Isabel Rubio has been elected as the President of the European Cancer Organisation for 2026-2027

On November 19th, during its General Assembly, the European Cancer Organisation’s Member Societies elected Isabel Rubio as President-Elect.

Isabel Rubio was President of the European Society of Surgical Oncology (ESSO) and was previously President of the European Society of Breast Cancer Specialists (EUSOMA), Isabel is also Co-Chair of this year’s European Cancer Summit.

After serving for one year as President-Elect, Isabel will become President of the European Cancer Organisation for the years of 2026 and 2027.

“Dr Rubio has focused her career as a leader in the fight against cancer – on so many fronts. We are delighted that our Member Societies have now elected her to lead ECO, taking the reins of the organisation in 2026. I look forward to working closely with Dr Rubio in the coming months and years as we continue our mission for cancer patients and survivors across Europe.” – said ECO President Csaba Dégi

About Isabel T. Rubio

Dr. Isabel T. Rubio is the Head of Breast Surgical Oncology at University Hospital of Navarra in Madrid, Spain, and a Professor of Surgery at the University Hospital of Navarra. She earned her medical degree from the Faculty of Medicine in Salamanca, Spain, and became a board-certified General Surgeon.

Dr. Rubio pursued advanced training in Breast Surgical Oncology, completing two years as a Fellow at The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the Arkansas Cancer Center in Little Rock, USA, and one year at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, USA. She earned her PhD in 2000 and currently serves as the director of the Breast Surgery Fellowship program at her institution.

Leadership and Professional Affiliations

Dr. Rubio is an active member of numerous professional societies. She is a founding member and past President of the Spanish Association of Breast Surgeons (AECIMA), President-Elect of the European Society of Breast Cancer Specialists (EUSOMA), and serves as Chief of Public Affairs for the European Society of Surgical Oncology (ESSO). Additionally, Dr. Rubio is a member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons and the Outreach Committee of the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO).

She also holds the position of breast section editor for the Journal of Surgical Oncology and is a reviewer for prominent journals such as The Breast, European Journal of Surgical Oncology, and Annals of Surgical Oncology. Dr. Rubio obtained the European Board of Surgery Qualification in Breast Surgery and has served as an officer at the UEMS Breast Surgery Division since 2015, participating as an examiner in the EBSQ Examinations in Breast Surgery.

Research and Clinical Expertise

Dr. Rubio is deeply involved in international, multicenter randomized trials, serving on several Steering and Executive Committees. She has received research grants from prestigious organizations, including the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the Spanish Ministry of Health, among others. With over 100 national and international peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters to her name, Dr. Rubio has presented her research at many major international breast cancer conferences.

Her clinical and research interests include sentinel lymph node biopsy, neoadjuvant treatments, the surgical management of BRCA mutation carriers, and the role of prognostic markers such as genomic profiles and liquid biopsy. A significant focus of Dr. Rubio’s work is on the standardization of breast cancer surgical training and the development of Breast Units. She is dedicated to improving surgical practices, training, and outcomes in breast cancer treatment globally.

About the European Cancer Organisation (ECO)

The European Cancer Organisation is a not-for-profit umbrella federation of 42 Member Societies working in cancer at the European level, together with 21 European Patient Advisory Committee members, representing European and international patient societies. The Organisation is dedicated to convening oncology professionals and patients to agree on policy, advocate for positive change, and represent the interests of the European cancer community.

The European Cancer Organisation is the largest multi-professional cancer organisation in Europe. It helps reduce the burden of cancer, improve outcomes, and enhance the quality of care for cancer patients. As the not-for-profit federation of member organisations working across Europe, the European Cancer Organisation convenes cancer professionals and patients to agree on policy, advocate for change, and speak up for the European cancer community. More information is available here.

European Cancer Organisation:

“Isabel T. Rubio has just been chosen as ECO President-Elect.

ECO Member Societies elected Isabel at today’s General Assembly Meeting in Brussels and she will become ECO’s President for 2026 and 2027.

Isabel is Past-President of European Society of Surgical Oncology (ESSO) & EUSOMA, as well as Co-Chair for the European Cancer Summit 2024 that starts tomorrow!

Congratulations, President-Elect

Learn more.”

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