3rd DiCE CRC Screening Summit
Future Challenges & Opportunities for CRC Screening in Europe
A Virtual Event
November 30, 2022 9:00-12:30
Speaker presentations
- CRC screening in Europe: past learnings for future improvements – Iris Lansdorp-Vogelaar
- The European Commission Initiative on Colorectal Cancer (ECICC) – Ciaran Nicholl
- Future Challenges & Opportunities for CRC Screening in Europe – Carlo Senore
- Screening for Colorectal Cancer before Age 50 – Elena Stoffel
- Future Challenges & Opportunities for CRC Screening in Europe – Giulia Cavestro
- Precision medicine in Colorectal Cancer in the Youth – Jose Perea
Agenda
Eric Van Cutsem
Dr Eric Van Cutsem, MD, PhD, is full professor and Division Head of Digestive Oncology at University of Leuven (KUL) and University Hospitals Gasthuisberg, Leuven, Belgium. He became in 2018 doctor honoris causa of the Medical University of Warsaw, Poland. He is Member of the Belgian Royal Academy of Medicine and president of the Belgian Foundation against Cancer.
He received several awards, amongst which were in 2019 the ESMO Award and the European Awards in Medicine for Cancer Research. His research focuses on the development of new diagnostic and treatment strategies for GI cancers. He published > 623 articles (Pubmed) and more than 1333 (Thomson Web of Science), leading to more than 85.000 citations and an H-factor of 133. In 2013, Capital magazine ranked him in the top 3 reputed colon cancer experts globally. Thomson Reuters ranks him in the top 1% for impact in his domain.
He co-founded ESMO GI/World Congress on Gastrointestinal Cancer, and is Chair of the meeting in Barcelona, Spain. He serves/served on the board or key committee of ESMO (executive board and several committees), ASCO (program committee and international affairs committee), EORTC (executive board and chair GI Cancer group), ), ENET (advisory board), ECCO (program committee), ESDO (president), UEG (Scientific Committee, public affairs committee), ESO (scientific committee), BGDO (Belgian Group Digestive Oncology), FAPA (Familial Adenomatous Polyposis Association) and of the patient advocacy groups, Europacolon and Digestive Cancers Europe (co-founder and executive board). He was chairman of the governmental colon cancer prevention task force in Flanders, Belgium.
Lieve Wierinck
Along with being a pharmacist and a former cancer patient, Lieve’s career in politics means she applies her medical, patient and policy expertise to her work as Chair of the DiCE Board.
Lieve Wierinck was a Member of the European Parliament (ALDE – Liberal Democrats) until 2019. She was a member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE). In that capacity, she strove to improve the innovation and competitiveness of Europe.
She was also a member of the informal groups “MEPs Against Cancer” (MAC), and the MEP Interest Group on the Patient Access Partnership (PACT). Earlier this year, Lieve Wierinck received the Parliament Magazine Award for the Best Health MEP.
Lieve was a member of the Belgian Parliament from 2011 to 2014. She was Chair of the National Women’s Group of the Flemish liberal party (Open VLD) from 2014 till 2017. She was a member of the Municipal Council of Zaventem from 1994 to 2018, and also the Chair of the Local Public Welfare Office (OCMW) for twelve years.
She also worked as a pharmacist for 30 years in Zaventem. She is a colon cancer survivor.
Sara Cerdas
MEP Sara Cerdas is a politician from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), Portugal. Mrs Cerdas has been a member of the European Parliament since July 2019.
She is a member of the Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee (ENVI). She is also vice-chair of the Beating Cancer Special Committee and co-Chair of the Health Working Group.
Her aim is to bring health to all policies and contribute to healthier and safer environments where people can enjoy better lifestyles. Her priorities are health accessibility, tackling the threat posed by non-communicable diseases and antimicrobial resistance as well as improving health literacy and education.
