The European Head and Neck Society (EHNS):
A True Multidisciplinary Platform for Head and Neck Oncology
In early 2006, the official documents to establish the European Head and Neck Society (EHNS) were signed by its founding Board in Brussels, Belgium. This is the final result of a road towards a true European multidisciplinary platform on head and neck tumours. It mirrors North American and other organisations and is endorsed by the International Federation of Head and Neck Oncologic Societies (IFHNOS). Herein we aim to bring this new organisation to the attention of the readers of ENT News.
(sitting L-R): Jean Louis Lefebvre and Jan Olofsson
(standing L-R): Rene Leemans, Dominique Chevalier, Patrick Bradley, and Guy Andry.
History
In many European countries, separate head and neck oncology societies or working groups are active. For the past couple of decades, the British, Dutch and Scandinavian societies of head and neck oncologists have held periodic joint scientific meetings that have been of a high standard and mutually beneficial. Many felt a strong desire to widen this activity to Europe as a whole and to provide to all specialists involved in head and neck cancer a common platform to meet and discuss together. In order to assess the feasibility of such a European venture, it was decided to convert the three societies' meeting into the First European Conference on Head and Neck Cancer in the French city of Lille in November 2001. This venue was chosen because of its excellent transport connections and facilities, as well as for its history and of its own work in the field of head and neck cancer. Four main topics in the field of Head and Neck Oncology were selected and discussed from a European perspective: epidemiology, oropharyngeal carcinoma, novel diagnostic methods and therapies, and quality-of-life issues. The content, attendance (from 19 different European countries) and facilities were all regarded as highly successful. During the business meeting, a consensus rose on the need of this kind of European society as a 'society of societies' (ie. a common body of national head and neck societies).
Two years later, the equally successful Second European Conference on Head and Neck Cancer was hosted in Lille again, with the subtitle 'towards a European Head and Neck Cancer Society'.1 The respective presidents of the European national societies (or their representatives) here discussed the form and structure of the new EHNS. A founding board was given the task to organise its inception and to do everything in the interest of the new society until an elected board was in place.
Objectives
The intent of the EHNS is to promote exchange of knowledge in all aspects of head and neck neoplastic diseases and to promote the highest standards of research, education and training, disease prevention and patient care. It is a multi-disciplinary body bringing together clinicians (eg. head and neck/oral/plastic surgeons, radiation therapists, medical oncologists, imaging specialists, pathologists), other health professionals (eg. speech therapists, cancer nurses, psychologists, physiotherapists, dieticians, social workers), basic scientists and patients organisations involved in any aspect of Head and Neck Oncology.
A European Conference on Head and Neck Oncology (ECHNO) will be organised regularly. Selection of the organising society is decided by a vote of the Board after a call for candidatures. The Board must ensure a fair geographic rotation throughout Europe for the organisation of these ECHNOs. The organising society is responsible for the financing of the ECHNO.
Organisation
The EHNS is registered in Belgium as an international nonprofit association under Belgian law. The EHNS is composed of individual persons, national and multi-national societies, and associated study groups oriented towards head and neck cancer research, training and treatment throughout Europe. Individuals from elsewhere in the world are also welcome to apply for membership. The board scrutinises and approves the membership applications.
The intent of the EHNS is to promote exchange of knowledge in all aspects of head and neck neoplastic diseases and to promote the highest standards of research, education and training, disease prevention and patient care.
A Board shall govern the EHNS. The Board consists of a president, a president-elect, a general-secretary, a treasurer, eight members (one each of: a surgeon, radiation therapist, medical oncologist, imaging specialist, pathologist, basic scientist, other health professional, and a representative of a patients organisation). The Board members are elected for four years and may be re-elected only once with the exception of the president who cannot be re-elected. Elections are organised every four years during the general assembly after a call for candidatures and via a secret vote by all members in good standing. A nominating committee (consisting of the president-elect, the secretary, and three members from outside the Board elected by the general assembly) will prepare the elections. At the end of his or her term, the president gets a past-president position for four years on a non-voting basis to insure the continuity of the EHNS. The treasurer must annually present a financial report to the Board for approval. This approved report is thereafter sent to each member society or group to be presented and discussed during the respective executive councils of these societies or groups. A global report will be presented during at general assembly during the ECHNO. The secretariat of the EHNS will communicate with members via the secretariat of member societies, associated study groups and patient's organisations, or directly with individual members. A website (www.ehns.org) will be instituted that will successively include information for the workers in the field of Head and Neck Oncology in Europe.
Until the Third ECHNO, the founding board will consist of the organising committee of the first two European conferences. These individuals (Figure 1) are Jean Louis Lefebvre (Lille, France), President, Rene Leemans (Amsterdam, The Netherlands), General-Secretary, Guy Andry (Brussels, Belgium), Treasurer and Jan Olofsson (Bergen, Norway, representing Scandinavia), Patrick Bradley (Nottingham, UK), who replaced Newell Johnson in 2004, and Dominique Chevalier (Lille, France) as members. Advisors are Niel Aaronson (other health professions, The Netherlands), Minerva Becker (medical imaging, Switzerland), Eli Julseth Birkhaug (patients organisations, Norway), Volker Buchach (Radiation Oncology, Germany), Bernard Duvauchelle (Maxillofacial Surgery, France), Lisa Licitra (Medical Oncology, Italy), Krzysztof Szyfter (Basic Sciences, Poland), and Julia Woolgar (Pathology, UK). Before the Third ECHNO, to be held in 2008, a call for candidatures will be organised.
