“A New Beginning” for Torino Breast Days 2026

From April 16 to 18, Turin will host the second edition of Torino Breast Days, a scientific congress dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment, and surgical reconstruction after breast cancer. The event will take place between the Rectorate of the University and the NH Torino Centro and represents an evolution from the project’s origins, which started with a more informal and local approach. 

The story is told by Dr. Pietro Ferrando, a plastic and oncoplastic surgeon at the Città della Salute e della Scienza in Turin and the initiative’s creator, who traces the project back to 2021. «We started with a much smaller, local event, which was not strictly scientific but aimed to bring women closer to specialists in a direct and informal way», he explains.

The idea was born in the Canottieri Cerea, along the banks of the Po River, where clinic and rehabilitation meet. «The goal was to allow women who had undergone breast surgery to interact directly with specialists, while also introducing them to an integrated sports therapy program through rowing».

Over time, that approach evolved. «There was what I would call a groundbreaking shift: we went from an event dedicated to women to a congress for women, but designed for the scientific community». The first edition in 2024 also represented a turning point for the region. «We can proudly say that we brought scientific discussion on breast surgery back to Piedmont, where events of this scale were previously lacking».

“A New Beginning” and a Change of Model

The tagline for the 2026 edition, “A New Beginning”, reflects this evolution. «It is linked to the arrival in Turin of Professor Casella, a nationally recognised figure in breast surgery, but it also represents a new beginning in the approach to this disease», Ferrando explains. 

This is in reference to a less fragmented model, in which oncological and reconstructive aspects are no longer separate. «We need to move toward a figure who unites these competencies, what abroad is called a breast surgeon. This allows us to offer a personalised pathway from the start, tailored to the patient’s needs».

A Program Structured Around Research and Organisation

The congress will span three days. The first day, Thursday, April 17th at the NH Torino Centro, with parallel sessions reflecting the complexity of the disease. «We wanted to give space to all the disciplines involved», Ferrando emphasised.

The program includes a session dedicated to breast and reconstructive surgery, one to diagnostics – radiology and anatomical pathology – and another to oncological and radiotherapy treatments. «We work constantly in a multidisciplinary way in clinical practice and wanted to represent this integration within the congress as well».

Alongside local and national specialists, the 2026 edition takes a further step with the involvement of international experts, particularly in surgery. «We decided to raise the bar by inviting international opinion leaders, to expand the discussion and bring new perspectives».

Access to Care and Territorial Inequalities

The congress also serves as a space to reflect on the challenges of the healthcare system. «There are centres of excellence across the country, but they are scattered unevenly -. notes Ferrando – Quality care is not yet guaranteed in every region and every hospital».

This directly affects patient’s journeys. «The goal is to reach a system where every woman can receive the same level of care without having to travel. Facing a disease link this is traumatic enough; doing it far from home is even more so».

Rehabilitation, Sport, and Quality of Life

One of the distinctive elements of Torino Breast Days remains its connection with rehabilitation and well-being. The focus is on integrated sports therapy through rowing, which will once again be part of the congress experience.

«This is not traditional rowing but an activity tailored by physiatrists and trained instructors -. Ferrando explains – It allows musculoskeletal rehabilitation post-surgery while also positively impacting overall well-being».

Being in nature, he adds, «supports a healing process that is also biologically demonstrable». For this reason, alongside scientific sessions, there will be a practical session of this activity, open to women and associations.

Training and the Next Generation

The congress also includes training for younger professionals. «We have dedicated a specific part to young specialists and residents, who will be able to interact directly with international experts and learn advanced techniques -. says Ferrando – We want this to be not only a congress for established professionals but also an opportunity for growth for those still in training».

Ferrando concludes: «We can offer the most advanced treatment techniques, but if we lose the human aspect, we lose what women truly need: listening, understanding. Healing should not only be clinical but also psychological and human».