The 2021 IGCS Annual Global Meeting is scheduled to be held in Rome at the Auditorium Parco della Musica with portions of the program being held in a digital environment so that delegates unable to travel may participate remotely.

With planning for IGCS 2021 underway, we have an excellent opportunity to look ahead with optimism. While the meetings and conventions has transformed in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe the best approach to move forward is to be bold, see challenges as opportunities and work together to assemble an outstanding Congress.

Safety is of course our utmost priority and the IGCS team is working very closely with a local professional conference organizer, the venue, and the Italian government as rules and regulations are released for safe ways to gather with an abundancy of caution. We will keep you fully informed in the coming weeks and months and understand how this may affect the way you can register for the Congress.

We continue to be most appreciative to the Società Italiana di Oncologia Ginecologica (SIOG) and the Società Italiana di Ginecologia e Ostetrica (SIGO) for their continued support and partnership in planning Rome 2021.

Read more in the welcome letter from the 2021 Scientific Program Committee Chairs. Please check back regularly for updates about the IGCS 2021 Annual Global Meeting. Join us in thinking bold!

2021 Scientific Program Committee Chairs

Ana Oaknin, MD, PhD (Spain)

Matthew Powell, MD (USA)

Abstract Submission Deadline Extended: May 12, 2021

The abstract and surgical film submission deadline has been extended to May 12, 2021. Accepted abstracts will be assigned as oral presentations for the plenary sessions, oral posters, or e-posters. In 2020 our digital abstract poster hall was overwhelmingly popular, allowing for the learner to not only view the digital posters but listen to a short audio recording of the author describing their work. Throughout the duration of the meeting, the 450 digital posters were viewed over 4200 times.

Submit your Abstract here.

View Abstract Submission Topics.

View Abstract Submission Guidelines. 

Preliminary Program Details

• 3.5 days of programming
• Delegates may attend in person or virtually (Two registration options will be available. Those who attend in person will have full access to the virtual platform.)
• Master Sessions on ovarian, cervix, uterine, and vulvar cancers are back by popular demand
• Surgical education track
• Oral abstract presentations
• Continuing medical education credits for live and on-demand sessions
• The featured poster sessions and virtual abstract poster hall will be just as robust as the 2020 meeting with the poster hall featuring audio recordings from the authors

View the preliminary schedule of sessions (session titles and details to be announced).

Optimizing Engagement with the Latest Virtual Meeting Technology and Hub & Spoke Model

Expanding on the success of the fully digital 2020 IGCS Annual Global Meeting, IGCS 2021 will utilize the latest virtual meeting technology to broadcast engaging sessions and provide delegates access to hundreds of virtual abstract posters and audio recordings.

Engagement is major priority for IGCS 2021, and we have found a unique way to disseminate our education globally without sacrificing personal interaction for those who cannot be in Rome. With the virtual platform we will be using a “hub and spoke” approach that will allow us to broadcast from Rome as the hub, to many locations where gynecologic oncology professionals may gather all over the globe – thus creating the spokes.

We will be encouraging regional gatherings of delegates when conducive and identifying local key opinion leaders in each of these regions to interact with the speakers and moderators in Rome to provide a similar effect and impact as to being there in person.

Registration

Delegates will have the option to register to attend in person or virtually. Those who attend in person will have full access to the virtual platform. A link to register and pricing information will be available soon.

Featured: Lecture and Discussion on Palliative Medicine and End of Life Care with Dr. Michael Pearl

Login to the IGCS Education Portal to access a recently recorded didactic focusing on palliative medicine and end of life care by Dr. Michael Pearl from Stony Brook University Hospital in the USA. Dr. Pearl is formally trained in both Gynecologic Oncology and Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

The lecture was recorded live with the international fellows enrolled in the IGCS Global Curriculum and Mentorship Program.

In the first 60 minutes of the recording, Dr. Pearl provides an overview of palliative medicine, including end-of-life care, ethics, and communication. After the lecture, he conducts and question and answer segment with the international gynecologic oncology fellows.

