National conference on breast surgery with international participation, Sofia (30.01.25-01.02.2025)

Date of publication

21 February 2026

Useful for you

The conference was held under the auspices of the Bulgarian Surgical Society!

Organizing and Scientific Committee. Prof. Manol Sokolov, Prof. Nikola Vladov, Prof. Georgi Baichev, Prof. Dobromir Dimitrov, Assoc. Prof. Asya Consolova, Dr. Vanya Mitova, Dr. Slavyana Usheva, Dr. Mariela Vassileva, Dr. Valentin Ivanov, Dr. Miroslava Chortova, Dr. Irina Miteva.

SCIENTIFIC PROGRAMME

Day 1 - Friday, 31.01.2025, Early breast cancer

Registration 08:00-18:00

09:00-09:10 - Official opening

09:10-11:00 Session 1:

1) Breast cancer in Bulgaria and worldwide, standards

09:10-09:30 - Breast Cancer - Epidemiology, Risk Factors and Screening for Breast Cancer Prof. Dr. Zdravka Valerianova, USHALO, Sofia

09:30-09:45 - Current standards and indicators for evaluation in breast cancer treatment, Prof. Ivan Gavrilov, MD, USBALO, Sofia

09:45-10:15 - Retrospective on the development of breast cancer treatment, current standards and new approaches, prof. Riccardo Audisio, Editor-in-Chief, European Journal of Surgical Oncology

10:15-10:30 - Current management of women at high risk of breast cancer, Prof. Dr. Georgi Baichev, MMA

10:30-10:45 - Management of Non-invasive (in situ) Breast Cancer, Prof. Dr. Theophil Sedloev, Tsaritsa Ioanna University Hospital - ISUL, Medical University - Sofia

10:45-11:00 - Discussion

11:00-11:30 - Coffee Break & Satellite Symposium

11:30-13:00 Session 2: The breast cancer patient's journey to diagnosis

11:30-11:45 - The place of ultrasonography, mammography and MRI in the diagnosis of breast lesions. BIRADs classification, Dr. Victor Yordanov, CityClinic, Sofia

11:45-12:00 - Proper orientation and storage of biopsy material in breast cancer, Prof. Dr. Savelina Popovska, Medical University - Pleven

12:00-12:15 - Types of biopsies - modern standard, Dr. Krasimir Shopov, St. Sofia Hospital.

12:15-12:30 - Behaviour of patients carrying BRCA1/2 mutation Prof. Ivanka Dimova, MD, MU-Sofia.

12:30-12:45 - Correct staging of breast cancer - Assoc. Dr. Arabadzhieva / Prof. Dr. Atanas Yonkov, University Hospital Alexandrovska, Medical University - Sofia.

12:45-13:00 - Discussion

13:00-14:00 Lunch / Satellite Symposium

14:00-16:30 Session 3: Organ Sparing and Organoplasty Breast Surgery

14:00-14:15 - Organ-Saving Surgery or Mastectomy - Current Approaches and Evidence, Dr. Vanya Mitova, USBALO, Sofia

14:15-14:30 - Organoplasty techniques in tumor localization in upper, lower, inner quadrants and in central tumor localization, Prof. Dr. Svilen Maslyankov, University Hospital Alexandrovska

14:30-14:45 - Application of organ-sparing surgery with intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) in breast cancer. Diagnostic challenge in differentiating fibrosis/recurrence in follow-up of patients with IORT. Prof. Dr. Teofil Sedloev, Dr. Yordan Spirdonov, Tsaritsa Ioanna University Hospital - ISUL„

14:45-15:00 - Oncoplastic Surgery of Breast Carcinoma - Mammometric and Oncometric Preconditions for Precision, Prof. Dr. Tashko Deliiski, Heart and Brain, Pleven

15:00-15:15 Indications, Techniques and Most Common Complications of Single-Moment Organoplasty Techniques in Breast Cancer with Implant Placement, Prof. Dr. Vladimir Vassilev, MMA, Sofia

15:15-15:30 - Types of implants and techniques in organoplastic breast surgery. Reconstructive and multi-stage techniques, Dr. Ragina Khater, Unihospital, Panagyurishte

15:30-15:45 - Complications after organ-preserving and reconstructive breast surgery, Dr. Evgeni Vassilev, 1st St. Sofia General Hospital„

15:45-16:00 - Non-traditional techniques and difficult localizations of breast cancer - planning and the role of the surgeon, Dr. Valkan Ivanov, B-tsa Temelkov, Varna&UK

16:00-16:15 - Discussion

16:15-17:00 - Coffee Break / Satellite Symposium

17:00-18:30 Session 4: Sentinel lymph node biopsy - contemporary approaches.

17:00-17:15 - Sentinel lymph node biopsy - a proven tradition for better quality of life, Prof. Dr. Dobromir Dimitrov, University Hospital G. Prof. Dr. Dobrom Dimitar Dimitri, Stransky University, Medical University-Pleven

17:15-17:30 - Sentinel biopsy after neoadjuvant therapy, Dr. Vanya Mitova, SBALO, Sofia

17:30-18:00 - Surgical prophylaxis and treatment of secondary lymphoedema in breast cancer patients - Prof. Sinikka Suominen, Helsinki

18:00-18:15 - Highlights of new developments in breast cancer treatment. Echoes from the 43rd ESSO Congress, Dr. Mariela Vassileva, Dr. Shterev Medical Complex„

18:15-18:30 - New techniques for sentinel tagging. Retrograde tagging. Dr. Irina Miteva / Dr. Mary Shoshkova

Discussion

19:00 - WELCOME COCKTAIL

Day 2 - Saturday - Neoadjuvant therapy. Advanced and metastatic breast cancer.