Cerdas holds a master’s degree in Medicine from the University of Lisbon, a postgraduate degree in travel medicine from Universidade Nova de Lisboa, a master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Umeå and is a doctoral student in Public Health Sciences from the University of Stockholm.
Deirdre Clune
Deirdre Clune is a Member of the European Parliament for the constituency of Ireland South, having been elected in 2014 and re-elected in 2019. She is a full member of the Parliament’s Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection and a substitute member of the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.
Deirdre graduated from University College Cork in 1980, with a B.E. in Civil Engineering. She completed a diploma in Management Engineering with Trinity College Dublin in 1983. She returned to UCC in 1996 to complete her HDip in Environmental Engineering. Deirdre went on to work with some of the leading engineering firms both here at home and overseas, including Delap & Waller, Roughton & Partners and Arup.
Deirdre is a former member of the Dail Eireann (1997-2002, 2007-2011) and Seanad Eireann (2011-2014). She was elected Lord Mayor of Cork City in 2005, in which time the City was designated as the European Capital of Culture.
During her time in Leinster House, Deirdre was Deputy Spokesperson on Enterprise with the Special Responsibility for Innovation. She was also the Fine Gael spokesperson on Environmental Information and Protection, and Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands.
Deirdre’s father, Peter Barry, was a Dáil Deputy for Cork constituencies between 1969 and 1997 and served as Tánaiste in 1987, Deputy Leader of Fine Gael between 1979 and 1987 and from 1989 to 1993. He was also a Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Environment, Transport & Power and Education.
Her Grandfather, Anthony Barry was a Dáil Deputy in the 1950’s and early 1960s.
Deirdre became the third of her family to hold the mayoralty in Cork, following in the footsteps of her father, Peter who was Lord Mayor of Cork in 1970/71 and her late grandfather, Anthony who was Lord Mayor in 1960/61.
Dr André Ilbawi
Dr André Ilbawi is a native of the United States. He graduated with an undergraduate degree in bioengineering and received his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to commencing work at WHO, he was trained as a cancer surgeon at the University of Washington and MD Anderson Cancer Centre.
He was involved in clinical and research efforts focusing on cancer care in low-resource settings, health system development, and strengthening cost-effective surgical services, including serving as a commissioner in the Lancet Oncology Commission on Global Cancer Surgery.
Dr Ilbawi joined the WHO Department for Management of Noncommunicable Diseases, Disability, Violence and Injury Prevention (NVI) in August 2015 as a Technical Officer. His work supports the priority actions identified at the April 2015 First Strategic and Technical Meeting on the Management of Cancer, aligned with the WHO Global action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases 2013-2020. His current projects include a policy statement on cancer screening and a technical document on comprehensive oral cancer control.
Alongside a broad alliance of WHO departments, he is also supporting the development of a workplan on childhood cancers and related products as well as programmes aimed at improving health systems including access to essential surgical services, particularly as they relate to cancer care.
Iris Lansdorp-Vogelaar
Iris Lansdorp-Vogelaar is an Associate Professor at the Department of Public Health of Erasmus Medical Center (MC) and head of the research section on evaluation of screening for gastrointestinal disorders.
She has been responsible for the management and development of the well-established Microsimulation Screening Analysis (MISCAN) models for the evaluation og cancer screening. She operates at the forefront of cancer screening worldwide, evidencing from 80 publications in top clinical journals in the past 5 years.
Her work directly influenced cancer screening recommendations from the BMJ Rapid Recommendations Panel, American Cancer Society, and US Preventive Services Task Force, as well as US Medicare reimbursement decisions on CT colonography and stool DNA screening. In 2020, she received a career development award for her research contributing to the successful implementation of risk-based cancer screening.
Ciaran Nicholl
Ciarán obtained his PhD in cancer research at Heidelberg University (DE), an MSc degree at Kingston University and Kings College Hospital (UK) and a BSc degree in Chemistry at Galway University (IE).
He joined the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) as a post-doctorate fellow from 1995 – 1997, then worked in JRC communications and in 2012, he started working to build up EC S&T activities on non-communicable diseases, particularly cancer and rare diseases.
