Joint EORTC-ESGO session to focus on translational research (19-22 October 2013)

A joint EORTC-ESGO (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer-European Society of Gynecological Oncology) session will be held at the society’s 18^th International meeting in Liverpool on 19-22 October 2013. The session will focus on translational research in gynecological cancers.

After more than 30 years of clinical and translational research, and having contributed to large randomized international clinical trials in gynecologic cancer, the multidisciplinary EORTC Gynecological Cancer Group (GCG) is currently dealing with some of the greatest challenges in cancer research:

• discover and establish clinically useful predictive and prognostic factors;
• identify subgroups of patients based on genomic patterns and activated pathways;
• design clinical trials appropriate for such subgroups.

In this way, a combined prognostic and predictive assessment of the EGFR pathway in ovarian cancer will be presented based on the EORTC 55041 trial which randomized 835 patients. Also, an outstanding work granted by the EORTC focused on ovarian cancer specific predictive signatures will be discussed.

The present and future research of the EORTC GCG needs to include validation of prognostic and predictive markers, identify novel therapies that target specific pathways, and develop a better understanding of the molecular basis for resistance. Such studies will require collecting a large numbers of biologic specimens, both at the time of diagnosis and of recurrence as well as, whenever possible, during treatment. These objectives can only be achieved with transversal cooperation within the EORTC framework (e.g. with the EORTC Pathobiology, Imaging, and Radiation Oncology Groups, etc.) as well as with international cooperation focusing on quality. Public Private Partnership will also be a key topic faced with the urgent need for new models of cooperation between industry and academia.

The attendees will learn how the EORTC, with its unique multidisciplinary infrastructure and long experience in cancer research, is taking part through the EORTC GCG in international networks focused on gynecological cancer research on a large scale. Intergroup collaboration, such as the International Rare Cancers Initiative (IRCI) between the EORTC, the United States National Cancer Institute, the National Institute for Health Research Cancer Research Network, and Cancer Research UK, and international contribution in establishing the current and future global standards of care are priorities for the EORTC GCG. The EORTC GCG has a good track record in rare tumors and will continue working on rare diseases along with these international partners.

The EORTC GCG has also been very willing to invest time, effort and resources in those less well developed areas in gynecological cancers such as endometrial cancer or cervical and vulvar cancers, fields in which a special effort from the academic world is needed. A special focus on unmet needs in cervical cancer in general and on locally advanced cervical cancer will be presented during the session.

For more information, please visit: http://www2.kenes.com/esgo18/pages/home.aspx

Dr. Antonio Casado Herráez – Hospital Universitario San Carlos in Madrid – Chair EORTC Gynecological Cancer Group
Dr. Emad Shash – Clinical Research Physician – EORTC Headquarters