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World Cancer Congress 2008

Friday29 August 2008

Daily news Friday 29 August 2008

The plenary was opened byHarald zur Hausen, whoreviewed the history, nowalmost a century long, of the dis-covery of human papillomaviruses and their implications forhuman health. From Australia,Ian Frazer spoke about prevent-ing cervical cancer through vac-cination.

Existing vaccines are designedto prevent HPV infection andare not therapeutic. AchimSchneider, from Germany, spokein the plenary of the prospect oftherapeutic vaccines. He cau-tioned that these are still manymany years away but was opti-mistic about the progress.

The Vaccine monographreports progress and challenges inpreventing cervical cancer andpresents the first broad analysis ofthe cost-effectiveness of intro-ducing HPV vaccination andnew screening methods into thehardest hit regions of the world– Asia-Pacific, Latin Americaand the Caribbean.

The experts determined that inthe Asia-Pacific region, which

accounts for more thanhalf of the world’s cervi-cal cancer cases, vaccina-tion would be cost-effec-tive – even in the poorestcountries – if the cost pervaccinated girl wasbetween $10-$25. ForLatin America and theCaribbean, the cost pervaccinated girl, includingdelivery and logisticscosts, would have to beless than $25 to be cost-effective for all countries.In the most developedpopulations in the region,

vaccination would be cost-savingif the cost per vaccinated girl isbetween $25 and $60, and cost-effective at higher prices.

Currently the vaccine’s pricein the private sector is about$120 per dose, or $360 per vac-cinated girl.

“Efforts are needed now toadapt the current price of thevaccines so they meet what indi-vidual countries can afford; thesolution may be tiered pricingaccording to gross nationalincome per capita and accord-ing to the scale of countryefforts,” said Xavier Boschfrom the Catalan Institute ofOncology.

New screening methodsthat are increasingly provingthemselves in pilot studiesprovide viable alternatives topap smears for the first time,the experts also said. Onesuch method, known as visualinspection with acetic acid, orVIA, involves painting thecervix with vinegar. It is anattractive alternative because itis cheap, seems to be very

effective in detecting pre-cancer-ous lesions, entails only one visitand a simpler treatment that canbe performed by nurses immedi-ately and is less dependent onhaving a strong health infrastruc-ture. A recent large study inIndia showed a significant reduc-tion in cervical cancer cases anddeaths in areas using VIA.

Testing for HPV DNA is arecent screening advance alsoconsidered important for thedeveloping world, especially as

Cervical cancer: progress and challenges

Harald zur Hausen

Xavier Bosch

Ian Frazer

Recent advances in cervical cancer prevention mean that controlling the diseasein developing countries is becoming feasible for the first time, experts say.The advances were discussed in the congress plenary on Thursday morning

and at a press conference held immediately afterwards to launch a monograph pub-lished in the journal Vaccine.

2 World Cancer Congress 2008


new rapid test kits being developedespecially for poor countries areexpected to be cheaper and easier touse. Studies have consistently shownthat HPV testing works better thanpap smears as the primary screeningtest because it is better at picking upsuspicious cases.

For the near future, the experts say,both vaccination and screening willbe needed. The price of the vaccineand the support for massive vaccina-tion campaigns are the biggest barriers

for the moment, but several otherchallenges lie ahead. Those includegenerating the political support for anintervention whose payoff is two ormore decades away, cultural accept-ability of the vaccine and monitoringthe circulating virus.

“This new era presents an oppor-tunity to bring cervical cancer undercontrol in poor countries for the firsttime,” said Isabel Mortara, UICCexecutive director. “We have to seizethis opportunity.”

Breast cancer screening in controversy

In the first controversy session ofthe congress, Eugenio Paci fromFlorence and Elizabeth Garzoli

from Zurich debated whether mam-mography screening offered real ben-efits or was just a burden on the citi-zen.

Some of the issues are well summa-rized by R Harris and S Kinsinger intheir article “Oncology, an evi-denced-based approach” (2006). Thebenefit of a screening programmeisn’t determined by earlier detectionalone. A beneficial programme mustalso bring better or longer life. Harmresults from false positives (and falsenegatives), overdiagnosis and prob-lems of treatment.

