American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting (AACR)

DENVER-Candidate genes and epigenetics are key components in the effort to develop and deploy personalized cancer prevention and treatment. Several studies at AACR 2009 took a closer look at both those research pathways.

Forget the theory of diminishing returns: If one is good, then two must be better. As a result, cancer researchers are turning their attention to combination therapies, particularly for blocking tumor signaling pathways.

Denver—By supporting the growth of blood vessels that absorb nutrients and oxygen, angiogenesis allows tumors to progress from clonal populations to cell masses that can expand and ultimately metastasize. This is a well-established concept, but some of the premises underlying anti-angiogenic drug development are now being revised, according to Luisa Iruela-Arispe, PhD, of the molecular, cell and developmental biology department at the University of California, Los Angeles.

DENVER—From angiogenesis to adhesion molecules to stromal factors, studies on the microenvironment offer a closer look at the cellular networks behind cancer. The microenvironment can also influence the body's access to therapeutic drugs and its ability to process those drugs.

DENVER—Designer T cells that attack tumors with a vengeance could be the future of prostate cancer treatment. Although the results are very preliminary, the incorporation of designer T cells into prostate cancer treatment led to a significant reduction in PSA levels, according to researchers from Boston University School of Medicine in Providence, R.I.

DENVER—In 1974, Joseph Fraumeni Jr., MD, MSc, served as a member of the AACR annual meeting program committee. “At the time, epidemiology did not have a prominent place on the program,” Dr. Fraumeni said during the grand opening session of the 2009 AACR meeting. “In fact, only one abstract related to epidemiology was submitted, and it was mine. Since it was assigned to me for review, I promptly accepted my presentation.”