For Immediate Release
For more information, contact:
Mike Shefky, Communications and Marketing Manager
mshefky@sitcancer.org ~ (414) 271-2456 ~ www.sitcancer.org
ISBTC MINI-SYMPOSIUM ADDRESSES CRITICAL COMPONENT FOR FUTURE COMBINATION THERAPIES OF CANCER
Milwaukee---Targeted and immune agents will serve as critical components for future combination therapies of cancer, according to a report resulting from the International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer's (sitc) "Mini-symposium on Biologic Effects of Targeted Therapeutics."
"This Mini-symposium represented an initial look into what is likely to be an important area of clinical and translational investigation in the future and a critical component to developing treatment regimens involving combinations of targeted and immune agents," observes Dr. Michael B. Atkins, sitc Past-President and Mini-symposium Co-chair. "In this way, this Mini-symposium laid the groundwork for the upcoming sitc Workshop on Combination Therapy."
Held October 26, 2006 in Los Angeles, California, the Mini-symposium highlighted an emerging appreciation and understanding of the mechanistic complexity associated with the use of targeted therapies. The resulting "Report on sitc Mini-symposium on Biologic Effects of Targeted Therapeutics" will be published in the September 2007 issue of the Journal of Immunotherapy and can also be viewed in its entirety on the sitc website (www.sitcancer.org). Ideas discussed at the Mini-symposium will be revisited at this year's "Workshop on Future Opportunities for Combination Biological Therapy of Cancer" to be held Thursday, November 1, 2007 in Boston, Massachusetts.
The Mini-symposium ultimately sought to inform and influence basic science efforts and discussions, rationally design combination treatment regimens, and optimally employ correlative studies in the context of ongoing and future clinical investigations by discussing various topics related to the biologic effects of targeted therapeutics. According to the report summary, the off-target biologic effects of targeted therapies are frequent and may be crucial contributors to patient outcomes. Although there are conceptual and practical challenges to understanding, leveraging and controlling such effects, their successful manipulation may lead to improved cancer treatments.
Founded in 1984, the International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer is an organization of clinicians, researchers, students, post-doctoral fellows, and allied health professionals dedicated to improving cancer patient outcomes by advancing the development and application of biological therapy through interaction, innovation, and leadership. With several high-quality scientific meetings and numerous networking opportunities unique to the Society, sitc has developed into the premier destination for interaction and innovation in the cancer biologics and cancer immunotherapy communities.
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