The 2026 European Conference on Interventional Oncology (ECIO) was held in Basel, Switzerland, from April 26–30, bringing together cancer care specialists from around the world.
To watch ECIO 2026 sessions on demand, visit the ECIO congress platform here.
ECIO 2026 offered something for everyone, whether they were a new trainee or an experienced practitioner. Led by Scientific Programme Committee Chairperson Prof. Jean Palussière and Deputy Chairperson Martijn Meijerink, the ECIO schedule was packed with relevant, practical, and forward-looking sessions with topic highlights including breast, musculoskeletal, and lung cancer.
The IO Foundation Course and Breast Cryoablation Course were held on the first day of the congress—both were packed with only standing-room left. The IO Foundation Course offered professionals who may not be fully aware of interventional oncology (IO) insights into IO’s place within the broader landscape of cancer treatment.
The Breast Cryoablation Course was a brand-new addition to ECIO. The half-day programme opened with a session on how to build a clinical practice for breast cryoablation, followed by a hands-on session, a clinical case presentation and discussion, and closed with a session on pushing the boundaries of the technique.
Dr. Rūta Dubeikaitė (Kaunas/LT), an interventional radiologist, said, “We found the session on how to build a clinical practice for breast cryoablation very informative. Our IR team has performed only one breast cryoablation, and we’d like to establish a practice for breast IO within the department in the future.”
The Breakthroughs in interventional oncology session saw expert speakers break down the latest key findings and advances in interventional oncology, including clinical trials, emerging therapies, and IR-immunotherapy combinations. In the wrap-up discussion, Dr. Brad Wood (Bethesda/US) reflected on the field’s future, noting that it is “a cool time to be doing minimally invasive, image-guided immunomodulation” and that there is potential for even greater advances as subtleties of such approaches are better understood.
Throughout the congress, the importance of interventional oncologists within multidisciplinary teams was a central theme. The ECIO meets sessions with the European-African Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (E-AHPBA), European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), and EUROSPINE, the Spine Society of Europe, brought specialists from neighbouring disciplines into direct dialogue with interventional oncologists.
The Collaborating Against Cancer Initiative allowed IOs attending ECIO to bring a tumour board colleague along to the congress free of charge to promote multidisciplinary collaboration. This year, over thirty IOs participated in the programme, bringing oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, and other specialists to the congress.
ECIO 2026 included extensive options for attendees to gain hands-on experience in several areas. Tumour ablation sessions focused on heat-based, non-thermal, and cold-based ablation as well as on confirmation software. Radioembolization sessions were offered on dosimetry and administration systems, and two sessions were held on musculoskeletal IO interventions.
While visiting the ESIR booth for “Paeds in practice – Tumour ablation in children” workshop, Dr. Yas Hashem (Goteborg/SE) shared his motivation for practicing with the latest interventional devices. “I am shifting from diagnostic radiology to interventional radiology, and furthering my education by coming to CIRSE congresses and getting involved as much as possible with hands-on trainings will prepare me for clinical practice.”
In parallel with scientific sessions, in-person attendees could take advantage of the interactive activities offered onsite. Quizzes, competitions, feedback sessions, and networking receptions offered fun opportunities to interact with CIRSE initiatives such as CIRSE Academy, EBIR, and CVIR journals and other attendees.
The Women’s Networking Breakfast, sponsored by Boston Scientific, drew an enthusiastic crowd that represented a range of ages and career levels. Dr. Maria Reig (Barcelona/ES) spoke on role models, how to adapt to new environments and different personalities, and emphasized the importance not just of diversity in gender but also in culture.
Two specialized communication workshops offered small-group exercises and effective techniques for communicating with patients and other MDT members. In the patient communication workshop, Dr. Diana Zwahlen, a psychologist at the University Hospital Basel, offered participants advice on patient consultations.
“You’re not giving a psychological consultation, but most patients just want a minute or two to share their emotions. And noticing them and addressing them while also sharing your technical competency is very important,” said Dr. Zwahlen.
Save the date for ECIO 2027, which will take place from May 1-5 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. The Scientific Programme Committee is already hard at work on next year’s programme. In the meantime, you can help spread the word about ECIO 2027 with our promo materials!
