IAOO 2025
International Academy of Oral Oncology

Jason Fleming, Reader/Hon Consultant Head & Neck Surgeon, Liverpool Head and Neck Centre

This July, Liverpool became the beating heart of global oral oncology, welcoming almost 1200 delegates for the 10th World Congress of the International Academy of Oral Oncology (IAOO). Organised by Professors Richard Shaw (IAOO President) and Andrew Schache with the Liverpool Head & Neck Centre team, and backed by a wide network of supporters, the meeting fused world-class science with a local mission. Liverpool City Council’s pledge to launch a legacy project tackling oral cancer across the region gave the congress added purpose.


The 16 July pre-congress day set a high bar. The 15th International Quality of Life Head and Neck Cancer Meeting gathered global leaders to share strategies for protecting patients’ physical and mental health. Nearby, the Immunotherapy Interface session explored the junction of surgery, radiotherapy and immunotherapy, while the 9th International Symposium for Sentinel Node Biopsy delivered sharp insights into current trials and future opportunities. The AO CMF symposium immersed delegates in the craft of maxillofacial reconstruction, and the Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders meeting drew over 100 attendees for an international exchange on screening, diagnostics and therapeutics.


The opening ceremony captured Liverpool’s warmth and confidence. The Connected Voices Choir set the mood before speeches from Professors Shaw, Shah, Jones, Nutting and Schache, who revealed a programme spanning 55 countries and 41 societies. The academic curtain rose with a spellbinding plenary from Prof Neal Futran (University of Washington) on the evolution of oral cavity reconstruction. The day continued with an immuno-oncology panel featuring Professor Harrington, Dr’s Dunn and Bell, then a TORS double-bill on advanced pharyngo-laryngeal disease led by Professor Se-Heon Kim. An international symposium followed with Professors Paleri and Gorphe (Gustave Roussy) and Dr Katie Van Abel (Mayo Clinic) showcasing VR and augmented reality tools reshaping surgical training.

Day two began in trainers with the President’s Run, before Prof Chi Viet made a compelling case for patient-specific oral cancer management. Later, Prof Christian Ottensmeier demystified T-cell immunotherapy in his inimitable style. The day closed with a spirited debate: “Immunotherapy is a ‘Busted Flush’ in Oral Cavity Cancer”. That night, St George’s Hall hosted a gala of music, mischief, and a surprise not-so-Fab Four whose cameo would have had Lennon grimacing.



The final day brought no slowdown: Prof Clare Schilling on innovation in sentinel lymph node biopsy, and concurrent sessions from Prof Andrew McPartlin and Prof Chris Holsinger on radiotherapy’s future and robotic surgery respectively.

By the end, IAOO 2025 was more than a conference, it was a celebration of science, education and a city throwing its arms open to the world.