Greece

Greece

Greece with a population of over 10 million is a member of the EU since 1981. Greece has a mixed health system comprising of public (state funded) and private health system. Public health system comprises of 138 Hospitals including 11 University hospitals. The main corps of private health system comprises of 182 health units, ranging from tertiary centres to small private clinics.

Population: 10.4 million
ESCP members: 64
National Representative: Ioannis Virlos, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, General Secretary of Greek Society of Coloproctology, FRCSEd., FRCS (Gen Surg), FEBS-CR, MD, MSc, DIC.

COLOPROCTOLOGY AS A DISCIPLINE IN GREECE

Greece is currently represented by 52 ESCP members and 6 ESBQ-certified colorectal surgeons. 

SURGICAL SOCIETIES – STUDY GROUPS - GUIDELINES

There are two established societies in the field of Coloproctology in Greece. These are the Greek Society of Coloproctology (GSCP) and the Hellenic Society of Coloproctology (HSC).

GREEK SOCIETY OF COLOPROCTOLOGY  

Greek Society of Coloproctology (GSCP) is the leading national society and the driving force in promoting science, education, training, multidisciplinary interaction and international collaboration in colorectal surgery. Greek Society of Coloproctology  was founded in 2018 and has 288 members. The majority of GSCP members are colorectal surgeons or surgeons with special interest in the surgical management of diseases of colon, rectum and anus. GSCP  has developed strong ties with ESCP, by organizing scientific activities supported by ESCP based faculties, including the 15th ESCP Regional Masterclass and both 2^nd & 3^rd Athens Coloproctology meetings. 

The official journal of GSCP is Colorectal Disease. 

Since 2020 GSCP has organized:

• 4 National Congresses(1^st in 2020, 2^nd in 2021, 3^rd in 2023 and 4^th in 2025)
• An ESCP Masterclass(15th Regional Masterclass: Techniques and Technology in Colorectal Surgery - April 3, 2025)
• A Joint Symposium with ESCP(during International Forum of 1^st day of 2025 national meeting – April 4, 2025)
• 3 International meetings under the brand name Athens Coloproctology meeting. The 2^ndand 3^rdAthens Coloproctology meetings were ESCP listed.  

• • 1^st Athens Coloproctology meeting: a joint meeting with UK TPFS in 2022. This meeting was themed Functional Bowel & Pelvic Disorders for Colorectal and Pelvic Surgeon.
  • 2^nd Athens Coloproctology Meeting: an ESCP listed event in 2024.  This meeting was themed Rectal and Anal Cancer.
  • 3^rd Athens Coloproctology Meeting: an ESCP listed event that has taken place on 24-25/4/2026,themed Updates on Colon Cancer and supported by a robust Faculty of 17 international experts and 8 experts from Greece. During the meeting took place an ESCP/GSCP keynote lecture and a Colorectal Disease Neil Smart keynote lecture in memory of late Neil Smart, Colorectal Disease Editor in Chief. 

• A Robotic Surgery Introduction 2-day simulation workshop(pre-congress event of the 2^nd Athens Coloproctology meeting) in collaboration with ISLE Academy (training hub facility in Athens, Greece)
• A Radiology workshopby Professor G. Brown (during 2^nd Athens Coloproctology Meeting)
• A Pathology workshopby Professor N. West (during 2^nd Athens Coloproctology Meeting)
• A two-day cadaveric course in laparoscopic colorectal surgeryin collaboration with Athens University (2023)
• Joint round table sessionsduring the 2025 National meetings of Hellenic Society of Gastroenterology (HSG), Hellenic Society of Laparoscopic & Robotic Surgery and Hellenic Society of Surgery. 
• 2 series of joint Greek Society of Coloproctology – Hellenic Society of Gastroenterology webinarsin 2025 & 2026. These ESCP listed international facultyeducational events represent a joint project of GSCP and HSG, aiming to standardize clinical practice. In 2025 series, 3 webinars on SPERC lesions (Part I & II) and Proctology took place, while in February 2026, the first 2026 series webinar themed Rectal Cancer: In the era of TNT took place. These webinars are freely available on demand by using the link: https://www.hsg.gr/webinar_sperc/

Website: www.coloproctologysociety.gr

HELLENIC SOCIETY OF COLOPROCTOLOGY 

Hellenic Society of Coloproctology (HSC) was founded in 2000 and has 190 members, with many of them being general surgeons. 

Hellenic Society of Coloproctology has organized 10 national meetings. The 10^th national meeting took place in Thessaloniki in February 2026. 

During the last 5 years HSC has organised 3 one-day workshops. 

