Conference report on the Indo Global Summit on Head and Neck Oncology (IGSHNO 2017-BMCON-IV), 24–26 February 2017, Jaipur, India

Abstract

‘The multidisciplinary approach: expanding treatment horizons for head and neck cancer’ was the major theme of the Indo Global Summit on Head and Neck Oncology (IGSHNO 2017-BMCON-IV). The meeting, held in Jaipur (Rajasthan, India) from 24 to 26 February 2017, assembled 600 participants from India and worldwide. It was organised by the Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (BMCHRC), Jaipur. BMCHRC Jaipur is one of the largest superspeciality oncology research and treatment centres in north India. The vision of BMCHRC has been to foster collaboration between oncologists, encouraging dialogue in an open forum that improves the care and outcomes of patients with cancer using the latest advances in cancer treatment. IGSHNO 2017 was part of this aim and vision.The organising team, including Dr Anil Gupta (Organising Secretary), Dr Lalit Mohan Sharma (Organising Secretary), Dr Pawan Singhal (Chairperson, scientific programme), Dr Tej Prakash Soni (Treasurer, Organising Secretary, Radiotherapy workshop), Dr Umesh Bansal and Dr Dinesh Yadav (Joint Organising Secretary), Dr Anjum Khan (Organising Secretary, Palliative care workshop), Dr Gaurav Pal Singh (Organising Secretary, Dental and prosthodontics workshop) and Dr (Maj Gen) SC Pareek (Medical Director, BMCHRC, Jaipur, India) worked hard for the previous 6 months to make this conference a successful academic event.IGSHNO 2017, held over three days, is a chance for oncologists from different parts of India to come together and discuss ongoing research, recent announcements and introduce new developments in head and neck cancer. It consisted of 51 lectures, seven debates, 10 panel discussions, oral paper presentations, e-poster sessions, a quiz for postgraduate students, a live surgery workshop, a prosthodentics workshop for dentists, a radiotherapy contouring workshop for radiation oncologists, a pain and palliative care workshop and a meet the expert session—all focusing on the multidisciplinary treatment of head and neck cancer.Special highlights from IGSHNO 2017 included the radiotherapy contouring workshop, the live surgery workshop by internationally renowned head and neck oncosurgeons, the dental and prosthodontics workshop and the pain and palliative care workshop.