Report by Prof. Hesham Negm, Cairo University, Egypt, and Associate Prof. Anna Rybachuk, State Institution, O.S. Kolomiychenko Institute of Otolaryngology of NAMS of Ukraine
The 95th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery (DGHNO-KHC) was a great success under the forward-looking motto ‘Crossing Borders’. Congress President Prof Dr. Stephan Lang, President of the DGHNO-KHC and President of the specialist society, led the high-calibre international and interdisciplinary congress with interactive networking in a confident manner and with great personal commitment. Around 3000 participants experienced a varied programme in a relaxed atmosphere with international joint meetings and current highlights in all areas – the latest developments in the field of head and neck oncology, skull base, orbital and middle ear surgery as well as cochlear implant care.
The congress programme showcased the broad spectrum of interdisciplinary ENT and the specialisation of this complex field. World-renowned ENT professors, together with experts from other specialities, highlighted overlapping clinical pictures and developed new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. With around 3,000 participants from 45 countries, over 1,100 speakers, 177 international lectures and well-attended joint sessions, Prof. Lang's concept of internationalisation with a challenging and broad range of topics was very well received.
Various sessions focussed on head and neck tumours/HPV, neoadjuvant immunotherapy and oncology, plastic-reconstructive surgery, skull base, orbit, endoscopic middle ear surgery, vascular malformations, paediatric rhinology and thyroid gland. The results of high-quality, prospective studies on ENT issues and the current state of evidence-based medicine were important points of discussion alongside translational and basic scientific research.
The latest developments in the field of head and neck oncology concern the development of oropharyngeal carcinomas, which are increasingly associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV). In a joint meeting with the American Academy of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and the Confederation of European Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, more specific and gentler treatment strategies and special HPV DNA tests were presented. According to current studies, artificial intelligence could be used to predict HPV status at the routine section of the histological examination, which could be used for screening programmes and as a tumour marker in follow-up care.
A much-discussed topic was the new neoadjuvant immunotherapy to improve the prognosis of patients with head and neck tumours. A prospective study from Essen shows the benefits of stimulating the immune system even before surgery.
The presentation of the nationwide HODOKORT study, which for the first time systematically investigated sudden hearing loss therapy put the current therapeutic standard of glucocorticoid treatment to the test.
The first successful gene therapy for congenital sensorineural hearing loss was presented by Professor Ellen Reisinger, Tübingen. With her basic research, the dedicated physician made a significant contribution to the fact that mutations in the OTOF can now be successfully treated using gene therapy.
The social program included a ‘get together’ reception after the Opening Ceremony in the Philharmonie Essen Conference Center, and a magnificent dinner (pictured below) in the Grand Hall of Zollverine Coal Mine. 
