Operate on every high-risk early oesophageal cancer after endoscopic resection and more than 80% of those patients gain nothing. Roos Pouw, Ana-Maria Bucalau and Jessie Elliott on strict endoscopic follow-up, the shift from chemoradiation to perioperative FLOT, and what ENSURE showed about surveillance after oesophagectomy.

UEG Podcast is on summer holiday and re-releases published episodes that we think deserve another listen. Enjoy!

In this episode of the UEG Talks conversation between Maria Vehreschild and Pradeep Mundre, we delve into the complexities of the faecal microbiome and the role of faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in treating various diseases, particularly C. difficile infections and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The discussion covers the historical context of FMT, its mechanisms of action, current treatment guidelines, safety considerations, and the various delivery methods. The conversation also emphasises the need for further research and the importance of professional standards in FMT practices.

UEG Podcast is on summer holiday and re-releases published episodes that we think deserve another listen. Enjoy!

Functional gastrointestinal disorders, or disorder of gut-brain interaction, can be frightening to many GIs. How do I talk to the patient? What can I tell them if there is no improvement in their symptoms? How can I even explain to them what their diagnosis is, if I don’t even know it?
To clear things up and provide clear points of action, our host Egle Dieninyte talked to Tim Vanuytsel from the University Hospital in Leuven, Belgium.

UEG Podcast is on summer holiday and re-releases published episodes that we think deserve another listen. Enjoy!

In this episode, host Egle speaks with former UEG President Axel Dignass about what it takes to lead in times of crisis. Drawing on his experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, Axel reflects on the difference between being a boss and being a true leader. He shares thoughts on the value of empathy, transparency, and consistency, as well as how to build and sustain a resilient team. The conversation also touches on the challenges of going virtual, the importance of recognising team achievements, and the warning signs of toxic leadership. A must-listen for anyone looking to grow as a leader in uncertain times.

Michael Bretthauer on the real epidemiology of colorectal cancer in the under-50s: a genuine rise from a tiny baseline, the carcinoid confounder inflating the numbers, lifestyle versus genetics, why screening ages shouldn't drop yet, and the ECOPOP trials testing endoscopic resection against surgery.

The 2024 MASLD treatment guidelines are already changing. Pradeep Mundre and Professor Sven Francque (Antwerp), guideline co-author, cover weight-loss targets (7% and 10%), resmetirom in F2-F3 fibrosis, semaglutide's positive phase 3 in MASH, plus pioglitazone, bariatric surgery, and liver transplantation in this population.

Around one in three adults has MASLD, but only a few percent reach cirrhosis. Pradeep Mundre and Professor Sven Francque (Antwerp), co-author of the 2024 EASL guidelines, cover the new nomenclature, dysfunctional adiposity versus BMI, and how to use FIB-4 to decide who needs a hepatologist.

Sphincter-preserving surgery spares most rectal cancer patients a stoma, but hands many of them low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). Three European surgeons join Harald Rosen in discussing follow-up, where transanal irrigation lands, when to involve the gastroenterologist, and where sacral neuromodulation fits.

EoE requires long-term management, but what does that look like in practice? In Part 2, Prof. Alex Straumann discusses the realities of treating a chronic, relapsing disease, where remission is achievable but a cure is not.

The episode explores how to approach maintenance therapy, manage persistent symptoms despite histological remission, and when to escalate treatment to biologics. It also addresses the practical limitations of dietary strategies and the ongoing challenge of identifying trigger foods.

Looking ahead, the discussion highlights key unmet needs in EoE, including the absence of reliable diagnostic tools for food triggers and the potential influence of modern food production on disease prevalence.

Part 2 will be released on Wednesday, the 29th of April.

Eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE) is now a well-recognised condition. But it was not always so. In this episode, Prof. Alex Straumann shares how EoE was first identified, taking us back to the late 1980s when unusual cases of food impaction and eosinophilic inflammation did not fit any known diagnosis.

He discusses the clinical observations that led to recognising EoE as a distinct disease, the early case series that defined its phenotype, and the initial treatment approaches that shaped current practice. The episode also addresses key diagnostic challenges that remain relevant today, including the distinction from oesophageal eosinophilia and the limitations of symptom-based assessment.