Membership
Membership dues last until the next general assembly, at which time new dues will be set upon approval. Individual membership is offered pending a membership fee paid directly to the EHNS treasurer each year. In the case of existing national societies entirely or mainly devoted to head and neck tumours, the society will become a society member pending a certain amount per capita registration fee paid each year by the society to the EHNS treasurer. National or international study groups may be associated members as a whole, on a voluntary basis, pending an annual registration fee. Patients organisations may be members of EHNS. There is no registration or membership fee for these organisations.
Future
In 2007, the European Head and Neck Society (EHNS) and the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ESTRO), under the auspices of the FECS (Federation of European Cancer Societies) and in collaboration with other European partners, are organising an international meeting on innovative approaches in Head and Neck Oncology in Barcelona, Spain, on February 22nd-24th, 2007. The emphasis will be on multi-disciplines and innovation, and this meeting will specifically cover the following topics: Molecular Targeted Therapies, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Reconstructive Surgery, Radio-chemotherapy, IMRT, Molecular Imaging, Molecular Pathology, and several clinical controversies.
The Third ECHNO will be held in Zagreb, Croatia, in 2008. Here a board will be elected after a call for candidatures.
Reference
Information about EHNS activities.
A European Conference on Head and Neck Oncology (ECHNO) will be organised regularly. Selection of the organising Society is decided by a vote of the Board after call for candidatures.
The Board must ensure a fair geographic rotation throughout Europe for the organisation of these ECHNOs.
The organising Society is responsible as regards the financing of the ECHNO.
Why to become an EHNS Member?
Becoming an EHNS member includes the following benefits:
- Representation of your specialty -Head & Neck- at a European level
- Specific decreased rates when attending EHNS congresses and EHNS collaborative conferences.
- Various fellowships (Coming soon).
- The chance to share your experience with each other.
- Access to the Member's page of the website (Forum area, Job seeker,...)
and much more to come...
How to become an EHNS Member?
There is one way of applying: On-line application: carefully fill in the questionnaire on-line.
Two kinds of application:
- Individual application (personal submission): click here to access the form.
- Group application (submission by the secretariat of the group): click here to access the form
(not yet available).
Your application will be submitted to the Membership Committee and official acceptance of your candidature will be confirmed by mail with payment information. Upon payment you will receive your membership number and access to the member's area of website.
European Head and Neck Society
Constitution and bylaws
- Article 1
The intent of the European Head and Neck Society (hereafter called “EHNS”) is to promote exchange of knowledge in all aspects of head and neck neoplastic diseases and to promote the highest standards of research, education and training, disease prevention and patient care.
- Article 2
The EHNS is a multidisciplinary body bringing together:
- clinicians (e.g., head and neck/oral/plastic surgeons, radiation therapists, medical oncologists, imaging specialists, pathologists)
- other health professionals (e.g., speech therapists, cancer nurses, psychologists, physiotherapists, dieticians, social workers)
- basic scientists
- patient’s organisations
involved in any aspect of head and neck oncology.
- Article 3
The EHNS is composed of
- individual persons
- national and multi-national societies
- associated study groups
oriented towards head and neck cancer research, training and treatment throughout Europe. Individuals from elsewhere in the world are also welcome to apply for membership.
The Board scrutinises and approves the membership applications
- Article 4
The EHNS is governed by a Board.
The Board consists of
- President,
- President-elect,
- Secretary,
- Treasurer,
- 8 Members:
(1 surgeon, 1 radiation therapist, 1 medical oncologist, imaging specialist, 1 pathologist, 1 basic scientist, 1 other health professional, and 1 representative of a patient’s organisation).
The Board members are elected for 4 years and may be re-elected only once, with exception of the President who cannot be re-elected. Elections are organised every 4 years during the General Assembly after call for candidatures and via a secret vote by all members in good standing. A Nominating committee (consisting of the president-elect, the secretary, and 3 members outside the board elected by the General Assembly) will prepare the elections. At the end of his/her term, the President gets a Past-President position for 4 years, on a non-voting basis, to insure the continuity of the EHNS.
- Article 5
A European Conference on Head and Neck Oncology (ECHNO) will be organised regularly. Selection of the organising Society is decided by a vote of the Board after call for candidatures.
The Board must ensure a fair geographic rotation throughout Europe for the organisation of these ECHNOs.
The organising Society is responsible as regards the financing of the ECHNO.
- Article 6
The treasurer must annually present a financial report to Board for approval. This approved report is thereafter sent to each member society or group to be presented and discussed during the respective executive councils of these societies or groups. A global report will be presented during at General Assembly during the ECHNC.
