Oncolgy
Individual Courses and Comprehensive Study Program
Oncology I and/or Feline Oncology are the basic courses in the full study program. Candidates must finish Oncology I before continuing with Oncology II & III. Oncology II or III can be taken in any order. Oncology IV is reserved for participants, who have completed Oncology I – III and if the course is fully booked, preference will be given to participants, who have enrolled in the Master’s program.
Oncology I – III will cover all major topics of canine and feline oncology. With most vets being mainly interested either in medical oncology or surgical oncology, the courses aim at meeting everyone’s needs and build a solid foundation in this truly multi-disciplinary field.
Oncology IV will focus on interactive case management of interesting and/or more complex cancer cases and cover current and/or more advanced topics in oncology.
“Feline Oncology” can be attended as a stand-alone course for veterinarians with a strong interest in feline medicine & surgery and/or as an intensive course. While major topics in Feline Oncology will also be covered in Oncology I-IV, this course will cover these topics in even greater detail and also address less common feline tumours. It is ideally taken before or after Oncology I.
Oncology I
This course will start with the diagnostic approach to the cancer patient, including biopsy taking, staging procedures, diagnostic imaging options as well as several practical cytology sessions. Further, there will be a detailed discussion of common (surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy) and novel (e.g. tyrosine kinase inhibitors, metronomic chemotherapy) treatment options. Management of side effects will be explained and safe handling of chemotherapeutic drugs will be practiced hands-on. A major emphasis of the course will be on interactive and case oriented work using a systematic approach to the cancer patient including recognizing symptoms, interpreting radiographic findings, choosing correct staging procedures and formulating a therapeutic plan. There will be a detailed discussion of neoplasms of the skin and adnexal structures as they are the most common tumours in clinical practice.
“Oncology I” will start from scratch and provide a very solid basis of oncological principles. It is ideal for veterinarians with little or no previous knowledge in veterinary oncology, but also suitable for people, who want to deepen their understanding.
Oncology II
This course builds up on Oncology I and addresses some of the most common canine and feline tumours including haematopoietic neoplasms (e.g. lymphoma) and oral, gastrointestinal, pancreatic & hepatosplenic tumours. There will be a wet-lab microscopy session practicing blood smear and lymph node cytology. A major emphasis of the course will be again on understanding how to approach a patient with cancer. There will be lots of interactive and case oriented work using a systematic approach to the cancer patient including recognizing symptoms, interpreting radiographic findings, choosing correct staging procedures and formulating a therapeutic plan.
Oncology III
This course builds up on Oncology I&II and address a variety of highly interesting neoplasms including tumours of the respiratory and urogenital tract as well as ocular, auricular, endocrine and miscellaneous intrathoracic tumours. There will be lots of interactive and case oriented work using a systematic approach to the cancer patient. This includes recognizing symptoms, interpreting radiographic & cytological findings, choosing appropriate staging procedures and formulating a therapeutic plan.
Oncology IV
This course will focus on interactive case management of interesting and/or more complex cancer cases and cover current and/or more advanced topics such as, for example, cytology of neoplastic diseases in internal organs, bone marrow cytology, sentinel lymph node mapping and communication skills. For this course participants are required to have an intermediate understanding of oncology and cytology. They have to interact with their peers and work-up cases independently in small groups and/or in plenary sessions.
Feline Oncology
This course is specifically designed to provide feline practitioners with the “A to Z” of cancer in cats. This course is ideal for veterinarians with little or no previous knowledge in veterinary oncology, but also highly suitable for feline practitioners, who want to deepen their understanding of feline oncology and get up-to-date with the current state of clinical research. It can be attended independently of Oncology I-IV. While major topics of feline oncology will also be covered in Oncology I-IV, the Feline Oncology course will cover these topics in much greater detail and also address less common feline tumours.