Since 2013, Ciarán is head of the Health in Society unit in the JRC’s Directorate for Health, Consumers and Reference Materials.
Together with 40 staff, this unit operates the new European Commission Knowledge Centre on Cancer which is made of five strategic pillars:
- The Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Knowledge Gateway
- The European Cancer Information System
- The new European Cancer Inequalities Registry
- The European Guidelines and Quality Assurance Schemes for Breast and Colorectal Cancers
The EU Platform for Rare Diseases Registration which also hosts the European Central Registries for Congenital Anomalies and Cerebral Palsies
Tytti Sarkeala
Tytti Sarkeala, PhD (epidemiology), is a Director of Screening at the Finnish Cancer Registry. She is responsible for registration and evaluation of breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening programs in Finland.
She has published several scientific papers on cancer screening and public health and works as a supervisor and tutor of MSc and doctoral students.
Christian von Wagner
Dr Christian von Wagner is a Reader in Behavioural Research of Early Diagnosis of Cancer at the Health Behaviour Research Centre, UCL.
He is working on research into the social and psychological determinants of uptake of the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme. His other research interests is in patient experience of bowel cancer screening and diagnostic tests.
His other research interests include patient decision making and preferences, health literacy and cancer communication.
10.15 – BREAK
Carlo Senore
Carlo Senore has a medical degree from the University of Turin. He also completed his post-graduate degree there in Internal Medicine. Following this he gained a Master of Science, Epidemiology from McGill University in Montreal.
He currently runs the Piedmont Region Screening Program at the region’s university hospital ‘CPO Piemonte; AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza’ in Turin. This is following extensive experience in public health particularly related to cancer screening programs.
Since 2004 he has been a member of the faculty at the University of Turin, Medical School lecturing in evidence based medicine as well as being a part of the post-doctoral School of Oncology there.
His research fields include:
- Colorectal and breast cancer screening organisation and evaluation cancer screening compliance; comparative effectiveness of CRC screening strategies; health technology assessment; guidelines development; smoking prevention and control; cancer screening and healthy lifestyle promotion interventions (diet, physical activity and tobacco consumption).
- Experience in design, implementation and analysis of randomized trials evaluating screening strategies, diagnostic technologies and primary prevention interventions, in the development of clinical guidelines and implementation of quality control projects aimed at assessing quality of treatment of colorectal cancer.
Mircea Mănuc
Mircea Mănuc is a professor of gastroenterology and holds a degree in public health and health services management. He has over 15 years experience in cancer screening development and implementation and currently he is leading the implementation of first pilot-projects for CRC screening in Romania.
He is responsible of the training programmes for health professionals involved in the CRC pilot-projects and of the quality assurance and quality control system.
Rema Gvamichava
Dr Gvamichava is a member of Georgian Medical Academy, Professor of Tbilisi State Medical University(TSMU), Head of Oncology Department and Member of TSM Academic board, architect and the first Director of National Screening Centre (State Cancer Screening Program executor) during 2008–17; the founder and chairmen of “Georgian Society of Clinical Oncologists”(GSCO), chief editor and publisher of scientific journal “Clinical Oncology” as well as founder and chair NGO “Cancer Prevention Center” and Director of the Radiation Center.
Since 2016 the Faculty Member of the European School of Oncology(ESO) on cancer prevention and screening. As the chairman of GSCO in partnership with ESO he organized 4 educational courses and 2 masterclasses in Georgia. Prof.Gvamichava is the author of “Oncology” manual, which is recommended textbook for medical students, residents and doctoral researchers. In 2012 he received the National Award of Georgia for this work.
He is the author 130 scientific publications. Prof.Gvamichava is key Georgian partner of EU research project EU-TOPIA (2017-2019) on cancer screening and since May 2021 the Georgian Team leader of EU „Horizon2020 project „Towards improved screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer in Eastern-Europe: Equitable, Actionable, Sustainable and Trustworthy ‘EU-TOPIA-EAST”(Romania,Montenegro,Georgia).