“Death is a natural and inevitable end to life; helping patients achieve an appropriate and easy passage to death is one of the most important and rewarding services that a physician can provide.” -American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine

New Literature Highlight in the Pathology Corner

The March supplement issue of the International Journal of Gynecologic Pathology is dedicated to findings from the ISGyP Endocervical Adenocarcinoma Project.

The goals of the project were to
1. understand the spectrum of current practices in pathologic evaluation and reporting of endocervical adenocarcinoma, including a review of the literature and a member survey,
2. improve global reproducibility of endocervical adenocarcinoma classification and pathologic reporting; and
3. assess prognostic significance of WHO/IECC endocervical adenocarcinoma classification and Silva pattern-based classification of HPV-associated adenocarcinomas.

Summaries of the articles are provided in the IGCS Pathology Corner.

Early Career Workshop 
A recording of the Early Career Workshop (recorded live on January 30, 2021) and presentation slides are now available for members in the IGCS Education Portal. 

Early Career Research & Publications Network

Purpose
The goal of this network is to provide early career members with a supportive network of peers and mentors to discuss publishing and writing as critical components to career development. The network will also allow group members the opportunity to develop and promote research projects.

Eligibility
This network is open to IGCS members dedicated to the study of gynecologic cancers who are within the first five years of completion of sub-specialty training.

Participation
The network will convene via video conference, online discussion boards and in-person meetings at the IGCS Annual Global Meeting.

Joining the Network
Eligible early career members may request to join the network by logging into the IGCS MEMBER CENTER and clicking GROUPS in the top toolbar, then click +Join Group button. A message will be sent to an IGCS staff member who will verify your eligibility and you will receive an approved or denied message, depending on your completion year of training.

Please be sure your graduation year is filled out in your IGCS Member profile as this will determine your eligibility for the group.

If you are not an IGCS Member, Join today!

Mentors
The volunteer mentors have previous and current experience in career development, mentorship, publishing and scientific presentation. The mentors will communicate regularly with the network to stimulate research ideas, provoke and moderate discussions and connect network members.

Elena Ioana Braicu, MD, PhD Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin Germany Network Mentor

	Sean Dowdy, MD Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN United States Network Mentor
	Rhonda Farrell, BAppSc MBBS FRANZCOG CGO MSurg Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, University of Sydney Australia Network Mentor

Francesco Plotti, MD, PhD Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma Italy Network Mentor

Robert Coleman, MD University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center United States Council Liaison

Junior Mentors

Geetu Bhandoria, MD Indian Armed Forces India

Arthur Hsu, MD National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch Taiwan

Sadie Jones, MD Cardiff University Wales, UK

Navya Nair, MD Louisiana State University USA

Florencia Noll, MD Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires Argentina

 

Questions or comments regarding the network may be directed to the IGCS Membership Manager, Cathy Fearing at cathy.fearing@igcs.org.

Education Highlight: New Pathology Corner Resources

Login to the IGCS Education Portal to access new resources recently uploaded in the Pathology Corner:

• WHO Classifications of Female Genital Tumors – 5th Edition Update: summaries for cervix, ovary, uterine (updated), vulvar & vaginal cancers;
• Interesting Cases: There are now 3 cases to study, the latest being a new case on malignant mesothelioma in situ.
• Literature Highlights: December 2020 highlights have been added.

ASK A PATHOLOGIST

Ask a Pathologist is available to IGCS Members thanks to our Strategic Alliance Partnership with the International Society of Gynecological Pathologists. Answers to incoming questions are provided by the members of the IGCS Pathology Work Group and represent their opinion based upon the current and usual practices in the field.

Under the direction of Anna Plotkin, Pathology Work Group Lead, and with significant contributions from our Strategic Alliance Partner Members at the International Society of Gynecological Pathologists (ISGyP), the corner was created to streamline pathology related education curated specifically for gynecologic oncologists. We would like to acknowledge and express gratitude to our work group members for their efforts: Anna Plotkin, Work Group Lead (Canada), Blake Gilks (Canada), Siobhan O’Connor (USA), Joseph Rabban (USA), Adrian Suarez (USA), Gulisa Turashvili (Canada), and Rachael van der Griend (New Zealand) and all the contributors who have agreed to share content.

We hope you enjoy the new educational content in the Pathology Corner of the IGCS Member Education Portal!