cancer? Mark van Berge Henegouwen (Netherlands) | Sex-related differences in postoperative outcomes and QoL Styliani Mantziari (Schwitzerland) |
| 15:30 - 15:45 | Neoadjuvant treatment and surveillance protocols for CR in locally advanced esophageal cancer Bianca Mostert (Netherlands) | Physical exercise and QoL after esophagectomy Berit Sunde (Sweden) |
| 15:45 - 17:00 | Poster Discussion (Young Scientists at the stage) ''Kaffeeklatsch'': Typical german Coffee and Cake will be served to support vivid discussions. | |
| 17:00 - 18:15 | Session 7 Interactive session: How to treat complex esophageal cancer? Guillaume Piessen (France) Mark van Berge Henegouwen (Netherlands) Johannes Zacherl (Österreich) Hiroyuki Daiko (Japan) | Session 8 GERD and Hiatal hernia Jessica Leers (Germany) Edoardo Savarino (Italy) |
| 17:00 - 17:15 | Case 1 (semicircular anastomotic leakage) | Jasmina Kuvendjiska (Germany) | Best Abstract: Worldwide Practice and Perioperative Outcomes in Robot Assisted Benign Esophageal Surgery: Results from the UGIRA Benign Registry Gino Kuiper (Netherlands) |
| 17:15 - 17:30 | Case 2 (R1 Ivor-Lewis adenocarcinoma) | Silvia Carbonell-Morote (Spain) | Optimal and minimal workup for surgery planning Burkhard von Rahden (Austria) |
| 17:30 - 17:45 | Case 3 (PET-positive supraclavivular Metastases) | Dolores Krauss (Germany) | Standardization of GERD treatment algorithms across Europe Stefano Siboni (Italy) |
| 17:45 - 18:00 | Case 4 (metachronous adrenal metastasis) | Philip Pucher (UK) | Endoscopic treatment of GERD and Barrett Daniel von Renteln (Canada) |
| 18:00 - 18:15 | Case 5 (locally advanced EGA in 87year-old runner) | Nikolai Schleussner (Germany) | Redo surgery for benign esophageal diseases Jessica Leers (Germany) |
| 18:15 | General Assembly ESDE (Hall 1) | |
| 19:15 | Congress Dinner |
Day 3
Friday 20th of March 2026
3
| Hall 1 | Hall 2 | |
| 08:00 - 08:30 | Registration & Coffee (Entrance Hall) | Registration & Coffee (Entrance Hall) |
| 08:30 - 10:00 | Session 9 Young ESDE Session EU perspective on surgical training Jennifer Straatman (UK) Agnese Carresi (Italy) | Session 10 Innovative Imaging techniques in surgery and endoscopy Peter Grimminger (Germany) Jens Höppner (Germany) |
| 08:30 - 08:45 | GERD in Focus: The Young ESDE Survey Damien Bouriez (France), Sergio Gaspar Figuereido (Schweiz) | Best Abstract: Fluorescence guided lymph node dissection using indocyanine green during minimally invasive esophageal cancer surgery [IGLO] - pilot-study Hidde Overtoom (Netherlands) |
| 08:45 - 09:00 | Buildung an oesophagogastric career beyond the operating room - Senior perspective Beat Müller (Switzerland) | Endoscopic differentiation between premalignant and malignant esophageal tumors Wladyslaw Januszewisz (Poland) |
| 09:00 - 09:15 | Buildng an (OG) career beyond the operating room - trainee perspective Tania Triantafyllou (Greece) | Visualization of tumor-draining lymph nodes in esophageal cancer Felix Berlth (Germany) |
| 09:15 - 09:30 | Docking for the first time, robotic perspectives - trainee Richard Owen (UK) | Intraoperative visualization of the thoracic duct Ricardo Rosati (Italy) |
| 09:30 - 09:45 | Docking for the first time, robotic perspective - hospital Philip Pucher (UK) | ICG for evaluation of gastric conduit vascularization: really standardizable? Suzanne Gisbertz (Netherlands) |
| 09:45 - 10:00 | Docking for the first time, robotic perspectives - trainee to proctor to hospital Ioannis Rouvelas (Sweden) | FAPI PET: implications for esophageal cancer Frederik Giesel (Germany) |
| 10:00 - 10:30 | Coffee break (Entrance Hall) | Coffee break (Entrance Hall) |
| 10:30 - 12:00 | Session 11 Tailored treatment of metastatic esophagogastric adenocarcinoma Stefan Mönig (Switzerland) Thomas Zander (Germany) | Session 12 Interdisciplinary Diagnosis and Treatment of Achalasia Christian Gutschow (Switzerland) Luigi Bonavina (Italy) |
