From 13-15 April 2018, the most expert clinicians and basic science researchers in the field of hematology and oncology will meet to discuss science in Bergamo, Italy at the 9th ICTHIC Conference. A strong emphasis will be on the application of basic science concepts to solving clinical problems in patients with cancer and hemostatic disorders (bleeding and/or thrombosis). The latest, frequently unpublished data about the pathophysiology, prevention and treatment of thrombosis and bleeding in cancer will be shared in a relatively informal setting, encouraging basic scientists to discuss the design, implementation and analysis of data from studies of traditional and novel therapies in patients with cancer. “It is somewhat unique, in that basic scientists and clinicians meeting together often develop important collaborations at the Bergamo Conference, applying the understanding of basic tumor biology and hemostasis/thrombosis to the solution of problems related to the management of cancer patients”, declare the organisers.
The kickoff will be given by biostatistical colleagues and experts in clinical epidemiology, such as Marc Carrier (Ottawa, Canada) and P. Robin (Brest, France) revisiting the controversial issue of the utility of screening for occult cancer in patients with unprovoked venous thromboembolism (VTE). Do prothrombotic phenotypes have a role in identifying patients at particularly high risk for early intervention or prevention? What is the impact of VTE on prognosis in cancer and how important is arterial thrombosis in cancer patients? These are some of the questions that will be addressed by John-Bjarne Hansen from Tromso, Norway, Howard Liebman, California, and Doron Aronson and Benjamin Brenner, Israel.
The meeting promises to give further insights on the role of hemostatic factors in cancer progression, the interaction between platelets and tumor-related microparticles, and podoplanin as a potential biomarker for identifying cancer patients at very high risk for VTE, says Frederick Rickles, Co-chair of the Conference.
Updates from the latest findings from large clinical trials and from registries and databases will be addressed and critically analyzed. Similarly, the utility and limitations of mouse models will be questioned by Nigel Mackman (USA) and Yohei Hisada (Norway).
The “risky business”, however, as Anna Falanga puts it, is all about the predictors and clinical risk models for VTE and prognosis in cancer. Here the “father of the Khorana score” will give a candid assessment of the progress over the past ten years in the use of various RAMs in VTE prediction in cancer since 2008, when the Khorana score was first introduced for wide-spread application. (see also Khorana interview here)
At the clinic, the dilemmas on how to deal with bleeding in cancer and how to tackle the most complex hemostatic conditions are approached by such experts as Marcel Levi, Vikram Mathews and Simon Mantha, among other distinguished colleagues. Identifying antithrombotic agents that “might not increase bleeding” for use in cancer remains the “holy grail” of hemostasis and Nicola Mutch, from Aberdeen, Scotland, will provide novel insights to it.
These few examples show that the ICTHIC Bergamo Conference is promising the richest programme in its 18 year-long history. In our next newsletter more topics will be unveiled before you find yourself at the Conference exploring the newest findings in the relationship between hemostasis and cancer.
For further information visit www.icthic.com