Course Description

Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is a cancer of the neural crest-derived cells responsible for skin pigmentation. Over the past four decades, the incidence of melanoma has increased more rapidly than that of any other malignancy. Although the causative transformation events remain elusive , an increasing wealth of biological data have identified a number of molecular mechanism responsible for CM progression. However, no current treatments substantially enhance patient survival once metastatic disease has occurred. Therefore CM research remains a potent conceptual stimulus from the biological and the translational view point as well. Recent developments in the molecular biology of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) have identified multiple pathways associated with the development of this cancer. Substantial clinical activity has been reported with various agents targeting these pathways, most notably with small molecules targeting vascular endothelial growth-factor receptor associated kinases. This course is aimed at providing an update on basic an clinical aspects of CM and RCC through the sharing of the personal current experience of investigators of various biomedical fields.

FRIDAY November 23

10.00
Course presentation
(P.G. Natali, Rome - R. Tenaglia, Chieti-Pescara) go to slides

10.15 Melanoma

Stem Cells
(C. La Porta, Milan) go to slides

Genetics
(I. Antigoni, Rome) go to slides

cDNA profiling
(P. Giacomini, Rome)

12.30 General Discussion

13.00 LUNCH

14.00
New therapeutic targets: the endothelin B receptor
(A. Bagnato, Rome) go to slides

Immunotherapy: state of the art and future directions
(M. Maio, Siena) go to slides

IFN-alpha & other cytokines. What has been done. What ‘s next
(P.A. Ascierto, Naples)

Chemo-immunotherapy combinations. A new alliance?
(P. Nisticò, Rome)

Epigenetic immunotherapy of human melanoma: molecular bases and perspective
clinical applications
(L. Sigalotti, Aviano) go to slides

18.00 General Discussion

SATURDAY November 24

8.30 Kidney Cancer
Chairman: E. Bajetta (Milan)
Keynote lecture
New cancer therapies based on thyrosine kinase inhibitors
(A. Ullrich, Martinsried)
Kidney cancer: prognostic factors and new surgical approaches
(R. Tenaglia, Chieti–Pescara) go to slides
Medical management of renal cell carcinoma
(P. Marchetti, Rome)
Targeted therapy in advanced renal cell carcinoma
(C. Bengala, Modena) go to slides
Renal cell carcinoma: what does the future hold?
(F. Morgillo, Naples) go to slides

11.30 General Discussion

11.45
Case presentations (with voting system)
(R. Tenaglia, Chieti- Pescara - P. Marchetti, Rome - P.F. Conte, Modena - F. Ciardiello, Naples)
The EAU Urological Guidelines and Practice Recommendations
(E. Bajetta, Milan – R. Tenaglia, Chieti-Pescara)

13.00 General discussion and conclusions

FACULTY

Paolo Antonio Ascierto
Cancer Institute Fondazione Pascale
Naples, Italy

Anna Bagnato
Regina Elena Cancer Institute
Rome, Italy

Emilio Bajetta
Cancer Institute IRCCS
Milan, Italy

Fortunato Ciardiello
II University of Naples
Naples, Italy

PierFranco Conte
University of Modena
Modena, Italy

Patrizio Giacomini
Regina Elena Cancer Institute
Rome, Italy

Paola Grammatico
University La Sapienza
Rome, Italy

Caterina La Porta
University of Milan
Milan, Italy

Michele Maio
University Hospital of Siena
Siena, Italy

Paolo Marchetti
S. Andrea Hospital
Rome, Italy

Pier Giorgio Natali
Regina Elena Cancer Institute
Rome, Italy

Paola Nisticò
Regina Elena Cancer Institute
Rome, Italy

Luca Sigalotti
Oncologic Referral Center (CRO)
Aviano, Italy

Raffaele Tenaglia
University G. D’Annunzio
Chieti-Pescara, Italy

Axel Ullrich
Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry Martinsried, Germany