Website: www.coloproctology.gr

OTHER SOCIETIES AND STUDY GROUPS

Coloproctology is also a chapter of the: Hellenic Surgical Society, Hellenic Society of Gastroenterology, Hellenic Society of Surgical Oncology, Hellenic Study Group for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases and Colo-Rectal Cancer Study Group (CRC-SG). The latter is a chapter of Gastro-Intestinal Cancer Study Group (GIC-SG), a non-profit organization, which has organized masterclasses, webinars in Gastrointestinal Cancer and 11 international meetings – every 2 years - on Colorectal Cancer, called “Colorectal Games”, with the latest meeting taking place in 2025.

GUIDELINES

In 2016, the Hellenic Society of Medical Oncologists (HeSMO), using the Delphi methodology, has produced guidelines for the management of colorectal cancer, published in the Annals of Gastroenterology,including management of colon and rectal cancer, postoperative chemotherapy in colon cancer and management of metastatic disease.

TRAINING IN COLOPROCTOLOGY

Coloproctology forms part of the general surgery specialty training curriculum. In Greece to date there is no specific national based sub-specialty training program in Coloproctology. Recognition of Colorectal Surgery as an officially accredited sub-specialty is in process.

In 2025, Professor G. Theodoropoulos, from National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), became the first accredited Professor of Colorectal Surgery in Greece. 

FELLOWSHIPS

GSCP

Greek Society of Coloproctology has established two 12-month Colorectal Surgery Fellowships in collaboration with teaching hospitals in the UK. These Fellowships are advertised annually by GSCP Fellowship Committee and offered to junior GSCP members, who have finished their surgical training, in an open competition process:

• Fellowship based at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital, London, UK           
• IBD Fellowship based at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK

Moreover, a GSCP Robotic Colorectal Fellowship in collaboration with Colchester Hospital, UK, is currently under formation and due to launch in October 2026.

University of Athens

For the first time in Greece, a formally accredited 2-year NKUA Academic Clinical Fellowship in Colorectal Surgery was launched in March 2026, offering structured training to 2 fellows at each time and will be carried out in two University Hospitals: 1) Hippocration University Hospital (Supervisor: Prof G. Theodoropoulos, MD, FACS, FASCRS) and 2) Aretaieion University Hospital (Supervisor: Prof I. Papakonstantinou, MD). 

POSTGRADUATE TRAINING

Thessaly University

There are 2 Postgraduate Training Programs, organized by the Medical School of Thessaly University:

• Postgraduate Training Program in Colorectal Surgery (established in 2017)
• Postgraduate Training Program in pelvic floor disorders (established in 2018)

Athens University

Colorectal Surgery forms part of a 2-year MSc program of Athens University on “New Technologies in Gastrointestinal Surgery-Minimally Invasive Techniques- Bariatric Surgery”

HANDS-ON COURSES

“Hands-on” structured courses in Colorectal Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery are offered (since 2017) by the NoDE Institute, an independent non-profit organization and a GSCP partner. This organization offers 2 types of courses in colorectal surgery:

• The C.LA.S.S.courses are offered 4 times per year and comprise mainly of: human cadaveric dissection labs, live surgery, tips & tricks video, surgical simulation training and problem-based learning.
• The C.RO.S.S.training program is designed for tutoring in Colorectal Robotic Surgery. The course is addressed to surgeons who are experienced in colorectal and laparoscopic surgery and includes hands-on robotic surgery simulation, interactive tips and tricks sessions and live colorectal robotic surgery observation.

 RESEARCH

• HERCORES study(Hellenic Registry of Colorectal Surgery): National study which has recruited 603 patients undergoing colorectal surgery and has currently stopped recruitment. The Principal Investigator (PI) of the study is the Junior Committee of GSCP.
• The NEARCHOTrial (Safety Study on Neo-Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Advanced Rectal Cancer) and MECCLANT-C Trial (Prospective comparative multi-centre trial on various bowel preparation regimes for elective colon surgery) have stopped recruiting and are in the process of publication.
• The MECCLANT-RTrial (Prospective comparative multi-centre trial on various bowel preparation regimes for elective rectal surgery) has stopped recruitment and is under analysis. The Principal Investigator (PI) of the study is the Colo-Rectal Cancer Study Group (CRC-SG), chapter of Gastro-Intestinal Cancer Study Group (GIC-SG).

FUTURE EVENTS

GSCP/HSG Webinars – 2026 Series

• 2^ndWEBINAR (26/05/26): Early Rectal Cancer
• 3^rdWEBINAR (20/10/26): Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer and QoL 

           following Rectal Cancer Treatment 

GSCP/ Hellenic Radiation Oncology Society Webinar

Webinar on indications, side effects and efficacy of radiation treatment in rectal cancer. Date TBC.

5^th GSCP National Congress  

April 2027. Exact dates TBC.

C.LA.S.S. 2026 course

Modular course on Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery, organised by node institute. For more information on www.nodeinstitute.org.

Last update: 01.05.2026