European Association for Cancer Research - EACR 22

Prof Seoane presents at the symposium, 'Translational and tailored, but can we afford it?', at the 22nd European Association for Cancer Research, Barcelona, 8th July 2012. The official EACR-22 sponsored satellite symposium was hosted by ecancer, in partnership with EurocanPlatform and Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology.

Dr Joan Seoane talks to ecancer at EACR 22 in Barcelona about the highlights of the meeting and the need for advancement in treating glioblastoma. Dr Seoane notes that all of the highlights at this year’s EACR meeting centered on tailored medicine and biomarkers to develop better treatment; with focus also given to translational research and getting information from the laboratory to the clinic quicker. The meeting also alerted researchers and doctors to the importance to cancer stem cells and the metabolic impact of cancer and how this can be targeted. In addition, Dr Seoane pays particular attention to glioblastoma and the need to work through collaborations to correct the insufficient treatment methods for this disease.

Prof Trumpp talks to ecancer at the 22nd European Assocation for Cancer Research meeting, June 2012, Barcelona, about his project identifying metasteses-initiating cells which circulate in the blood of breast cancer patients. His team developed an assay identifying which cell starts the spread of cancer. Blood samples from 600 patients were examined and a number of markers and receptors were identified. Cells from these samples were then planted in to mice to study the resulting bone metastases. The markers identified have the potential for better diagnose breast cancer patients into high and low risk groups. Some of the receptors ID'd already have inhibitor drugs available so there is the potential for new trials looking at preventing metasteses with drugs already on the market.

Prof Pandolfi talks to ecancer at the 22nd European Assocation for Cancer Research meeting, June 2012, Barcelona. Only 2 % of the transcribed genome that encodes for protein has currently been functionalised, so there is a huge potential for investigation in to RNA for cancer treatment as well as other diseases. Translating the 'code' of RNA allows us to predict which RNA interacts where and understanding the relationships between protein-coding genes and non-protein coding genes will lead to better diagnostics and risk prediction.

Dr Antoni Ribas talks to ecancer at EACR 22 in Barcelona about advancements in immunotherapy in melanoma patients. Recently two unconventional methods of therapy, dabrafenib and belimumab, have shown positive results in patients where they previously have not. Dr Ribas focuses on understanding the immunotherapy side of melanoma and the different approaches to use the immune system in fighting cancer. The next step for immunotherapy is seen in recent studies of PD1 antibodies, which release natural brakes in the immune system that stop forced activation. The cancer cells in turn exploits these brakes making the therapy counter productive. Also discussed is ipilimumab and its efficacy compared to other drugs that battle BRAF.

Prof Jos Jonkers talks to ecancer.tv about the use of mouse models to understand the mechanisms underlying breast cancer resistance. Research into BRCA positive breast cancer in mice has shown that resistance can result from the reactivation of the BRCA mutation, however there are likely to be many ways that resistance can develop. Prof Jonkers explains how this research could translate into clinical benefits to both BRCA mutated breast cancer and other types of tumour.

Dr Lisa McShane, a bio-statistician, talks to ecancer at EACR 22 in Barcelona about biomarkers and the importance of properly constructing clinical trials for biomarkers and analysing data. Translating exploratory biomarkers into clinical tests for the care of patients revolves, primarily, around the statistics. Cancer therapy trials for drugs and basic science, cannot be applied, structurally, to biomarker trials. Often a trial is constructed in a way where the trial is built around a population of patients that will receive the best care with this treatment, but this will not provide an accurate control group in a biomarker test setting Other issues when using high dimensional biomarkers is the expression of 10,000 genes at one time and hundreds of different patients. Without the proper structuring the useful clinical information is lost.

Prof Jean-Paul Thiery discusses the reversible transition of tumour cells from an epithelial to a mesenchyme state and explains the potential role that targeting this transition could play in cancer therapy. The epithelial mesenchyme transition is necessary for tumours to successfully metastasise, and following new research recording the development of cancer cells it is now known that this occurs at a very early stage in cancer development. Mesenchyme-like cells have a very high chemo-resistance and consequently Prof Thiery’s research establishes the need for cancer therapies designed to restore cell chemo-sensitivity.

As part of the International Cancer Genome Consortium, the Australia Pancreatic Cancer Genome Initiative (APGI) is working to develop personalised medicines for pancreatic cancer patients. Dr Marine Pajic discusses her work carrying out preclinical studies to validate new agents proposed for personalised pancreatic cancer treatments. Thanks to the positive results of these studies using patient DNA and RNA to identify treatment targets, the APGI is expecting to launch the IMPACT trial of personalised medicines at the end of the year.

Dr Arkaitz Carracedo discusses his research into the metabolic activity of cancer cells and how the differences between the metabolic pathways of cancer cells and normal cells can be used to produce new therapeutic agents. Dr Carracedo explains how this research has identified a pathway important to the propagation of breast cancer, explains why this pathway could help to explain the links between breast cancer and obesity, and outlines the stages that are necessary before these findings can be translated into clinical benefits.

Prof Carlo Croce explains how the targeting of a gene which regulates micro-RNA can improve the diagnostics, prognostics, monitoring, and potentially treatment of many cancers. Although this gene was initially identified as playing an important role in the development of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, it has now known to be involved in all cancer types. Prof Croce explains the underlying mechanisms behind the effects of micro RNAs and outlines how these can be exploited in order to develop effective treatments with very low levels of adverse effects.

Talking to ecancer at EACR 22, Dr Jonathan Yingling discusses the paradigm of drug discovery and development. The process of drug development involves identifying targets from cancer biology and then development of molecular target therapeutics. Recently, importance shifted from creating drugs with the general population of patients in mind to identifing the optimal patient population. The changing focus from general to specific patient populations is currently a key issue in drug development, as well as the changes in the regulatory landscape of pharmaceutical development. Dr Yingling also discusses the importance and influence of biomarkers in current trials and the very basic, molecular level, starting point for all drug research.

Prof Manel Esteller talks to ecancer at EACR 22 in Barcelona, July 2012, about how all tumour types can be affected by gene modification. It is important to understand that cancer is not only an accumulation of mutations, but genetic defects as well. In cancer, genetic information provides biomarkers that help determine diagnostic, prognostic and treatment effects; in addition to targets for new drugs. Current developments in gene therapy include new techniques for genetic modification and de-modification, which show promise in leukaemia and sarcomas, as well as new interests in colorectal, breast and small cell lung cancer.