In recent years, research on the interaction between the tumor and its microenvironment has become a major focus in understanding cancer development in order to provide ad hoc models for personalized treatment that tends to be more effective.

A growing tumor is composed not only of cancer cells but also contains stromal cells (fibroblasts, endothelial cells and immune cells) and extracellular matrix components that are collectively referred to as the “Tumor Microenvironment”. Moreover, preclinical and clinical data highlighted a link between cancer development, anticancer immunity, treatment efficacy and intestinal microbiota.

The tumor microenvironment has great effects on how tumor cells begin and expand as aggressive and metastatic diseases. We know that the tumor microenvironment play a major role in the treatment response and the development of therapeutic resistance.

We will discuss throughout the day how the tumor microenvironment has an impact on cancer development.  We will go through some models and tools, which have been developed within the consortium IMODI, to reconstitute cancer microenvironment in the aim to devise strategies targeting the tumor microenvironment to improve cancer treatments.

Info, program and registrations : http://www.imodi-cancer.org