IO Foundation Course

ECIO once again offered an Interventional Oncology Foundation course in 2026, providing young interventionists interested in expanding their practice to include oncology treatments a first introduction to the fourth pillar of cancer care. This was a fantastic learning opportunity for young physicians ready to become the next generation of interventional oncologists!

If you have not had the chance to attend the IO Foundation Course so far, you can watch the IO Foundation Course 2026 on demand via the online congress platform!

Why this course matters

Interventional oncology (IO) offers safe and effective treatment for patients with a variety of malignancies.

Since its beginnings a few decades ago, when IO was often considered a mere go-to in the case of hard-to-reach or unresectable tumours, its importance has expanded dramatically leading to ever-new oncologic applications of minimally invasive image-guided procedures.

This does not only hold true in a palliative setting. In recent years, potentially curative IR procedures have also emerged, making an increasingly significant contribution to the treatment of oncologic patients.

These developments are quickly establishing IO as the fourth pillar of cancer care alongside medical, surgical and radiation oncology. IO procedures, when applied to the right patients, achieve excellent oncological results with fewer complications and shorter hospital stays than conventional surgery. As a result, they are less expensive and more cost-effective than surgery.

Directed at trainees and young staff members, the IO Foundation Course will enable you to get a first overview of the most important IO procedures and how they fit into a truly multidisciplinary approach to cancer care.

In addition to getting to know the IO toolkit, you will learn about the main elements of oncology care provided by the various MDT members, including the essentials of surgical, medical and radiation oncology, and relevant aspects of histopathology.