Registration 08:00-10:00

08:30-10:30 Session 1: The importance of tumor biology in the treatment of breast cancer - neoadjuvant therapy.

08:30-08:45 - Comprehensive approach to breast cancer treatment. Not why, but how! Professor. Svilen Maslyankov, Alexandrovska University Hospital

08:45-09:00 - Triple-negative breast cancer, Dr. Margarita Taushanova, Serdika Hospital

09:00-09:15 - Luminal hormone-sensitive breast cancer - therapeutic strategies, Assoc. Dr. Asya Consulova, USHALO - Sofia

09:15-09:30 - Contemporary Drug Treatment Options for Locally Advanced and Metastatic HER2 Positive Breast Cancer - Prof. Dr. Konstanta Timcheva, St. Iv.

09:30-09:45 - Postoperative radiotherapy with helical tomotherapy device in patients after mastectomy and single-moment reconstruction with implant, Prof. Dr. Iglika Mihaylova, University Hospital, Sofia

09:45-10:00 - Special Histological Types and Response to Neoadjuvant Therapy, Assoc. Dr. Svitlana Bachurska, University Hospital, Sofia

10:00-10:30 - Identifying risky patients for NSM - ICG in breast cancer and oncoplastic surgery, Prof. Alberto Rancati, Hospital de Clinicas Jose de San Martin, Universidad de Buenos Aires.

Discussion

10:30-11:00 - Coffee break/ MSD Satellite Symposium: Management of early stage high risk TNBC. prof. Theophil Sedloev, C. Ioanna University Hospital - ISUL, Medical University - Sofia

11:00-13:00 Session 2: Difficult cases to diagnose and treat: lobular carcinoma & multifocal disease & surgery after neoadjuvant therapy.

11:00-11:15 - Current aspects of breast cancer diagnosis. Difficulties in the diagnosis of macromastia, Dr. Yordan Spiridonov, University Hospital C. St. John's University

11:15-11:30 - Features and role of the pathologist in the diagnosis of lobular carcinoma, Dr. Alexandrina Vlahova, MU - Sofia

11:30-11:45 - Is the diagnosis of lobular carcinoma an indication for mastectomy?, Dr. Valkan Ivanov, Temelkov Hospital, Varna

11:45 -12:00 - Hybrid Nuclear Medical Imaging (SPECT/CT and PET/CT) in the Diagnosis and Follow-up of Breast Cancer” - Prof. Dr. Elena Piperkova, Assoc. Dr. Lidiya Chavdarova, SBALO-Sofia.

12:00 -12:15 - Operative approaches in multifocal and multicentric breast carcinomas, Dr. Slavyana Usheva, Prof. Dr. Teofil Sedloev, Tsaritsa Ioanna University Hospital - ISUL, Medical University - Sofia

12:15-12:30 - Intraoperative evaluation of breast lesions, Dr. Valentin Ivanov, Kaspela, Plovdiv

12:30-12:45 - Results of organ-sparing surgery after neoadjuvant therapy Dr. Vanya Mitova

12:45-13:00 Discussion

13:00-14:00 Lunch / Satellite Symposium

14:00-16:00 Session 3: Reconstructive techniques in breast surgery, innovation and metastatic disease.

14:00-14:15 - Breast reconstruction after mastectomy for carcinoma with silicone implants, in combination with resorbable and non-resorbable mesh, Dr. Nikolay Georgiev, Plastic Surgery, “St. Nikolai the Wonderworker - Sofia

14:15-14:30 - Alternatives to autologous breast reconstruction with microsurgical techniques, Dr. Miroslava Chortova, Plovdiv

14:30-14:45 - Skin-sparing and nipple-sparing breast surgery with one-stage or staged reconstruction, Dr. Violin Petrov, University Hospital Alexandrovska, Sofia

14:45-15:00 - Innovative Approaches and Solutions in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast Cancer, Assoc. Dr. Martin Karamanliev, Medical University - Pleven

15:00-15:15 - „Quality of life“ in patients with breast cancer - Dr. Tsvetan Popov, University Hospital Alexandrovska

15:15-15:30 - The Place of Surgery in Patients with Metastatic Disease, Metastases in the Lung, Prof. Dr. Nikola Vladov, MMA

15:30-15:45 - The place of the thoracic surgeon in patients with advanced and metastatic disease, Assoc. Dr. Tsvetan Minchev, Tokuda University Hospital

15:45-16:00 - Role of Artificial Intelligence in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Breast Cancer, Dr. Ivan Inkov, Salwebis Medical Center, Sofia

16:00-16:15 - Presentation and awarding of the selected three best posters of the conference.

Discussion

16:30-17:00 - coffee break and satellite symposium of an implant company

17:00-18:00 - Discussion of the DRAFT for the introduction of standards for diagnostic management and surgical treatment of breast cancer patients in Bulgaria. Discussion of proposals to the BMA, Ministry of Health and NHIF.

18:00 - Closing 

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