Dear Colleague:

From the Department of Stomatology and the Dental Clinic Service of the University of the Basque Country/Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (EHU), we have organised the XI International Symposium on Advances in Oral Cancer entitled "Improving the prognosis of oral cancer", which will be held from 10 to 12 June 2026, in the auditorium of the Bizkaia Aretoa of the EHU in Bilbao (Spain).

It seems like only yesterday when, in 2004, we decided to organise the first edition of the International Symposium on Advances in Oral Cancer, which, thanks to your help and participation, we have been able to continue organising 22 years later.

Oral cancer is a prevalent pathology that presents important unknowns in relation to pathogenic, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects, and which, despite the great advances that have been made in recent years, still has a high mortality and morbidity rate. In an attempt to improve this situation, numerous research projects are currently underway with the aim of obtaining prognostic and diagnostic markers - both clinicopathological and molecular - that will allow us to make an early diagnosis and curative therapy in relation to this malignant neoplasm. In the hope that this research will make an effective contribution to the prevention and improvement of the prognosis of oral cancer, this 11th International Symposium on Advances in Oral Cancer is held with the main objective of updating knowledge on the epidemiological, aetiopathogenic, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of oral cancer. To achieve this, we have developed an ambitious scientific programme, which combines diagnostic workshops, specific presentations on novel and controversial topics, scientific communications and discussions of clinical-pathological cases, by specialists of the highest level.

In addition to the scientific aspects, we want this XI Symposium to be a good place to meet colleagues and friends interested in preventing and curing Oral Cancer. Our intention is to attend you as well as you deserve and to make sure that you enjoy the traditional hospitality of Bilbao and the Basque Country.

The Organising Committee would like to thank you for your attendance and participation in the 11th International Symposium on Advances in Oral Cancer. We hope that the effort we know you are going to make will be rewarded with a satisfactory scientific return and a pleasant and profitable stay in terms of tourism, culture and gastronomy that Bilbao and its surroundings offer and that the work programme will allow.

Bienvenidos, Ongi etorri, Welcome!

Irene Lafuente Ibañez de Mendoza

Xabier Marichalar Mendia

José Manuel Aguirre Urizar