The question is not how manycancers we find but how many peo-ple get better as a result of screening.As a cancer grows, there comes acritical point where treatment is noteffective anymore. If that criticalpoint is during lead time then screen-ing is effective.

Most people do not perceivescreening in these terms but rather asa way to protect oneself against can-

cer, assuming that the critical point isalways during lead time.

What is the real efficiency ofscreening and what are the tools forassessing it? Cohort studies?Randomized controlled trials?

An overview of trials of breast can-cer screening shows a reduction inmortality of 20%. (The other 80% ofwomen have a type of tumour forwhich early detection is not useful,due to early metastases.)

There are problems of lead timebias and length time bias. Finding thecancer earlier can make the overallsurvival time appear longer.Moreover, the cancers found byscreening are not so aggressive asthose found symptomatically and givetherefore a better overall survival.

A 5-10% false-positive result inscreening implies a great number ofwomen wrongly worried. If weextend the observation period for 10years, we may find up to 50% ofwomen with at least one abnormalmammogram. Better specificitydiminishes unfavourable effects ofscreening and should be a priority.

Benefits and harms are not com-mensurable! Weighing the number oflives extended by screening againstthe larger number of people with var-ious types of harm requires a valuejudgment. Currently our cultureseems to have decided that even asmall number of lives extended out-weighs a larger number of peoplehaving problems from false positivesand overtreatment.

This may change as the publicbecomes more aware of the real ben-efits and harms. Cost is also part ofthe equation.

Isn’t individual screening betteradapted than mass screening? Theaudience responded: NO

Is screening better than not screen-ing ? The audience voted: YES

After three Breast HealthGlobal Initiative summits, amultidisciplinary panel of

experts addressed the BHGI guide-lines for early detection, diagnosis,treatments and health care systems.

Benjamin O Anderson introducedthe initiative, which strives to devel-op, implement and study evidence-based, economically feasible, and cul-turally appropriate guidelines forinternational breast health and cancer

control for low- and middle-incomecountries to improve breast healthoutcomes.

Cheng-Har Yip from Malaysiafocused on strategies for early detec-tion of breast cancer in these coun-tries. Roman Shyyan from Ukrainediscussed diagnosis. Alexandru Eniufrom Romania spoke about allocatingresources in treatment. He comparedthe cost of therapy between Italy andUSA and gave a therapy checklist that

can be adapted to different contexts.Joe Harford asked hard questions:

What is needed for the health-caresystem to respond to increases inbreast cancer? What role should thehealth systems play in increasing sur-vival rates for breast cancer? In 2000,less than 1% of the publications inMedline dealt with health servicesand health system research. Planningand participation are needed toimprove quality.

Breast health care in low- and middle-income countries


Daly news Friday 29 August 2008 3

The ceremony of signing thecontract for the World CancerCongress 2010 was held in the

Saas Fee room at the Crowne PlazaHotel on Tuesday evening. Strongdelegations were present from theChinese Medical Association (CMA)and the Chinese Anti-CancerAssociation (CACA), who will hostthe congress.

Dr Xiaoming Han, deputy secretarygeneral of the CMA, thanked UICCfor deciding to hold the 2010 con-gress in Beijing. The CMA, as thelead host organization, will workclosely with CACA to assist UICC inmaking a successful congress, she said.

Established in 1915, the CMA is thecountry's largest non-governmentalorganization in the medical field. Witha mission of uniting all medical profes-sionals, upholding medical ethics andadvocating social integrity, the CMA

has become one of the lead-ing social forces in China inhealth reform consultation,publication, CME pro-grammes, health education,and research funding. It istaking up more and moreresponsibilities transferredfrom government.

“We are well aware thatcancer is one of the worstkillers of health,” Dr saidXiaoming Han, CMAdeputy secretary general. “As theworld’s most populous country Chinais facing a daunting task of cancer pre-vention and control. Cancer not onlyincreases financial burdens at individ-ual, family and country levels, but alsocauses tremendous loss of productivityStatistics show that about 20% of theannual medical cost of the wholecountry is spent on cancer treatment.”

“This congress is of great impor-tance to China. It will allow us toshare with our colleagues what wehave done and more importantly topick up momentum in moving for-ward prevention and control. As localco-hosts, we will work together tosupport the UICC to produce arewarding congress in line with theUICC's mission and values.”

Xiaoming Han

Isabel Mortara, Xishan Hao, David Hill and Xiaoming Han

Chinese partners sign contract for Beijing 2010

Chinese delegation

CACADr Xishan Hao, vice-president of CACA and president of the Chinese Society ofOncology of the CMA. President of the World Cancer Congress 2010Dr Guangchao Zhang, general secretaryProf Ying Wang, vice general secretaryProf Ning Zhang, vice general secretaryProf Jin Gu, vice general secretaryProf Yi-Xin Zeng, vice-presidentProf GuoLan Gao, vice-president

CMADr Xiaoming Han, deputy secretary generalMr Yongmao Jiang, director, department of academic affairs and conferencesMs Qingmin Li, project manager, department of academic affairs and conferencesOther representatives

The UICC and Chinese delegations, with the Beijing 2010 poster



José GomesTemporão, Ministerof Health in Brazil,has long been a dedi-cated advocate forimproved cancercontrol policy andservices in his coun-try. MinisterTemporão helped tocreate a comprehen-sive population-basedcancer control pro-gramme, with partic-ular emphasis onbroad outreach cam-paigns and substantivedevelopment of pre-vention and palliativecare. Temporão’s leadership and vision has had a directimpact throughout Latin America, as cancer control mod-els developed during his tenure are currently being stud-ied or replicated by other countries. He too was hon-oured as an outstanding government official.

The TurkishAssociation forCancer Researchand Control(TACRC) was hon-oured as an out-standing organiza-tion. The TACRChas a long-standinghistory of cancerprevention and con-trol that has signifi-cantly supported theTurkish populationboth within andoutside the country.As the oldest non-governmental cancerorganization in

Turkey, it has worked closely with UICC in importantactivities and projects, including establishing the firstHope Lodge in Turkey, organizing cancer patient forumsand an annual cancer patient congress, comprehensivenational advocacy in support of the World CancerCampaign, and translating major UICC education materi-als for health professionals. The TACRC was also recog-nized for its cooperation with the German Cancer Societyin innovative research initiatives aimed at improving can-cer care for Turkish citizens in Germany.

Harald zurHausen, professoremeritus and recentchairman and scien-tific director of theGerman CancerResearch Centre,Heidelberg, washonoured as an out-standing volunteer.Professor zurHausen, a renownedcancer researcher,editor-in-chief of theInternational Journalof Cancer, and headof UICC’s cervicalcancer initiative, isbest known for his discovery of several new types of thehuman papilloma virus (HPV), including those thatcause cervical cancer. The discovery of the causative roleof papilloma viruses in cancer of the cervix made by himand his research team led to the development of success-ful HPV vaccines. Thanks to his efforts, the wide-scaleintroduction of HPV vaccines has the potential signifi-cantly to reduce the burden of cervical cancer aroundthe world, improve reproductive health, and save mil-lions of women’s lives.

Prime ministerJanez Janša ofSlovenia, was hon-oured for his supportof key cancer con-trol policies andservices. Slovenia isone of the EuropeanUnion’s newestmember states buthas been consistentlyrecognized fordeveloping effectiveand innovativenational policies thatserve as a model forother countries inthe region. During

Slovenia’s presidency of the EU, Prime minister Janšaensured that cancer was a priority topic. On his recom-mendation, a pan-European conference was organized tosupport the development of new cancer control legislationto benefit the entire EU.

Tezer Kutluk accepted the award onbehalf of the TACRC

Harald zur Hausen

Luiz Antonio Santini accepted the awardon behalf of José Gomes Temporão

UICC makes awards for excellence in cancer control

Janez Janša

Highlight of the general assembly gala dinner in the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Tuesday night was the presenta-tion of UICC awards to individuals and organizations “whose vision has been an inspiration to colleaguesand partners and whose contributions have led to major achievements in the fight against cancer”.



“Cancer is everybody's business,” shesaid. “Cancer is not only an illness, butsomething that leaves a deep mark onthe lives of individuals, their familiesand carers.”

“The burden of cancer has beenincreasing globally despite great achieve-ments in cancer prevention and treat-ment. One in three EU citizens willsuffer from cancer and one in four willdie of it... This presents an enormouschallenge not only to health systems butalso to a society as a whole, since thegood health of our citizens is a precondi-tion for well-being, economic growth anddevelopment.”

“This is why Slovenia felt the need tocreate a new opportunity to intensify itsefforts in reducing the burden of canceracross Europe and chose to make thefight against cancer a political priorityduring its presidency of the EuropeanUnion.”

“In February 2008 those who careand feel responsible for health policiesand those who help formulate them,namely medical experts, researchers andpatient representatives, met in Sloveniaat the conference on the burden of cancer- how can it be reduced. A two-dayevent was not enough to cover this com-plex and demanding issue, but the fullycommitted participants focused on themain priorities and traced the way for-ward.”

“Better investment in promotion ofhealth, providing the conditions for suit-able living and working environments,

implementation of the ‘health in all poli-cies’ approach, and motivating citizensto lead healthier lifestyles, will simulta-neously contribute to the prevention ofcancer. Each euro invested in preventionis - long term - the best investment.”

“Despite good prevention pro-grammes, cancer will remain a frequentdisease. All those who suffer from cancerhave the right to the best possible healthcare, as well as diagnostics, treatment,rehabilitation, psychological and socialsupport, and palliative care. They alsohave the right to play an active role inthe planning and implementation oftheir medical treatment and become anequal partner in the healing process.”

“We have to strive to achieve a bal-ance in the research activities in all fieldsof cancer control. We should providemore support to independent academicstudies and the integration of studies andclinical practice. In particular we havehighlighted huge and striking differencesbetween and within countries in cancerincidence and mortality, which requirespecial measures and comprehensivestrategies.”

“I am very proud that on the initiativeof the Slovenian presidency, EU healthministers have adopted political commit-ments - council conclusions - on reducingthe burden of cancer... And although itis not often that health topics are dis-cussed among prime ministers, cancer wasa topic addressed at the highest politicallevel at the European Council during theSlovenian presidency.”

“But cancer is not a problem of thedeveloped world alone... For Europe tobe a good citizen of the world we needto share our expertise, our wisdom andwillpower to achieve progress in the fightagainst cancer globally.”

“I strongly believe that our commonendeavours will contribute to achievingand implementing the target of theWorld Cancer Declaration: to slow andultimately reverse the deeply worryingcancer development globally.

Allow me to conclude with the mottoof the Slovenian presidency which was:SInergy. Only with strong commitmentsand working together in partnership -politicians, experts, civil society andpatients - will we achieve our commongoals.”

Zofije Mazej-KukoviČ

Cancer is everybody’s business

Prime minister Janez Janša was scheduled to attend the awards ceremony, but the ongoing crisis inGeorgia kept him away. In his absence, the award was accepted on his behalf by Slovenian health minis-ter Zofije Mazej-KukoviČ.

The cancer that dare not speak its name14:15 - 16:30 The prostate cancer continuum S3.08

Chaired by: T Kirk (Downers Grove, USA)Session supported and developed in collaboration withEuropa Uomo, the European Prostate Cancer Coalition

Adouble session in Room Dthis afternoon will introducedelegates to a new organiza-

tion formed to unite patient organiza-tions around the world in the fightagainst prostate cancer.

Speakers will discuss the formationof the World Wide Prostate CancerCoalition, its membership, aims andobjectives, and some of the work ithas already started, particularly in theSouth Pacific. They will address the

problem of moving forward togetherand analyse the solutions that havealready been found.

For further information contact BarryYoung at [email protected]



The message is simple: tobaccokills.Tobacco killed 100 million

people in the 20th century. Thedeath toll in this century could easilyrise to one billion.

