Symposium on tumor heterogeneity set Oct. 6-7 at Li Ka Shing Center

Advances in molecular and genomic analysis of cells have fueled hope that targeted therapies, homing in on specific molecular defects, might revolutionize cancer treatment. However, the inconsistent performance of targeted therapies, and new measurements revealing the heterogeneity of cancer cells within individual patients, has raised critical questions about the potential therapeutic strategies. 

The Stanford Cancer Institute is sponsoring a scientific symposium, Tumor Heterogeneity: Implications for Targeted Therapy, to explore how researchers’ evolving understanding of intrapatient heterogeneity will affect basic research, translational research and clinical cancer care.

The Oct. 6-7 event will offer an in-depth exploration of the key questions surrounding the phenomenon of cancer cell heterogeneity within individual patients, and the challenges these findings present to treatment strategies, including targeted molecular therapies. 

The symposium, which includes speakers from Stanford, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, UCSF and the National Cancer Institute, will be held at Stanford’s Li Ka Shing Center for Learning and Knowledge on the Stanford campus. More information and registration is available  at http://cancer.stanford.edu/training/tumorheterogeneity.html.

Registration costs $50 for Stanford graduate students and postdoctoral scholars; $100 for Stanford employees; $150 for non-Stanford academics and those affiliated with other nonprofit organizations; and $250 for industry professionals. 

Space is limited, so those planning to attend are encouraged to register soon.