MATERIALS OF INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE “INTEGRATED CLINICAL AND PATHOGENETIC APPROACHES IN DIAGNOSIS AND THERAPY OF CANCER”, JUNE 13–15, 2016, KYIV, UKRAINE

Abstract

The International scientific conference “Integrated clinical and pathogenetic approaches in diagnosis and therapy of cancer” was held on June 13–15, 2016 at R.E. Kavetsky Institute of Experimental Pathology, Oncology and Radiobiology (IEPOR) of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine. The focus of the conference was a search for the new fundamental, translational and clinical approaches in cancer research, prevention, diagnosis and treatment. At the conference we have learned a lot of new data presented by researchers from many countries, namely Ukraine, Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Belarus. The Director of IEPOR, Academician Vasyl Chekhun gave an overview on the research that was and is performed at IEPOR, and also the future directions important to combat the cancer diseases. He discussed the concept of cancer stem cells, the importance of the multimeric interactions between cancer cells and normal cells, and microenvironment. Academician V. Chekhun highlighted that the research on stem cells were initiated at our Institute about half century ago by Academicians R. Kavetsky and Z. Butenko. And the First International Conference “Role of stem cell in leukemo­ and carcinogenesis” summarizing the early developments in the field was held at our Institute at that time. The new level of the cancer problem was presented by Professor Ingemar Ernberg from Karolinska Institutet (Sweden) who presented his recent concept of cancer cell “attractor”, at the edge of tumor bio logy, mathematical modeling and system biology. The keynote reports were presented also by Professor Ninel Berezhna, Doctor of Medical Sciences Victor Zhylchuk, Doctor of Sciences Iryna Kozeretska, Doctor of Sciences Olena Kashuba and Doctor of Sciences Denys Kolybo. The lecturers presented the up­to­date information on the role of connective tissue as the key factor of tumor microenvironment, the metastatic bone lesions and disseminated cancer cells in bone marrow, genetic aspects of cancer in Ukraine, the role of MRPS18­2 oncoprotein in regulation of cell differentiation, HB­EGF as potential oncomarker and target for anticancer therapy. We have listen to many interesting reports, concerning the choice of the targets for cancer therapy, presented by Ukrainian researchers (see enclosed abstracts). Cancer therapy and the problems of personalized cancer treatment were also in the spotlight. During conference, largely supported by the VACTRAIN of Horizon 2020 program, there were workshops with the training in wet lab on different modern research techniques, such as quantitative real­time PCR (qRT­PCR), Comet assay, Fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS), and also immunohistochemistry. Many Master and PhD students and also young and experienced researchers took part in the workshops. This conference was also a platform to popularize the European School of Oncology, represented by Dr. Wojciech Wysocki from Poland. We are sure that this information will increase mobility of our medical students. During conference, we had a great opportunity to show our beloved country as it is to our guests. There were excursions around Kyiv and a boat trip on Dnipro, the travel to the regional center Chernihiv, the ancient city north from Kyiv. We hope that all participants got a take­home message: we have a long and difficult way to go to cure cancer disease, and we hope we reach our goal in our life time.