Andre Carvalho
Dr. Andre Carvalho is a senior scientist at the Prevention and Screening Branch of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO). He has obtained his MD in Brazil, and has PhD in Oncology from University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, a and a MPH from University of Washington, USA.
Dr Carvalho’s main interest is to work on implementation science and building capacity as tools to improve cancer control and quality asssurance, particularly in resource-limited settings.
Marianna Vitaloni
Dr. Vitaloni is a patient advocate and, at DiCE, manages medical and scientific initiatives using her multidisciplinary experience to build the bridge between science and global health.
She has been passionate about human health and well-being from the beginning of her professional career. She laureated in Medical and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at the University of Pavia (Italy), where she also obtained her Ph.D. in Genetic and Human Pathology as a result of international collaborations with American and Spanish institutions. As a biomedical researcher, her practice focused on regenerative medicine, stem cells, and disease therapies.
During her research studies, a strong interest in public and global health drove her career toward international initiatives and projects to improve human health. She graduated in public health and collaborated with the WHO Genomics and Global health initiative. She has spent the last five years serving patient organizations.
Elena Stoffel
Dr. Elena Martinez Stoffel is Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan and Assistant Director of Cancer Disparities Outreach for the U-M Rogel Cancer Center. She earned her MD at Harvard Medical School and Master’s in Public Health at the Harvard School of Public Health.
She completed training in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and is Director of the U-M Cancer Genetics Clinic. Her clinical and research work focus on cancer early detection and prevention, and care of families with hereditary cancer syndromes. Her multidisciplinary research collaborations span genetic epidemiology, early detection, and chemoprevention of colorectal cancer.
She is the current Vice Chair of the GI Oncology Section of the American Gastroenterology Association (AGA) and has served on the Cancer Prevention/Genetics subcommittee of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
Giulia Cavestro
Giulia Martina Cavestro is Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology at Vita Salute San Raffaele University, Milan. She is the Director of the “Gastro Per Me” Unit for hereditary gastroenterological tumors and early onset cancers at the University Vita Salute San Raffaele, Milan.
She earned her MD at Padova Medical School, her training in Gastroenterology and her PhD degree at University of Parma, Italy.
Jose Perea
Dr. José Perea García is a Principal Investigator at the Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca (IBSAL) and the Comprehensive Cancer Research Center in Salamanca, and also Chief Department of Surgery at Vithas Arturo Soria Hospital, and Associate Professor of Surgery, at the European University of Madrid, Spain.
He served a surgeon in the Coloproctology Unit at the 12 de Octubre University Hospital for 10 years. Until recently, he has been an Assistant Surgeon at the Jiménez Díaz Foundation University Hospital, as well as PI at the Research Institute in the same institution. He is Assistant Professor of Surgery, at the Medicine College of the Complutense University, in Madrid.
His research lines cover different aspects of colorectal cancer (CRC), especially early-onset CRC (EOCRC), multiple primary CRC, or Inflammatory Bowel Disease associated CRC. He is conducting a collaborative platform between different centers of Spain (multicenter EOCRC prospective cohort) and Europe, in association with other countries worldwide (USA, Latam, Australia), focused on EOCRC, the worldwide network GEOCODE. He is also director of the Early-onset colorectal cancer International Symposium, hosted annually in Madrid, in association with the Fight Colorectal Cancer Foundation, from the USA.
He also been appointed to the organizing committee of the Early Age of Onset CRC Summit, as well as a member of the medical advisory committee of the Colon Cancer Foundation, and Fight Colorectal Cancer Foundation. He is also a member of the Meeting Planning Committee of the Collaborative Group of the Americas for Inherited Gastrointestinal Cancers.
