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REPORT ON THE WFSOS MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE AND COUNCIL
AT NAPLES ON 6-8 MAY 1999.

Prof. H.S. Shukla. MS FRCS FAMS,
Varanasi.

1. Representatives from 28 member countries attended. Lebanon was a new entrant. Complete list of associations and their members of respective countries is given below:

Argentina: J Kaplan; Austria: MG Simola; Brazil : OS Filho, Dr MF Moraes; UK :R Blamy, I Taylor; Canada: HR Shibata; Nederland: EJT Rutgers; European Society of Surgi-cal Oncology:W Mattheien; France: F Pochard; Hellenic Soc of Surg Oncol: GJ Ramantis; Hungary: I Besznyak; India : H S Shukla; Indonesia : T W Manuaba; Ireland : N O Higgins; Israel: 1 Kott; Italy: V Parisi; Korea: Jin-Sin Min; Philippines: A Laudico; Poland: M Nowacki; Portugal: AMO Cabanelas; Scandinivian Surg Onco: K Von Smitten; Slovakia: M Auersperg; Switzerland: Ch Maurer; Turkey ; S Bedil; USA: A Giuiano; Australia: J McCaffrey; China TP Zhang; Germany: C Herfarth; Japan : K Isono.

2. The format of the meeting was :
Executive Committee Meeting : 6th May 1999 Council Meeting: 7th May 1999.
Scientific meeting with 1st International Conference of the Italian Society of Surgical Oncology on the Sentinel Node: 8th May 1999.

3. The following actions were taken:
a. The term of the membership of WFSOS Executive and Council of the representative of the IASO, Dr HS Shukla, was to end in 1999, was extended for a second term of three years (00-02). The proposal and secondment came from the President and other Executive members and passed without contest.

a) A travelling scholar stipend, $2000.00 was approved and started. The cri-teria for this scholarship are as follows:

1. Senior professor and leader in research, training, or education in surgical oncology.
2. Candidate would spend one week in visiting 1 or 2 universities or comprehensive cancer centres chosen the Executive Committee.

3. Purpose :
a. to teach colleagues and trainees in the area of his or her expertise
b. to participate in surgery
c. to attend clinics
d. to encourage development of surgical oncology and to be willing.
to advice on establishing speciality and training programmes.
e. to meet with political leaders to support these ends.
4. Scholars, as suggested by council, would submit CV and planned itinerary to the Executive. Once approved by the Council, the itinerary would be submitted and approved by the Education Committee and Executive.
5. Scholar would be awarded a Certificate and 2000.00 US$.
6. Report of their experience would be requested and included in the Newsletter.

b) The first grant as above was awarded to Dr HS Shukla, IASO representative from India.
c) Charter of rights for cancer patient care was ap-proved.
It is given below in verbatim:
1. All cancer patients with solid tumors should be assessed by a multidisciplinary team, which includes a surgical oncologist, a medical oncologist, and a radiation oncologist.
2. All cancer patients should have timely and priority access to adequate surgical facilities, chemotherapy and biotherapeutic agents, and radiation equipment.
3. All cancer patients must have access to supportive services and medications that preserves comfort and dignity during life.
4. All cancer patients must have a choice to have the details of their disease entered on a prospective data base to advance the knowledge of cancer as well as access to pertinent clinical trials.
5. All cancer patients need access to clinical followup and testing that have the potential to change prognosis.
6. All cancer patients entered on studies have the right to give voluntary informed consent to studies approved by separate ethical and scientific boards and have all personal information kept confidential.

c) The following recommendation were made for Undergraduate leaching, postgraduate training and

CME accreditation:
1. Undergraduate surgical teaching should include a designated oncology module taught by surgical oncologist.
2. All surgeons involved in treatment of cancer should spend one year of their postgraduate training in multidisciplinary setting. WFSOS to issue statement to surgical oncology training programmes offering accreditation.
3. Surgical oncologist should be defined as surgeon who have spent at least two years in multidisciplinary setting predominately involved in cancer care.
4. All surgeons treating cancer should be trained to high level of technical expertise. This training is usu-ally achievable only in centres that deal with high level of tumours in a multidisciplinary setting.
d) An education grant was approved: The terms and reference for education grant:
1. Two per year with up to US$1000.00 to assist with expenses.
2. A senior WFSOS member will be chosen by a member society, which would then submit their application to the education committee.
3. The Executive Committee would present the application and recommendations by the education com-mittee for approval.
4. The education grant would be used to support a lecture and for the participation of the candidate In the national meeting. The World Federation would be recognised at the time of the lecture and in the program.
5. A report would be requested and submitted to the Newsletter.
6. The award would be available once every five years for a member society.
e) WFSOS will undertake to recognize surgical oncology training hospital and centres in any member countries, imparting surgical oncology training and WFSOS should be able to examine if candidate in these centres qualifies as a full surgical oncologist. This examination will be carried out by 3 examiners coming from different countries of the Surgical Oncology Societies. The candidate passing the examination will be given a certificate and will be able to circulate internationally, as professional of equivalent qualification. The details of the examination will be circulated in near future, f) Social program: The organising secretary Professor Mozzillo was a wonderful host. The meeting was held in lavish surroundings In Naples. Lunch was hosted by Professor Mozzillo and a sumptuous dinner by Professor Parisi in his sprawling bunglow. Interaction with the Italian Surgical Oncologists and the cream of Surgical Oncologists from 28 countries in a span of three days was an unforgettable experience.

A visit to Pompeii and Vesuvius was organised. Professor Temple, the President of WFSOS could be seen every where and every thing was under his minute scrutiny.