Topics in Veterinary Oncology 2026:
Sat 14 & Sun 15 March
Is it all between the ears?
Advances in Head & Neck Cancer in Dogs & Cats
complete the 'Sign Up' form below and we'll keep you posted!
A B O U T
Topics in Veterinary Oncology is an onsite & online congress on Small Animal Clinical Oncology
Topics in Veterinary Oncology (a.k.a. ONCOlogisch Treffen or the Dutch International
Veterinary Oncology Conference) has been organized for the past 20 years.
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The congress' subject is always centered around 1 topic.
This can be: ​ an organ system (GI, respiratory, skin...),
a tumor type (neuro-endocrine, soft tissue sarcomas...), a body part (head & neck),
a species (feline) or a presentation (emergency oncology)
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The subject is always discussed in-depth by:
a medical oncologist, a surgeon/surgical oncologist, a radiotherapist,
a diagnostic imager, a pathologist (depending on the subject) and/or
a specialist on a specific subject (e.g. ophthalmologist, neurologist...).
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We always invite a human medical doctor for a key-note lecture on the subject.
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congress language is English
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Read all about our former congresses here:
SCHEDULE
preliminary program
(updated 8 December 2025)
day 1, Saturday 14 March 2026
chairwoman: dr. Ruth Fortrie (dipl.ECVS)
08.30 Registration & coffee
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09.00 Congress opening
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Session on Ocular Tumors in dogs & cats
'Is it just a surgical disease...?'
09.15 Ocular melanoma, Squamous cell carcinoma of the eyelid, Membrana nictitans as a special entity, Mast cell tumors (conjunctiva and peri-orbital), Other tumors (HSA, adenocarcinoma...)
dr. Rick Sanchez (ophtalmologist)​​​​
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10.15 Ocular lymphoma, Juvenile rhabdomyosarcoma, Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy in ocular melanoma,
Radiotherapy and the eyes: how to prevent the eyes from (collateral) damage during RT, early & late side-effects, electrochemotherapy in cats
dr. Juan Serra (radiotherapist)
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10.45 Coffee break
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Session on Ear Tumors in dogs & cats
'Can you hear them whispering...?'
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11:15 Nasopharyngeal and ear polyps, Ceruminous gland adenocarcinoma, Cholesteatoma, Mast cell tumors of the pinna in the dog, SCC in the cat, lymhoma of the middle ear, other tumors: imaging, treatment options
dr. Gert ter Haar (ENT surgeon)
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12:00 Time for questions & panel discussion, all speakers
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12:10 Lunch
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13.15 Key-note lecture: Past, Present & Future of Head & Neck Surgery
dr. Jan Jaap Hendrickx (MD)
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14.15 Time for questions and panel discussion​
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Session on Brain Tumors in dogs & cats
Part 1, Overview
14.30 Overview of small animal Brain Tumors, ddx, clinical presentation, 1st line vs referral, radiologic appearance and staging
dr. Niklas Bergknut (neurologist)
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15.15 Coffee break
Session on Brain Tumors in dogs & cats
Part 2, 'Use your brain: what should you do?'
15.45 Surgical options (biopsy, curative vs palliative, ethical aspects), medical options
dr. Niklas Bergknut (neurologist)
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16.25 Radiotherapy of Brain Tumors: dr. Juan Serra (radiotherapist)
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17.00 Time for questions & panel discussion
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17.15 Drinks at the bar offered by the Organizing Committee of Topics in Veterinary Oncology
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19.00 Dinner & 'BBB' ('Booze, Bed & Brain', everything that helps to process the incoming information)
Day 2, Sunday 15 March 2026
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Chairpeople: Ruth Fortrie (dipl.ECVS) & Benjamin van Rijswoud
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08.30 Good morning & coffee
Session on Intranasal tumors in dogs & cats
part 1, Overview
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09.00 Feline & canine nasal lymphoma, adenocarcinoma, SCC of the planum nasale, other tumors (clinical and radiological appearance, rhinoscopy, pitfalls and misdiagnosis, cases
dr. Gert ter Haar (ENT surgeon)
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Session on Intranasal tumors in dogs & cats
part 2, 'How can we make them sniff again?'
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09.45 Surgical (non-endoscopic) & medical options for intranasal tumors
dr. Gert ter Haar (ENT surgeon)
09.05 Radiotherapy for nasal tumors
dr. Juan Serra (radiotherapist)
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10.30 Coffee break
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Session on Intranasal tumors in dogs & cats
part 3, Ear Nose Throat (ENT) interventional procedures
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11:00 ENT interventional procedures in Head & Neck neoplasia: endoscopic management of nasal cavity tumors, endoscopic debridement, RF bipolar ablation, endoscopic guided intranasal electrochemotherapy, transarterial embolization as coadjuvant treatment for bleeding intranasal tumors, exoscopic transoral approach to laryngeal selected cases
dr. Fausto Brandao (interventional surgeon)
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11.45 Time for questions & panel discussion
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12.00 Announcement winner of Dutch Animal Cancer Foundation - Johan de Vos Research Award
awarded by Dr. Bart de Leeuw
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12.15 Lunch
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Session on Oral tumors in dogs & cats
part 1
13.30 Benign tumors (plasmacell tumors, dental epulis, odontoma/acanthomatous ameloblastoma), Oral melanoma, Osteosarcoma, Fibrosarcoma, SCC, papillary SCC, salivary gland carcinoma
dr. Gert ter Haar (ENT surgeon)
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14.20 role of NIFR in lymphadenectomy for head tumors
dr. Fausto Brandao (surgeon)
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14.35 Time for questions and panel discussion
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14.35 Coffee break
Session on Oral tumors in dogs & cats
part 2
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15.05 Radiotherapy (intra- & extra-oral) for oral tumors in dogs and cats, salivary gland tumors, MLO (multilobular osteochondrosarcoma), Calvarium tumors
dr. Juan Serra​ (radiotherapist)
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15.45 Other tumors that I have seen over the years (oesophageal, laryngeal, thyroid gland, parathyroid, salivary gland carcinoma)
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dr. Gert ter Haar (ENT surgeon)
16.15 Time for questions & panel discussion
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16.30 Conference closing ceremony​​​
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SPEAKERS
Rick Sanchez (ophtalmo), Gert ter Haar (ENT Sx), Juan Serra (RT),
Niklas Bergknut (neuro), Fausto Brandao (intervent Sx)
Jan Jaap Hendrickx (MD)
(their bios will be here soon !)
LIVE STREAM & RECORDING
This conference is professionally recorded by Yellenge in high quality resolution!
SPONSORS 2026
click on the logos for more information
PLATINUM SPONSOR
GOLD SPONSOR
SILVER SPONSORS
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BRONZE SPONSORS
We wish to thank the sponsors for their financial support!
CONGRESS VENUE
Congress venue is - as always - the former monastery 'Kontakt der Kontinenten' in Soesterberg (near Utrecht), The Netherlands.
The conference center has plenty of rooms available to stay overnight, a big parking lot and charging options for EVs.
Rooms can be booked on their website, button below (don't wait too long!)
TICKETS
Like many years before the registration price is the same for the whole 2-day conference, whether you take it onsite, online or a combination of both (if you combine, choose 'live/onsite' as your first option).
The conference is streamed live and/or can be viewed afterwards on demand.
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The registration fee includes a pdf of the congress proceedings, compiling the powerpoints.
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If you take the congress onsite, you can take part in the congress dinner for an extra 60€.​
The early bird runs until 15th January 2026!
Registration runs through our congress organizing partner Yellenge
