Scientific Program

Friday, November 27th, 2026
Oncology, biology/pathology, radiology and molecular imaging
08.30 – 08.45Welcome and opening
Welcome address: local hosts and SIOPEL chair
08.45 – 10.50Oncology Session I
Hepatoblastoma trials and treatment after PHITT
08.45 – 09.05
(15+5 min)
European trials and strategy: From HB89 and SIOPEL-1 to PHITT 2: 35 years of hepatoblastoma therapy
09.05 – 09.25
(15+5 min)
COG hepatoblastoma strategy: risk groups, toxicity and trial endpoints
09.25 – 09.45
(15+5 min)
JCCG/JPLT hepatoblastoma experience: chemotherapy response and future treatment
09.45 – 10.00
(10+5 min)
Risk stratification in hepatoblastoma: PRETEXT, CHIC and biomarkers
10.00 – 10.15
(10+5 min)
High-risk hepatoblastoma: current limits and next escalation strategies
10.15 – 10.30
(10+5 min)
Relapsed liver tumors: what should be treated, studied and registered?
10.30 – 10.50
(15+5 min)
Expert Panel: What should PHITT 2 change in hepatoblastoma treatment?
10.50 – 11.10Coffee break
11.10 – 12.55Oncology Session II
Pediatric HCC and HCN-NOS: Treatment, Unsolved Problems and Hot Topics
11.10 – 11.25
(10+5 min)
Pediatric HCC: what is different from adult HCC?
11.25 – 11.40
(10+5 min)
HCN-NOS: how should we treat it today?
11.40 – 11.55
(10+5 min)
Local control in pediatric HCC and HCN-NOS: resection, transplant or systemic therapy first?
11.55 – 12.10
(10+5 min)
Non-surgical local control in HCC: TACE, TARE and ablation – what can be translated to children?
12.10 – 12.30
(15+5 min)
Immunotherapy and targeted therapy in pediatric HCC
12.30 – 12.45
(10+5 min)
Fibrolamellar carcinoma: biology-driven trials and vaccines
12.45 – 12.55
(5+5 min)
Potential oral abstract or Panel discussion
12.55 – 13.45Lunch and poster viewing
13.45 – 11.15Biology / Pathology Session
Classification, markers and translational diagnostics
13.45 – 14.00
(10+5 min)
Classification of pediatric hepatocellular tumors: what clinicians need to know
14.00 – 14.15
(10+5 min)
HCN-NOS: what can be defined today?
14.15 – 14.30
(10+5 min)
Molecular pathology of hepatoblastoma
14.30 – 14.45
(10+5 min)
Methylation profiling and integrated diagnostics
14.45 – 15.05
(15+5 min)
Biomarkers for future trials: ready now or still exploratory?
15.05 – 15.15
(5+5 min)
Oral Abstract – Biology / pathology
15.15 – 15.35Coffee break
15.35 – 17.00Radiology Session
PRETEXT, resectability and imaging innovation
15.35 – 15.50
(10+5 min)
PRETEXT/POSTTEXT today: accuracy, reproducibility and revisions needed
15.50 – 16.05
(10+5 min)
Pulmonary metastases and lung nodules
16.05 – 16.20
(10+5 min)
Imaging vascular involvement and resectability
16.20 – 16.40
(15+5 min)
Debate: Annotation factors in PRETEXT/POSTTEXT – what matters for treatment decisions?
16.40 – 17.00
(15+5 min)
Beyond anatomy: molecular imaging for biology-guided tumor treatment
Optional after the scientific sessions: Tour of Castle Hohentübingen "The site of the first historical discovery of DNA." Registration only.
19.00Conference dinner
Saturday, November 28th, 2026
Surgery, poster presentations, and basic science
09.00 – 10.45Surgery Session I
Local control, transplant and advanced operative strategy
09.00 – 09.15
(10+5 min)
Non-transplant surgery for PRETEXT III/IV hepatoblastoma
09.15 – 09.30
(10+5 min)
Resection margins after chemotherapy: how much is enough?
09.30 – 09.45
(10+5 min)
Vascular reconstruction in advanced pediatric liver tumors
09.45 – 10.00
(10+5 min)
Liver transplantation: upfront, rescue or salvage?
10.00 – 10.20
(15+5 min)
Robotic and minimally invasive liver surgery: what is realistic for children?
10.20 – 10.45
(20+5 min)
Debate: extreme resection versus transplantation
10.45 – 11.15Coffee break
11.15 – 11.45Poster Presentations
Dedicated Poster Presentations with moderated poster walk. Suggested tracks: oncology/trials; surgery/transplant/local control; radiology/imaging; pathology/biology; basic/translational science; rare/benign tumors/genetics. If abstract volume is high, select 6 posters for 2-minute spotlight pitches at the start of the session.
11.45 – 12.50Surgery Session II
Non-hepatoblastoma, non-HCC tumors
11.45 – 12.00
(10+5 min)
Surgery for benign and intermediate pediatric liver tumors: When and how to resect?
12.00 – 12.15
(10+5 min)
Surgery for non-hepatoblastoma malignant liver tumors
12.15 – 12.30
(10+5 min)
Rhabdoid Tumors of the Liver: Treatment and Outcome
12.30 – 12.40
(5+5 min)
Oral Abstract – Surgery / transplant
12.40 – 12.50
(5+5 min)
Oral Abstract – Surgery / local control
12.50 – 14.30Lunch
13.30 – 14.30Closed SIOPEL member session / SIOPEL business meeting
This should not interrupt the open scientific program for non-members.
14.30 – 16.25Basic Science and Novel Therapy Session
From biology to precision therapy
14.30 – 14.45
(10+5 min)
Developmental origins of hepatoblastoma
14.45 – 15.00
(10+5 min)
Single-cell and spatial biology of hepatoblastoma
15.00 – 15.15
(10+5 min)
Organoids and functional drug screening
15.15 – 15.30
(10+5 min)
New targets and immune therapies for liver tumors
15.30 – 15.45
(10+5 min)
New vulnerabilities in hepatoblastoma
15.45 – 15.55
(5+5 min)
Oral Abstract – Basic/translational science
15.55 – 16.05
(5+5 min)
Oral Abstract – Basic/translational science
16.05 – 16.25
(15+5 min)
The adult liver tumor microenvironment: from inflammation to immune escape
16.25 – 16.40Closing Remarks