Brussels, 11 June 2026 – The European Society of Surgical Oncology (ESSO) welcomes the second edition of the Global Curriculum in Surgical Oncology, a landmark collaborative initiative with the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) that appears simultaneously in the European Journal of Surgical Oncology and the Annals of Surgical Oncology. The revised curriculum addresses the evolving landscape of cancer care, incorporating major scientific and technological advances while maintaining a strong focus on equitable access to quality surgical oncology training. By providing a globally adaptable framework for education, the curriculum supports ESSO’s mission to advance surgical oncology practice and ensure that cancer patients, regardless of where they live, have access to appropriately trained cancer surgeons.
The second edition responds to a dramatically worsening global cancer crisis. New cancer cases worldwide are projected to grow from 20 million in 2022 to 35.3 million by 2050, with cancer-related deaths expected to nearly double over the same period. Nearly 80% of patients with solid tumors require surgical intervention, and the demand for cancer surgical procedures is projected to increase by 52%, from 9.06 million in 2018 to 13.82 million by 2040. Yet close to 75% of cancer patients worldwide still lack access to safe, timely, affordable, and high-quality cancer surgery.
The curriculum was developed by the reconvened SSO/ESSO Joint Global Surgical Oncology Curriculum Committee, which held approximately 15 meetings over two years beginning in mid-2024, employing a Delphi process to achieve consensus across all sections. The committee was led by Chandrakanth Are, MD, MBA, FSSO, FRCS, FACS, University of Nebraska Medical Center, and Stefan Stattner, MD, FEBS, FRCS, Kepler University Hospital, Linz, Austria, along with co-authors Premila Leiphrakpam, MBBS, DGO, PhD, Taylor Pitzl, BS, Riccardo A. Audisio, MD, Phd(Hon), FRCS, FEBS, Isabel T. Rubio, MD, PhD, FEBS, FSSO and Russell S. Berman, MD, FACS, FSSO, MAMSE.
Cancer knows no borders, and neither should excellence in surgical oncology training. This updated Global Curriculum reflects the strength of international collaboration and provides a foundation for developing the next generation of cancer surgeons across diverse healthcare systems worldwide.
– said Prof. Geerard L. Beets, ESSO President
The second edition retains the foundational principles that made the original curriculum a globally adopted framework — resource stratification, geographic applicability, and a flexible, modular structure — while incorporating major advances in cancer care that have emerged since 2016. Key updates include:
- Immunotherapy and precision oncology: New content covering checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T cell therapy, antibody drug conjugates, and genomic platforms, equipping surgeons to interpret molecular data and integrate these therapies into multimodal care.
- Minimally invasive and robotic surgery: Expanded guidance on laparoscopic, robotic, and fluorescence-guided surgical techniques, contextualized for both resource-rich and resource-limited environments.
- Artificial intelligence: Recognition of AI’s growing role in cancer diagnosis, imaging analysis, and care delivery, with emphasis on the ethical use of emerging technologies.
- Emerging surgical approaches: Updated content on histotripsy, theranostics, pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC), and other novel techniques.
- Equity and access: New emphasis on social determinants of health, financial toxicity, value-based cancer care, and the decentralization of cancer care to community settings.
- Holistic and patient-centered care: Strengthened competencies in culturally sensitive care, shared decision-making, patient-reported outcomes, and telehealth.
The curriculum covers 13 disease-site modules — from breast, colorectal, and upper gastrointestinal cancers to sarcoma, cutaneous oncology, peritoneal surface malignancies, and gynecologic cancers — alongside core competency frameworks spanning professionalism, interprofessional teamwork, experiential learning, systems-based practice, and awareness of emerging technology.
It is our fervent hope that the revised and updated Global Curriculum in Surgical Oncology will serve as a moral impetus and a foundational framework of guidance to comprehensively train the next generation of competent cancer surgeons, who are essential to tackle the rising need for cancer surgery on the global stage.
– said Dr. Are, Director of Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons
Like its predecessor, the second edition is aspirational rather than mandatory and is designed for piecemeal implementation based on local resources, regulations, and accrediting body requirements. It is not intended to be all-inclusive, but to provide foundational scaffolding that can be adapted to the needs of diverse regions worldwide.
Following publication of the first edition, a number of nations and their surgical societies reached out to SSO and ESSO to explore implementation of the curriculum. That momentum continues, with the SSO, ESSO, and member societies of the Global Forum of Cancer Surgeons standing ready to collaborate with nations and societies to advance adoption of the updated curriculum.
About the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO)
The Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) is the premier organization for surgeons and health care providers dedicated to advancing and promoting the science and treatment of cancer. The Society’s focus on all solid-tumor disease sites is reflected in its Annual Meeting, monthly scientific journal (Annals of Surgical Oncology and Surgical Oncology Insight), educational initiatives, and committee structure. The Society’s mission is to improve multidisciplinary patient care by advancing the science, education, and practice of cancer surgery worldwide.
About the European Society of Surgical Oncology (ESSO)
The European Society of Surgical Oncology (ESSO) represents over 15,000 cancer surgeons both within Europe and globally. ESSO’s mission is to support its members in advancing the science and practice of surgical oncology for the benefit of cancer patients through education, research, and leadership in multidisciplinary care. ESSO’s vision is to disseminate the most appropriate cancer treatment to all cancer patients, regardless of where they reside.
European Society of Surgical Oncology (ESSO), Clos Chapelle-aux-Champs 30 bte 1.30.30, BE-Brussels. info@essoweb.org www.essoweb.org
