World Congress of Melanoma 2025: Dr. Ellene Papazis attends the 21st EADO Congress in Athens
- Ellene Papazis
- 5 hours ago
- 4 min read
From 3 to 5 April 2025, Dr. Ellene Papazis was in Athens, Greece, to take part in one of the most important international events dedicated to cutaneous oncology: the 11th World Congress of Melanoma 2025, held jointly with the 21st Congress of the EADO (European Association of Dermato-Oncology).
The meeting was hosted at the Megaron Athens International Conference Centre and brought together around 2,000 professionals from more than 30 countries, establishing itself as a global reference for scientific updating and the exchange of clinical practice in dermato-oncology.
A meeting of science, listening and innovation
The congress was chaired by Professors Claus Garbe (Germany), Axel Hauschild (Germany) and Alexander Stratigos (Greece), central figures in melanoma research and treatment worldwide.
The scientific programme was carefully structured to cover the whole spectrum of skin cancers — with particular emphasis on melanoma, the most aggressive and challenging type of skin cancer.
Among the main speakers were:
Prof. Caroline Robert (France) – a world authority on immunotherapy for melanoma;
Prof. Reinhard Dummer (Switzerland) – a reference in targeted therapies and personalised medicine;
Prof. Georgina Long (Australia) – a specialist in combined treatments for metastatic melanoma;
Dr. Michael Postow (USA) – a leader in translational research and new therapeutic combinations;
Dr. Aimilios Lallas (Greece) – an international specialist in advanced dermoscopy.
The keynote lectures offered fundamental reflections on:
The skin cancer epidemic and advances in its prevention;
The transformation from melanocyte to melanoma;
New frontiers in intralesional immunotherapy;
The importance of clinical follow-up for patient survival;
The clinical application of predictive and prognostic biomarkers.
The congress also included interactive round tables, case study sessions and mentoring for young specialists — strengthening a culture of listening and of sharing knowledge.
EADO: what it is, what it does and why it matters
The EADO (European Association of Dermato-Oncology) is an independent, non-profit scientific organisation founded in 2001, dedicated to promoting and strengthening research and clinical development in skin cancer.
Its members work across multiple fronts:
Melanoma;
Basal cell carcinoma;
Squamous cell carcinoma;
Cutaneous sarcomas;
Cutaneous T- and B-cell lymphomas;
Rare adnexal tumours.
Beyond its scientific output, the EADO organises international events, publishes clinical guidelines and works with public bodies to widen access to evidence-based treatments.
To attend an EADO congress is to be at the centre of the decisions shaping the future of dermato-oncology.
Dr. Ellene Papazis's perspective: science, roots and transformation in Athens
For Dr. Ellene Papazis, the congress was a unique opportunity both to update her knowledge and to reconnect with herself.
“This congress was very important to me, because I work with oncology patients, I work with skin cancer, I have a subspecialty in oncodermatology. Being up to date on the latest clinical trials, on the most recent developments in the field, with specialists from all over the world, was essential.”
She highlighted the richness of the diversity of professionals present — dermatologists, oncologists, surgeons, radiologists — all focused on the integral care of the patient.
Among the topics that most caught her attention were:
The use of non-invasive methods such as LC-OCT (Line-field Confocal Optical Coherence Tomography), confocal microscopy and dermoscopy supported by artificial intelligence;
The vaccines under development for skin cancer and other tumours;
New approaches to cutaneous toxicities associated with cancer treatments;
Melanoma genotyping and its clinical applicability;
Discussions on data privacy in the use of artificial intelligence in medicine;
Neoadjuvant therapies for melanoma and their impact on morbidity and survival;
New treatments for actinic keratoses and field cancerisation;
The use of techniques such as electrochemotherapy for selected skin tumours.
“The future is just around the corner. We need to be prepared,” Dr. Ellene sums up.
Updates that transform practice
The knowledge gained is already inspiring changes in clinical practice:
“These updates have the potential to benefit our patients profoundly. Neoadjuvant therapies for melanoma show promising results in reducing morbidity and, potentially, increasing survival.”
Even though many technologies are still at an early stage of implementation, staying attentive to innovation is, for Dr. Ellene, an act of present care and of vision for the future.
Meeting colleagues and great mentors
Another unforgettable aspect of the congress was meeting Brazilian colleagues again and getting closer to the mentors who have inspired her since the beginning of her training.
“It was very exciting to meet authors I have admired for so long, pioneers who described the first dermoscopic findings. That encounter renewed my enthusiasm and my wish to keep on learning.”
A reunion with her own roots
The time in Athens also had an intimate and affectionate meaning for Dr. Ellene, since her ancestors came from Greece.
“It is always very good to be back in Greece. This time, in Athens, I was able to see some family again and to immerse myself more deeply in the rich culture of my ancestors. Bringing together the scientific updating and that cultural reunion was undoubtedly an added value of this trip. It is like walking across a bridge between who I am, what I have learned and what I want to build.”
The experience in Athens thus proved to be not only scientific updating of the highest quality, but a journey of personal and professional strengthening — where science, memory and life intertwine.
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