Andi Cârlan
Andi Cârlan is a 39-year-old Romanian, husband, and father of two wonderful girls. He has been working in the pensions and life insurance industry for over 14 years and has built his career in employee benefits, corporate sales, financial advising, training and consultancy. He’s an active volunteer, civic activist, #bloodfluencer, donor and occasional fundraiser, involved in civic social movements, blood donations, social cases and now – the Ukrainian refugees’ crisis in Romania.
In May 2019 at 36 he received the diagnosis of having Stage III Colon Cancer, which was treated with surgery and chemotherapy. Two years later, in July 2021, it came back in the form of a liver metastasis that was surgically removed in September.
Since 2020, he has been advocating for cancer patients in Romania, helping them to cope with cancer and to understand about disease and their treatment options. He also works to share positive ways of dealing with the new life that cancer brings.
He also writes a blog (in Romanian) that documents his journey with cancer and other social, medical and educational themes.
By advising DiCE through the Patient Advisory Committee he is looking to spread the word further and help others on a European level.
Zorana Maravic
A part of Europacolon and now DiCE since 2012, Zorana has always worked closely with our Full Members and Associate Members. With grace, poise and calm, she is working to help Members’ organisations and DiCE grow.
As CEO, Zorana continues her commitment to DiCE taking on the management of the organisation and ensuring the delivery of its missions and goals. In her past role as Director of Operations she was responsible for the co-ordination and support of Member groups, as well as strengthening the network, through establishing relationships with new organisations. During this she has proven her capacity to deliver successfully. Key projects have included:
- A Survey on the Unmet Needs of Patients Living with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (mCRC). She recruited more than 800 patients and had the results under her authorship published widely
- DiCE events: Masterclass events – an educational annual meeting for Member groups
- Awareness campaigns including European Colorectal Cancer Awareness Campaigns (ECCAM)
- Pharmaceutical industry and independent consortia projects
- Developing patient support materials with the Patient Advisory Committee (PAC)
Zorana also acts as a public speaker on topics such as patient support, biosimilars and CRC screening. From 2016 until 2018, Zorana served as a Board Member of EuropaColon.
Before working in the Not-For-Profit sector, Zorana worked for 10 years in the pharmaceutical industry, primarily in sales and marketing of innovative oncology drugs as well as on oncology clinical trials.
She holds a degree in molecular biology from the University of Belgrade, Serbia. In 2017, at the University of Sheffield, UK she gained an Executive MBA in Health Management.
Tit Albreht
Dr. Tit Albreht, M.D. (1961), Slovenian, Ph.D. in Health Services Research at the University of Amsterdam, Head of the Centre for Health Care at the National Institute of Public Health of Slovenia, A senior researcher in the field of health services research, health policy and health systems research, member of the Scientific Committee of EUPHA, president of the Slovenian Preventive Medicine Society, member of the Health Council of the Ministry of Health of Slovenia.
He acts as a reviewer of several scientific journals and of projects submitted for financing to the European Commission. From 2011 to 2014 he was a work package leader of the Work Package in the Joint Action EPAAC – European Partnership for Action Against Cancer. This process resulted in the European Guide on National Cancer Control Programmes. He was the co-ordinator of the Joint Action Cancon (Cancer Control), an EU co-financed project dedicated to informing the development of cancer policies at the EU and Member State levels. Currently, he is the coordinator of the third Joint Action on cancer control, entitled innovative Partnership for Action Against Cancer (iPAAC).
He is an Associate Professor of Public Health at the Medical Faculty of Ljubljana, Slovenia and teaching public health and epidemiology at the Medical Faculty of Maribor and at the Faculty of Nursing in Maribor.
12.20 – END
Tamsin Rose
Tamsin Rose is a facilitator, speaker and trainer with an interest in sparking new ideas to address big societal challenges.
With three decades of experience in communications, and advocacy and network building, her clients range from small non profits to international institutions and everything in between.
She has led a European platform of public health NGOs, managed an EU programme to twin cities in west and eastern Europe, was a radio journalist and now connects citizens’ experiences with the Brussels policy bubble.