| 10:30 - 10:45 | Best Abstract: Subtype-Specific Metachronous Metastatic Patterns in Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagogastric Junction After Curative Resection Jara Tigges (Germany) | Diagnostic delay in Achalasia - modes of improvements Nicola de Bortoli (Italy) |
| 10:45 - 11:00 | Is there an indication for surgery in primary oligometastatic EGA (after Renaissance)? Hanneke van Laarhooven (Netherlands) | Best Abstract: Risk of esophageal cancer in achalasia: a propensity score-matched multicenter cohort analysis from a global federated database (the RECAP study) Alberto Barchi (Italy) |
| 11:00 - 11:15 | Radiotherapy in metastatic esophageal cancer Francesco Cellini (Italy) | Latest developments in surgery of achalasia Ines Gockel (Switzerland) |
| 11:15 - 11:30 | Oligometastatic disease: Asian Perspective Motoo Nomura (Japan) | Innovations in endoscopic treatment of achalasia Radu Rusu (UK) |
| 11:30 - 11:45 | Metachronous oligometastatic disease: Local and/or systemic therapy? Magnus Nilsson (Sweden) | Insufficient symptom control after primary therapy for achalasia - chances and challenges. Florian Seyfried (Germany) |
| 11:45 - 12:00 | Personalized management of metastatic esophageal cancer Markus Möhler (Germany) | Pneumatic dilation in the POEM era: still valuable Edoardo Savarino (Italy) |
| 12:00 - 13:00 | Lunch break (Entrance Hall) | |
| 12:00 - 13:00 | Symposium (Hall 1) EVT in Esophageal Care: Clinical Impact and the Power of the MDT Approach Powered by Boston Scientifc | Symposium (Hall 2) Advanced Imaging in Upper GI Surgery Powered by Stryker |
| 13:00 - 14:15 | Session 13 Prevention and Management of surgical complications Christiane Bruns (Germany) Richard van Hillegersberg (Netherlands) | Session 14 Newest developments in endoscopic interventions Wladyslaw Januszewisz (Poland) Seung-Hun Chon (Germany) |
| 13:00 - 13:15 | Best Abstract:Anastomotic insufficiency in relation to long-term survival after oesophageal cancer: a bi-national population-based cohort study Ellen Jonson (Sweden) | Best Abstract: The experience of a Tertiary Resectional Centre in the use of Endoscopic Mucosal Resection (EMR) for management of early oesophageal cancer David Anderson (UK) |
| 13:15 - 13:30 | Neuromonitoring of recurrent laryngeal nerve in esophagectomy? Oskar Akesson ( Sweden) | Upcoming ablative techniques Seung-Hun Chon (Germany) |
| 13:30 - 13:45 | Management of chyle leak after esophagectomy Ewen Griffiths (UK) | Endoscopic resection techniques Roberto de Sire (Italy) |
| 13:45 - 14:00 | Management of delayed gastric conduit emptying Marcel Schneider (Switzerland) | Innovations in treatment of leakage and perforation Peter Siersema (Netherlands) |
| 14:00 - 14:15 | Management of anastomotic leakage Pieter van der Sluis (Netherlands) | Endoscopic challenges in surgical altered GI anatomy Christoph Schlag (Schweiz) |
| 14:15 - 14:30 | Coffee break (Entrance Hall) | |
| 14:30 - 15:45 | Session 15 Young ESDE Parliament (debate and online voting) Philippe Nafteux (Belgium) Wolfgang Schröder (Germany) | |
| 14:30 - 14:45 | Is there a role for CRTx after ESOPEC? Convince me…. Martin Stuschke (Germany) | Leo Brown (Scotland) | |
| 14:45 - 15:00 | Immunotherapy approved/implemented after Matterhorn? What is the data behind….. Markus Möhler (Germany) | Styliani Mantziari (Switzerland) | |
| 15:00 - 15:15 | POEM vs. Heller Myotomie - what is better? Renato Salvador (Italy) | Alberto Barchi (Italy) | |
| 15:15 - 15:30 | RAMIE: linear vs. circular stapled anastomosis? Convince me…. Jelle Ruurda (Netherlands) | Hidde Overtoom (Netherlands) | |
| 15:30 - 15:45 | Evidence for open/open vs. hybrid vs. complete minimally invasive esophagectomy George Hanna (UK) | Agnese Carresi (Italy) | |
