Highlights from the seventh European Multidisciplinary Colorectal Cancer Congress (EMCCC) 2014

It is widely recognised that colorectal cancer has become a complex disease and involves many medical disciplines. The mission of the European Multidisciplinary Colorectal Cancer Congress (EMCCC), which is an initiative of the Dutch Colorectal Cancer Group (DCCG), is to facilitate the interaction between relevant disciplines on current issues of research. The three-day meeting in Amsterdam in November 2014 assembled approximately 450 participants with nine different disciplines from 38 countries worldwide. On day one, workshops on imaging, surgery, medical oncology/pathology, radiotherapy, and genetics were followed by the keynote lecture of the congress. On day two and three, a total of 35 established international opinion leaders presented lectures in plenary sessions on prevention and screening of early colorectal cancer, genetics, translational research, biomarkers, organ-saving treatment in rectal cancer, current controversies, and multidisciplinary management. Posters from submitted abstracts were displayed, with selected abstracts being orally presented.