Tumour initiation, development and progression rely on a complex interplay between cancer cells and their local and systemic environment. The cross-talk of cancer and immune cells represents a particularly important determinant of how tumours respond to cues from their surroundings for the disease to progress, or to be targeted. Immune cells may inhibit or foster tumour growth and dissemination depending on cancer type, stage and the specific attributes of a tissue or organism. Conversely, cancer cells may co-opt immune responses for their survival and growth, and may develop mechanisms to evade immune surveillance. Recent years have seen immense progress in our understanding of how tumours interface with the immune system. Efforts to translate this knowledge in a therapeutic setting by restoring the tumour suppressive functions of the immune system have shown great promise, with cancer immunotherapy reaching the clinic.
This meeting will bring together a diverse group of researchers from the many interconnected areas of immunology and cancer to discuss how inflammation affects tumour development and metastasis. Presentations will focus on the most recent findings on the tumour-promoting and-suppressing effects of inflammation, the immune tumour environment, and therapeutic approaches aiming to exploit and translate these insights into therapeutic modalities in the clinic. We invite cancer biologists and immunologists from academia and the industry to join us in exploring current knowledge and outstanding questions in this exciting field.
ORGANIZERS
Chen Dong
Tak W. Mak
Miriam Merad
Ursula Weiss
Alexia-Ileana Zaromytidou
