Targeted therapies in cancer : myth or reality? ; [In September 2005 an International Meeting on "Targeted Therapies in Cancer: Myth or Reality" was held in Milan

In September 2005 an International Meeting on “Targeted Therapies in Cancer: Myth or Reality” was held in Milan. This successful Meeting was intended to represent a forum for scientists and clinicians working in cancer drug discovery and therapy to share their reflections and experiences on how the paradigm shift from empiricism to molecular targeted therapies is contributing to the translation of basic knowledge into new therapies for cancer patients. This book collects the contributions given by scientists and clinicians, from Academia and Industry, who participated to this Meeting. We hope that this book contributes to improve our approach to cancer drug discovery and, ultimately, to find new, more efficacious and better tolerated drugs for cancer patients. It provides an overview of diverse approaches ranging from drug discovery to cellular therapy. Although this change in paradigm has been useful, its entry into the clinical arena was associates with unforeseen problems including the emergence of resistance, unexpected side effects and failures. Time is therefore ripe for a critical cultural reflection on the state of the art, prospects and limitations. Ultimately, is targeted therapy in cancer a myth or a reality? Causality in medicine / Giulio Giorello The evolution of the biomedical paradigm in oncology : implications for cancer therapy / Gilberto Corbellini and Chiara Preti Anticancer drug discovery and development / Francesco Colotta Beyond VEGF : targeting tumor growth and angiogenesis via alternative mechanisms / James Christensen and Kenna Anderes Aurora kinases and their inhibitors : more than one target and one drug / Patrizia Carpinelli and Jürgen Moll Signalling pathways and adhesion molecules as targets for antiangiogenesis therapy in tumors / Gianfranco Bazzoni Developing T-cell therapies for cancer in an academic setting / Malcolm K. Brenner Anticancer cell therapy with TRAIL-armed CD34+ progenitor cells / Carmelo Carlo-Stella ... [et al.] Linking inflammation reactions to cancer : novel targets for therapeutic strategies / Alberto Mantovani ... [et al.] Clinical development of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors : what lessons have we learned? / Manuel Hidalgo GIST as the model of paradigm shift towards targeted therapy of solid tumors : update and perspective on trial design / Jaap Verweij, Caroline Seynaeve, and Stefan Sleijfer Monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of malignant lymphomas / Bertrand Coiffier Molecular network analysis using reverse phase protein microarrays for patient tailored therapy / Runa Speer ... [et al.] Front Matter....Pages i-viii Causality in Medicine....Pages 1-4 The Evolution of the Biomedical Paradigm in Oncology: Implications for Cancer Therapy....Pages 5-18 Anticancer Drug Discovery and Development....Pages 19-42 Beyond VEGF: Targeting Tumor Growth and Angiogenesis via Alternative Mechanisms....Pages 43-53 Aurora Kinases and Their Inhibitors: More Than One Target and One Drug....Pages 54-73 Signalling Pathways and Adhesion Molecules as Targets for Antiangiogenesis Therapy in Tumors....Pages 74-87 Developing T-Cell Therapies for Cancer in an Academic Setting....Pages 88-99 Anticancer Cell Therapy with TRAIL-Armed CD34 + Progenitor Cells....Pages 100-111 Linking Inflammation Reactions to Cancer: Novel Targets for Therapeutic Strategies....Pages 112-127 Clinical Development of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors: What Lessons Have We Learned?....Pages 128-143 GIST As the Model of Paradigm Shift Towards Targeted Therapy of Solid Tumors: Update and Perspective on Trial Design....Pages 144-154 Monoclonal Antibodies in the Treatment of Malignant Lymphomas....Pages 155-176 Molecular Network Analysis using Reverse Phase Protein Microarrays for Patient Tailored Therapy....Pages 177-186 Back Matter....Pages 187-191

In September 2005 an International Meeting on Targeted Therapies in Cancer: Myth or Reality was held in Milan. This successful Meeting was intended to represent a forum for scientists and clinicians working in cancer drug discovery and therapy to share their reflections and experiences on how the paradigm shift from empiricism to molecular targeted therapies is contributing to the translation of basic knowledge into new therapies for cancer patients. This book collects the contributions given by scientists and clinicians, from Academia and Industry, who participated to this Meeting.

We hope that this book contributes to improve our approach to cancer drug discovery and, ultimately, to find new, more efficacious and better tolerated drugs for cancer patients. It provides an overview of diverse approaches ranging from drug discovery to cellular therapy. Although this change in paradigm has been useful, its entry into the clinical arena was associates with unforeseen problems including the emergence of resistance, unexpected side effects and failures. Time is therefore ripe for a critical cultural reflection on the state of the art, prospects and limitations. Ultimately, is targeted therapy in cancer a myth or a reality?

Billions of dollars are spent every year on research into targeted therapies for cancer. That’s why it’s more than ever crucial for the thousands of scientists working in the field to keep right up to date with the cutting edge. This fascinating collection of material goes a long way to helping them do so, featuring as it does contributions to a crucial international meeting in Italy. The meeting provided a forum for scientists and clinicians working in cancer drug discovery and therapy to share their opinions and experiences. The text here offers readers an overview of diverse approaches, ranging from drug discovery to cellular therapy. Overall, the book addresses the key question of whether ultimately targeted therapy in cancer will be a myth or a reality.