3rd Annual Conference of OOTR

On September 22-23, 2006, the 3rd Annual Conference was held at at the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine. The theme of the conference was "Neoadjuvant and Molecular therapy in Oncology". We provided to the participants the up-to-date knowledge of novel cancer diagnosis, therapeutics, and prognosis.

The conference was very fruitful and well received. A most impressed list of invited international faculty gathered to exchange their research ideas, findings and experiences. The discussion sparkles the research and development of new treatment modalities and methodologies.

Prof. Glück talked about the latest development of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and suggested to optimize the current treatment options and to develop successful therapy according to biology and not only histo-pathologic features of breast cancer.

Dr. Chow presented the novel treatment armamentarium for hormone-sensitve breast cancer patients. He suggested the use of combination of hormonal therapy with signal transduction inhibitors in order to overcome the problem of resistance to traditional therapy.

Dr.Pegram talked about the recent primary systemic therapy for metastatic breast cancer. Multiple investigational agents are currently under study to improve the treatment efficacy. Future directions will include development of targeted biologic agents and small molecules targeting signaling pathways. He also presented the latest treatment strategies of using signal transduction inhibitors in solid tumors.

Prof. Arber summarized latest chemoprevention studies - Adenoma Prevention with Celecoxib (APC) study, Prevention of Colorectal Sporadic Adenomatous Polyps (PreSAP) study, and Adenomatous Polyp Prevention on Vioxx (APPROVe) stduy. He also presented a novel selective gene targeting approach to selectively kill cancer cells.

Prof. Gleave introduced the current approach of intermittent androgen suppression (IAS) to delay progresson to androgen independence and the novel targeted gene therapies to enhance tumor cell death after androgen withdrawal or taxane chemotherapy.

Prof. Sasano presented the effects aromatase inhibitor on bone in genetic approach. He commented that the gene induced by the steroidal AI exemestane demonstrated the possible bone protective effect using microarray analysis. He also talked about the importance of using surgical pathology materials to standardize surrogate markers for molecular therapy.

Dr. Aapro addressed the problems of long-term treatment with third-generation anti-aromatase agents in women with breast cancer. The use of bisphosphonates however reduces the bone loss due to the therapy. He presented the ongoing clinical trials of using different preventive bisphosphonates.

Prof. Kumar introduced the nuclear localization of p21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) which is associated with development of tamoxifen resistance. He suggsted that tamoxifen resistance might be prevented or reversed by PAK1 inhibition.

Dr. Vijver presented the gene expression profiling to predict the outcome and response to breast cancer therapy. A previously defined gene expression profile of 70 genes is predictive for prognosis of patients. He concluded that gene expression profiling will lead to novel diagnostic test in clinical practice.

Prof. Cao focused on lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis in cancers. He identified several lymphangiogenic factors such as VEGF-A, VEGF-C or PDGF-BB which promotes lymphangiogenesis and metastasis.

Prof. Wong talked about the use of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors to prevent gastric cancer. In gastric cancer, COX-2 is over-expressed and serves as potential target for prevention and treatment. Both in vivo and in vitro studies testifies the promosing role of COX-2 inhibitors in the prevention of gastric cancer.

Prof. Leung addressed molecular subtypes of colorectal cancer (CRC). Microsatellite instability (MSI) resulting from inactivation of any components in the DNA mismatch repair complex causes development of CRC. More understanding of the cause of MSI helps in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of CRC.

Friday, September 22

Title	Topic	Chairperson	Speakers
Poster Discussion Session and Opening Ceremony
Session 1	Neoadjuvant Therapy     Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy: New Developments & Changing Paradigms     Neoadjuvant Hormonal Therapy of Breast Cancer     Primary Systemic Therapy for Metastatic Breast Cancer	Masakazu Toi	Prof. S. Glück Dr. L.W.C. Chow Dr. M. Pegram
Session 2	Novel Cancer Therapy I     Prevention of Colorectal CancerL is Chemoprevention Still a Valid Option?     Targeting Stress-induced Cytoprotective Chaperones, Chaperones, Clusterin and Hsp27, to Enhance Chemosensitivity in mHRPC     A Novel Selective Gene Targeting Approach to Selectively Kill Cancer Cells, In Vitro and In Vivo, with Hyperactive ß-catenin or Ras Pathways	Simon Leung	Prof. N. Arber Prof. M. Gleave Prof. N. Arber

Saturday, September 23

Title	Topic	Chairperson	Speakers
Session 3	Novel Cancer Therapy II     Signal Transduction for Cancers     Targeting the IGF-1 Axis in Hormone Sensitive Breast and Prostate Cancer	Stefan Glück	Dr. M. Pegram Prof. M. Gleave
Session 4	Endocrine Therapy Associated Changes     Aromatase Inhibitors and Bone     Improving Bone Health: Bisphosphonates during Anti-Aromatase Therapy     Nuclear PAK1 and Tamoxifen Resistance	Louis Chow	Prof. H. Sasano Dr. M. Aapro Prof. R. Kumar
Session 5	Prediction of Response to Breast Cancer     Prediction of Outcome and Response to Therapy in Breast Cancer by Gene Expression Profiling     An Analysis of Surrogate Marker for Molecular Therapy in Breast Cancer Using Surgical Pathology Materials	Masakazu Toi	Dr. van de Vijver Prof. H. Sasano
Session 6	Prediction of Response to Solid Tumors     Lymphangiogenesis and Lymphatic Metastasis     Use of Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors in Prevention of Gastric Cancers     Molecular Subtypes of Colorectal Cancer - Implications for Genetic Susceptability, Prognosis and Response to Treatment	Shinji Ohno	Prof. Y. Cao Prof. B. Wong Prof. S.Y. Leung
Closing Ceremony and Gala Dinner

 

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