| 15:45 - 16:15 | Farewell Prof. Edoardo V. Savarino (ESDE President) | Prof. Christiane J. Bruns (Conference Chair) | |
Symposia & Workshop
During the Lunch Breaks
3
| Thursday 19th of March 2026 | |
| Symposium - Hall 2 | |
| 13:00 - 14:00 | Partners in Care: Multidisciplinary perioperative management of resectable GC/GEJC Prof. Dr. med. Florian Lordick, Leipzig |
| Focus Oncology: therapy standards and new kids on the block Prof. Dr. med. Florian Lordick, Leipzig |
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| Focus Surgery: pre-, intra-, and postoperative patient management Prof. Dr. med. Hans Schlößer, Köln |
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| Focus Gastroenterology: From diagnosis to postoperative complications handling PD Dr. med. Torsten Beyna, Düsseldorf |
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| Discussion and closing remarks | |
| Die Veranstaltung richtet sich ausschließlich an Ärztinnen und Ärzte. Eine Fortbildung von AstraZeneca |
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| This event is restricted to medical doctors only. A medical education session by AstraZeneca |
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| Workshop Room |
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| 13:00 - 14:00 | Turning Surgical Insights into Impact: Where Intelligent Technologies Enable Collaboration |
| This workshop provides a focused, practical introduction to the Touch Surgery(TM) Ecosystem and its role in modern surgical training, procedural standardization, and collaborative learning. Participants will engage directly with four dedicated workstations that demonstrate how digital tools can support objective skill development and evidence‑based education. | |
| 1. Simulation High‑fidelity, procedure‑based simulation enabling safe, structured, and repeatable training. |
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| 2. Video Recording and Case Documentation Efficient capture and organization of procedural footage to support review, teaching, and quality improvement. |
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| 3. Live Streaming Real‑time transmission of surgical procedures for remote guidance, discussion, and multidisciplinary collaboration. |
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| 4. AI‑Assisted Performance Analysis Data‑supported insights that enable objective assessment and continuous refinement of operative skills. |
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| This session is designed for surgeons, educators, and clinical decision‑makers interested in applying digital technologies to improve surgical training pathways and enhance procedural consistency. | |
| powered by Medtronic | |
| Friday 20th of March 2026 | |
| Symposium - Hall 1 | |
| 12:30 - 13:30 | EVT in Esophageal Care: Clinical Impact and the Power of the MDT Approach |
| Prof. Dr. med. Seung-Hun Chon (Cologne), Prof. Dr. med. Bodo Schniewind (Lueneburg), Dr. P.C. Pieter Van de Sluis (Rotterdam) | |
| From Surgical Origins to State‑of‑the‑Art Endoscopy | |
| How Multidisciplinary Teams Drive Success, Clinical Evidence, Case Insights & What Comes next | |
| powered by Boston Scientific | |
| Symposium - Hall 2 | |
| 12:30 - 13:30 | Advanced Imaging in Upper GI Surgery |
| Research on fluorescence guided Upper GI surgery: current trials Dr. Suzanne Gisbertz |
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| Application of fluorescence imaging in the Upper GI tract Prof. Hans Fuchs |
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| Organ preserving strategies by fluorescence in gastric and cardias cancers: from Korea to Europe Prof. Gian Luca Baiocchi |
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| Q&A led by Prof. Hans Fuchs | |
| powered by Stryker |