- Article 7
The secretariat of the EHNS will communicate with Members via the secretariat of Member Societies, Associated Study Groups and Patient’s Organisations or directly with Individual Members.
- Article 8
The Society is registered in Belgium as an international non-profit association under Belgian law.
Appendix 1
Membership dues for the period until the next General Assembly, at which time new dues will be set upon approval.
Individual membership is offered pending an membership fee of 50 Euros (excluding money transfer and exchange) paid directly to the EHNS treasurer each year.
In case of existing national societies entirely or mainly devoted to head and neck tumours, the society will become a society member pending a 3 Euros per capita registration fee (excluding money transfer and exchange) paid each year by the society to the EHNS treasurer.
National or international study groups may be associated members as a whole, on a voluntary basis, pending an annual registration fee of 100 Euros (excluding money transfer and exchange).
Patient’s organisations may be members of EHNS. There is no registration or membership fee for these organisations.
Appendix 2
For the 4 first years (2003-2007) the Founding Board will consist of the Organising Committee of the 2 first European Conferences. Advisors will be co-opted in the corresponding European Societies to ensure the multidisciplinary format of the EHNS. Before the 3rd European Conference to be held in 2007, a call for candidatures will be organised.
Board
President: Jean Louis Lefebvre, F
General Secretary: C René Leemans, NL
Treasurer: Guy Andry, B
Officers (2011- )
James Brown,
Wojciech Golusinski,
Cai Grau,
Lisa Licitra
Officers (2006-2010)
The European Head and Neck Society (EHNS):
what has been achieved so far?
Prof J. L. Lefebvre, MD |
|
|
Prof C. R.Leemans, MD, PhD, |
Organisation
The EHNS is registered as an international non-profit association under Belgian law. It is composed of individual persons, national and multi-national societies, associated study groups oriented towards head and neck cancer research, training and treatment throughout Europe and elsewhere in the world. The membership application form is online and two referees are needed.
The applications are scrutinised and approved by the board. In case of existing national societies entirely or mainly devoted to head and neck tumours, the society as a whole can become a member for a certain amount per capita registration fee. National or international study groups may be associated members as a whole, on an individual basis. Patient’s organisations may be members of EHNS for free.
Bodies that have collectively joined include the Spanish, Polish, Turkish, Hellenic, Belgian, French, Dutch and Scandinavian societies. The British Association of Head and Neck Oncology will probably soon follow. Others have shown interest to join. This makes the EHNS scientifically and financially sound and healthy.
The EHNS is governed by a board which consists of a president, president elect, general secretary, treasurer, and eight members (one surgeon, one radiation therapist, one medical oncologist, imaging specialist, one pathologist, one basic scientist, one other health professional, and one representative of a patient’s organisation).
The board members are elected for four years and may be re-elected only once, with exception of the president who cannot be re-elected. Elections are organised every four years during the general assembly after call for candidatures and via a secret vote by all members in good standing. The original plan to elect a board in 2008 proved unpractical and too soon, and consequently it was decided that the founding board consisting of Jean Louis Lefebvre (Lille, France) as president, René Leemans (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) as general secretary, Guy Andry (Brussels, Belgium) as treasurer and Jan Olofsson (Bergen, Norway, representing Scandinavia), Patrick Bradley (Nottingham, UK), and Dominique Chevalier (Lille, France) stayed in office until the 4th European Conference on Head and Neck Oncology. This ECHNO is to be held in Athens in collaboration with Alexis Rapidis in 2010 where a general assembly will elect a new board.
What has been achieved so far?
One of the first things the new society did was to establish a website (www.ehns.org) that currently already includes much information for the workers in the field of head and neck oncology in Europe. Secondly,after the first two very successful European head and neck conferences held in Lille, France in 2001 and 2003, the third conference was held in Zagreb in 2008 and was organised by Miljenko Bura. In collaboration with the European Society for Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology we organised the first International Conference on Innovative Approaches in Head & Neck Oncology in Barcelona, Spain in 2007 and the second edition, in 2009 when the European Society of Medical Oncology also joined forces. All these platforms help to increase international collaboration in the field and to foster professional relations. The EHNS is a member of the newly established European Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery and the International Federation of Head and Neck Oncologic Societies and co-operates with the International Academy of Oral Oncology. During the respective conferences of these bodies the EHNS sponsors and organises symposia.
The EHNS also works in partnership with several other discipline-based and organ based organisations towards the development of multidisciplinary projects and courses that contribute to the training of head and neck specialists. One example is the annual European Head and Neck Course (www.eurohnc.com), which is alternatively held in Birmingham, UK and Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
A pan-European survey called ‘About Face’ was conducted in collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry to gauge current awareness and understanding of head and neck cancer and its associated risk factors. Overall it revealed a worrying lack of awareness about head and neck cancer across Europe and a need for further education. The official journal of the society is the European Archives of Otolaryngology Head and Neck and the society has one page per issue to communicate EHNS news.
Conclusions
The EHNS is a newly established very active multidisciplinary society in Europe that already has a healthy membership that is likely to take lead in Europe in the field and thus has a bright future.
Reference
