The ESMO/ASCO Global Curriculum and the evolution of medical oncology training in Europe

Correspondence to Professor Nicholas Pavlidis; [email protected] Medical oncology is a relatively young specialty. However, it is old enough to have a history. That history is one of diversity between countries in the speed with which medical oncology has been recognised as a distinct specialty and in the provision made for specialist education. As part of the multidisciplinary team that cares for patients with cancer, medical oncologists have a key role in treatment, comprising the antitumour therapy and the management of symptoms and side-effects, and follow-up, as well as in clinical and translational research to promote therapeutic innovation. In an era of dramatically expanding knowledge and correspondingly rapid advances in the complexity and individualisation of therapy, ensuring that all patients receive optimum care requires ever-increasing attention to training and continuing medical education.