Markers in Cancer, a joint meeting by ASCO, EORTC & NCI, 7-9 Nov 2013 (diagnostic tutorial on 5-7)

We cordially invite you to attend Markers in Cancer, a joint meeting by ASCO, EORTC & NCI which will be held 7 - 9 November 2013 in Brussels.

Next generation sequencing and high throughput screening technologies are revolutionizing our current molecular understanding of cancer. In addition, molecular tumor profiles can now be established at affordable cost within a timeframe compatible with clinical practice. It is anticipated, that in the coming decade biomarker-based patient selection will move to the forefront of effective cancer treatment for the majority of patients.

This year's program will address the challenges we face, the opportunities which await us, and focus on the relevance and the feasibility of implementing emerging technologies in clinical practice. You will learn the ins and outs of current biomarker research including next generation biomarker discovery as well as the development and quality control necessary to turn next generation biomarkers into reliable diagnostics. Furthermore, it is likely that clinical trial design involving multiplex biomarker testing and molecular imaging will have to be adapted to provide evidence of which (combination) treatment is most effective for the heterogeneous and genetically diverse cancer patient population presenting in the clinic.

The meeting brings together clinicians, laboratory scientists, bio-informaticians, pathologists, statisticians, industry representatives, healthcare providers, regulatory agencies, and patient advocates who together with an outstanding faculty will deal with these emerging issues.

We are also pleased to announce that, for the first time, we will host a Workshop on "Biospecimen Pre-Analytical Stability and Diagnostics: A joint NCI BRN/SPIDIA Workshop"!

A Diagnostic Development Tutorial will be held prior to the Main Meeting (5-7 November 2013) in order to address issues critical to understanding the advances, development, limitations, and validation of molecular markers. This Diagnostic Development Tutorial, "From Hypothesis to Product", is open to a limited audience and will feature didactic presentations and hands on discussion of real life challenges.

We look forward to welcoming you in Brussels for what promises to be a captivating and intellectually stimulating meeting! After the meeting you will be ready for the new era of cancer care based on next generation guided therapy selection.

Provided by European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer