Oncology 1:
Tumour Biology, Diagnostic and Treatment Options & Skin Tumours

27 - 31 October 2025 | Beijing, China

General Overview

Over the past decade, our knowledge of cancer in animals has increased rapidly. More and more veterinarians and clients are becoming open-minded about treating canine and feline cancer patients. “Oncology 1” will start with the diagnostic approach to the cancer patient, including biopsy taking, staging procedures, diagnostic imaging options as well as several practical cytology sessions. Further, there will be a detailed discussion of the three main treatment options (surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy) and of novel cancer drugs (e.g. tyrosine kinase inhibitors (Palladia™, Masivet™), Stelfonta™, metronomic chemotherapy). Management of side effects and safe handling of chemotherapeutic drugs will be explained in detail.

“Oncology 1” will address neoplasms of the skin and adnexal structures in detail as they are the most common tumours in clinical practice. A major emphasis of the course will be on interactive and case oriented work using a systematic approach to the cancer patient including recognizing symptoms, interpreting radiographic findings, choosing correct staging procedures and formulating a therapeutic plan.

“Oncology 1” will start from scratch and provide a very solid basis of oncological principles and skin tumours. It is ideal for veterinarians with little or no previous knowledge in veterinary oncology, but also suitable for people, who want to deepen their understanding. This course includes both medical and surgical oncology (including surgical techniques) and is therefore ideal for candidates interested in either or both.

“Oncology 2” and “Oncology 3” will build up on this seminar and address all the remaining tumour systems in great detail. As in Oncology 1, there will be a major focus on interactive case management and there will be a balance between both medical and surgical oncology.

Oncology 1 is mandatory before continuing on to the next courses. Oncology 2 and Oncology 3 can be taken in any order. Oncology 4 can be taken only after completion of all Oncology modules.

Important Note:

Cytology will be done with videos. Students must bring a laptop/tablet/phone for self-studying cytology. A laptop or tablet is preferred. Bring travel adapters and/or chargers.

Topics:

  1. Tumour biology 101 for clinicians
  2. Diagnostic imaging and tumour staging strategies
  3. Biopsy techniques: theory and practice
  4. Tumour cytology: theory and practical sessions (dry-lab: videos)
  5. Paraneoplastic syndromes
  6. Understanding indications, limitations and risks involved with chemotherapy
  7. How to safely administer chemotherapy
  8. How to use the tyrosine kinase inhibitors Palladia™ and Masivet™
  9. How to use Stelfonta™ (Virbac) (EMEA licenced in 2020)
  10. Principles of surgical oncology including reconstruction in oncologic surgery
  11. Principles of radiation oncology
  12. Important skin tumours in dogs and cats
  13. Interactive case management sessions

Language

This course is in English language.

CPD Hours: 40

ECTS credits (Master & Certificate): 4 (+1 ECTS when completing the Distance Learning)

Tuition Fee: TBA

Course Language: English with Chinese Consecutive translation

Preliminary Full Program
Day 1

08:30 – 09:00    Welcome and registration
09:00 – 10:30    The road from normal to cancer: how & why do normal cells become cancerous…and what does that mean? (Dr. Schmidt)
10:30 – 11:00    Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:15    Diagnostic approach to the cancer patient (Dr. Schmidt)
12:15 – 12:45    Cancer staging: principles, practice, limitations (Dr. Schmidt)
12:45 – 14:00     Lunch Break
14:00 – 15:30    Tumour Cytology: getting started (Dr. Schmidt)
15:30 – 16:00    Coffee Break
16:00 – 17:00     Tumour cytology practice I (videos) (self-study)

Day 2

09:00-09:45     Tumour cytology practice I (videos) (self-study, continued)
09:45-10:30     Tumour cytology practice I (videos) (review) (Dr. Schmidt)
10:30 – 11:00    Coffee Break
11:00 – 11:30    Basic principles of radiation oncology (Dr. Schmidt)
11:30 – 12:00    Metronomic chemotherapy: hype or hope” (Dr. Schmidt)
12:00 – 12:30   Principles and practice of pain-management for cancer patients (Dr. Piegols)
What cancer types are typically painful?
How does pain manifest?
Scoring
Drugs (types, doses, combinations)
12:30 – 13:45   Lunch Break
13:45 – 14:45    How do I biopsy masses for histological examination? [skin, SC, internal organs]
Techniques, instruments [punch, TruCut, other], principles and practice
What do I have to consider when submitting samples for histology?
What do I want from a pathologist/pathology report (examples of good and bad reports….) (Dr. Piegols)
14:45 – 17:00     Case-based approach to surgical oncology (including Coffee Break) (Dr. Piegols)

DAY 3

09:00 – 10:30     Introduction to chemotherapy (Dr. Schmidt)
10:30 – 11:00    Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:00    Chemotherapy drugs (Dr. Schmidt)
12:00 – 12:45   How do I avoid and manage iatrogenic chemotherapy complications? (Dr. Schmidt)
12:45 – 14:00    Lunch Break
14:00 – 15:30    CASE-SESSION: How do I manage this chemotherapy side effect? (Dr. Schmidt)
15:30 – 16:00    Coffee Break
16:00 – 17:00    Chemotherapy administration (Dr. Schmidt)

Day 4

09:00 – 09:30    Canine & feline skin tumours: overview & general approach (Dr. Piegols)
09:30 – 10:30    Case management session (Dr. Piegols): feline soft-tissue sarcomas
10:30 – 11:00    Coffee Break
11:00 – 11:30    Case management session (Dr. Piegols): Canine soft-tissue sarcomas
11:30 – 12:45    Case management session (Dr. Piegols): squamous cell carcinomas (digit, skin, nasal  planum) & melanomas (digit, skin) in dogs (and cats (only briefly, will cover in depth in feline oncology))
12:45 – 14:00     Lunch Break
14:00 – 15:00      Canine anal sac and perianal tumours (Dr. Piegols)
15:00 – 17:30      Practical tumour cytology II (incl. coffee break) (Dr. Schmidt)

DAY 5

09:00 – 09:45     Tumour cytology practice II (videos) (review) (Dr. Schmidt)
09:45 – 10:30     Canine mast cell tumours: epidemiology, biology, diagnosis, staging, histology,  prognostic factors, principles of surgery, decision-making (Dr. Piegols)
10:30 – 11:00     Coffee Break
11:00 – 12:30     Drug treatment of canine mast cell tumours: tyrosine kinase inhibitors chemotherapy, Stelfonta (Virbac)
12:30 – 12:45     Casus, Master vs Certificate Program, Feedback, Q&A (Dr. Schmidt)
12:45 – 14:00     Lunch Break & hotel check out
14:00 – 14:30     Case management: Feline cutaneous & splenic mast cell tumours (Dr. Schmidt)
15:00– 15:30      Coffee Break
15:30 – 16:30      Paraneoplastic syndromes: case management II (Dr. Schmidt)
16:30 to end        Certificates & wrap-up of the course

Course Masters

Dr. Jarno Schmidt

ECVIM-CA (DE)

Hofheim, Germany

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