Program Overview

Introduction to the University Program

The University offers a Certificat d'Université en Oncologie digestive, a university certificate program in digestive oncology. This program is designed to provide complementary knowledge in oncology to gastroenterologists.

Program Details

• Program Title: Certificat d'Université en Oncologie digestive
• Program Code: FC-617
• Organizing Faculty: Centre de Formation Continue en Santé et Sciences de la vie, Faculté de Médecine
• Type of Degree: Formation continue (Continuing Education)
• Accessible for Re-entry Students: Yes
• Type of Schedule: Daytime schedule
• Language of Instruction: French
• Duration of the Program: Long (more than 15 days)
• Campus: Institut Jules Bordet, Réseau hospitalier wallon > CHU Tivoli, CHU Charleroi, CHU Amrboise Paré
• Category/Thematic: Health - Medical Sciences

Objectives of the Formation

The primary objective of this formation is to provide and structure complementary knowledge in digestive oncology to gastroenterology, through the practice of hospital stages and theoretical and practical courses/seminars. The formation will cover the aspects of the ministerial decree, including practical and theoretical aspects of managing digestive tumors from diagnosis to curative and palliative treatment, considering all multidisciplinary aspects of this approach.

Stage

• The stages take place in the ULB's (but not exclusively) gastroenterology, digestive oncology, and medical oncology services recognized by the Public Health Service.
• Clinical stages and seminars (in-person and active participation) are subject to evaluation (at the end of the first year), which will be completed by an oral evaluation in the presence of a jury composed of at least 3 members of the teaching commission at the end of the formation.

Calendar and Inscriptions

• Pre-requisites: Doctoral degree, specialist in gastroenterology or at the end of training in gastroenterology.
• Target Audience: This formation is aimed at anyone recognized as a specialist in gastroenterology or at the end of (6th year) training in gastroenterology. However, it can be opened to other masters, subject to justification from the candidate and acceptance by the scientific commission of the Digestive Oncology certificate.

Program Content

The formation covers two years, with the candidate required to follow a number of hours of courses corresponding to 5 credits each year. The formation will allow the candidate to become familiar with the different notions essential to the management of digestive tumors from the esophagus to the anus, including liver, biliary, pancreatic tumors, as well as digestive neuroendocrine tumors. The teaching will focus on the diagnostic and therapeutic approach, both curative and palliative, emphasizing multidisciplinary complementarity and knowledge of anticancer agents used in digestive oncology.

Content of the 2 Years - 10 Credits

The subjects covered will include:

• Diagnostic assessments and staging of digestive tumors by endoscopy and imaging
• Knowledge of medical-surgical therapeutic attitudes
• Knowledge of loco-regional, metabolic, and systemic treatment attitudes
• Knowledge of chemotherapy, biological, and targeted therapy schemes and immunotherapy for digestive tumors
• Knowledge of prescription modes and side effects and their management of these therapies
• Knowledge of indications for radiotherapy techniques and their side effects
• Knowledge of histological and molecular profiles related to digestive tumors and their therapeutic applications
• Curative and palliative endoscopic management of digestive tumors
• Oncological emergencies
• Support care, pain management
• Nutritional aspects and support
• Oncopsychology and communication of the diagnosis announcement
• Heredity of digestive cancers and preneoplastic states
• Clinical and translational research applied to digestive cancers

Work and Final Evaluation - 5 Credits

A final work, including an article to be communicated or published, as well as an oral evaluation, will be required from the candidate. The work and final evaluation will focus on a specific topic in digestive oncology, defined at the beginning of the formation and validated by the scientific commission; the jury evaluating the candidate will consist of 3 members of the teaching commission.

Academic Responsible and Teaching Commission

• Academic Responsible: Prof. Jean-Luc Van Laethem
• Teaching Commission: Includes several professors from the Faculté de Médecine, such as Prof. Marianna Arvanitaki, Prof. Ahmad Awada, among others.

Tuition Fee

• The tuition fee for this program is 280 euros per year.