CHAIRPERSONS:
Lewis C. Cantley, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Charles L. Sawyers, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
Mutations in genes that encode components of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway are perhaps the most frequent events observed in solid tumors. The PI3K pathway can be activated by overproduction of growth factors or chemokines or by mutations in growth factor receptors, Ras, PTEN, or PI3K itself. Activation of this pathway contributes to cell growth, cell cycle entry, cell survival, and cell motility, all important aspects of tumorigenesis. However, progress is being made as several small molecule inhibitors of Class Ia PI3K enzymes have recently entered phase I clinical trials.
This AACR Special Conference will assemble prominent investigators to discuss recent advances in this rapidly growing area. Sessions will focus on the basic research which is studying the role of PI3K and related pathways in cancer. Discussions will also explore strategies for determining which patients are most likely to respond to PI3K inhibitors. In addition, the advantages and disadvantages of targeting specific PI3K enzymes, versus other families of enzymes, will be discussed. A special session has been set aside for late breaking presentations and there will be ample time for discussion. This conference will provide a unique forum to review the remarkable progress in this area over the past few years, and provide a glimpse of where the field is moving. We hope that you will mark your calendar for this exciting Special Conference and look forward to seeing you in Cambridge.
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