ESMO Conference on Sarcoma and GIST
New breakthrough treatments for the most common cancers could soon come from cutting-edge research into some of the world's rarest tumors.
At the ESMO Conference on Sarcoma and GIST, to be held in Milan, Italy, on 9 and 10 March 2010, researchers and some of the world's leading experts will discuss exciting new science on sarcomas-a group of rare tumors found in muscle, blood vessels, deep skin tissues, nerves and the tissues around joints.
Although these cancers only affect a relatively small number of people, researchers say understanding them could have far wider ramifications.
"Because sarcomas have well-characterized molecular alterations, they are an ideal model for developing new therapies," says conference Co-Chair Dr. Jean-Yves Blay. "Sarcomas represent models for the development of targeted therapies in cancer."
This is a crucial period in sarcoma research, Dr. Blay said. "We are right in the middle of some breakthroughs. Novel treatments are now emerging for a large number of sarcoma types."
"Building on a precise understanding of the molecular biology of these tumors collected over the last decades, it is now possible to develop novel treatments targeting the initial molecular alterations driving these tumors," says Dr. Angelo Paolo Dei Tos, conference Co-Chair. "The aim of this meeting will be to understand these novel strategies for targeted agents in these tumors, with practical consequences in more frequent tumor types".