In Eastern Europe, tobacco compa-nies have flooded the newly inde-pendent countries with cheap prod-ucts and aggressive marketing. DrSubramaniam, from the NN BlokhinRussian Cancer Research Centre,sees a direct correlation betweenincreasing tobacco consumption andreduced life expectancy in theRussian Federation.

It is predicted that 40% of tobaccorelated deaths between now and 2030will be in just two countries: Indiaand China.

It was in response to startling statis-tics such as these that the internation-al community worked together tonegotiate the Framework Conventionon Tobacco Control (FCTC), saidDouglas Bettcher, director of theTobacco Free Initiative at the WorldHealth Organization.

The FCTC is one of the most suc-cessful treaties in UN history, signedby 193 countries and ratified by 157.

In April 2008, the Russian Federationwas the latest to join.The convention promotes� increased tobacco prices and taxes

to reduce demand� control of smuggling� protection from exposure to tobac-

co smoke� warning labels on packets� help for smokers wanting to quit� anti-smoking campaigns� bans on advertising, promotion and

sponsorship

The Framework ConventionAlliance (FCA) is a watchdog toensure that countries put the FCTCinto action, according to its director,Laurent Huber. As a global allianceof 350 organizations, it uses its politi-cal independence to go where gov-ernments dare not tread. Its successesinclude immediate government actionin response to the threat of a ‘DirtyAshtray Award’, and careful monitor-ing of the activities of the tobaccoindustry. “Our role is to raise thebar”, Huber said.

The FCTC, though a ground-breaking treaty, is just a startingpoint. “We have the science fortobacco control; Mpower gives us theblueprint for action and, in the FCA,we have a structure”, explainedJonathan Samet, from Johns Hopkins’Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Whether history judges the FCTCa success will depend on how well itis implemented. Douglas Bettcheranticipated challenges ahead andcalled on everyone to rally aroundthe FCTC in its next crucial stage.

Moving to control tobacco

Douglas Bettcher

Food, nutrition, physical activity and cancer prevention

In 1997, the World CancerResearch Fund (WCRF) releasedthe first authoritative statement

regarding the effects of nutrition andphysical activity and risk for cancer.Last year, the WCRF produced anupdate: Food, Nutrition, PhysicalActivity, and the Prevention of Cancer: AGlobal Perspective.

More than 20 expert groups in dif-ferent countries performed systematicliterature reviews in the style of theCochrane Reviews to ensure thor-ough collection of the literature andminimize bias. A WCRF panel thengraded the strength of the evidence.Causality was inferred using severalepidemiological criteria, such asstrength of association, specificity ofeffect, chronological sense, consistenteffects, and plausibility.

Some risk factors are immutable,such as birth weight, adult height,

and Barrett’s oesophagus (an inflam-matory cause for oesophageal cancer),but many risk factors for cancer arereversible.

The report offers 10 recommenda-tions, in the form of headline recom-mendations, specific and simple per-sonal recommendations, and policy-level public health recommendations.For example, the evidence linkingalcohol consumption to certain gas-trointestinal cancers was convincing.The headline recommendation is toreduce alcohol consumption. Thepublic health recommendation is todecrease excess alcohol consumptionby one-third every 10 years. The per-sonal recommendations include limit-ing men to 2 or fewer drinks per dayand women to a maximum of 1 drinkper day, regardless of the type ofalcohol.

Many of the lifestyle recommenda-

tions to prevent cancer remarkablyresemble prevention recommenda-tions for diabetes and cardiovasculardisease, suggesting partnership amonghealth advocates from different spe-cialties.

Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, andthe Prevention of Cancer was largelybased on research available fromdeveloped nations. One speaker con-cluded that further research isrequired to investigate cancer out-comes among people in undevelopednations and the effects of food andactivity phenomena early in life.While working on further research, arobust movement for behaviourchange based on current evidence isrequired. Speakers encouraged collab-oration with the World HealthOrganization, the media, schools,industry, and the WCRF to effectthis change.



08:30 - 10:00 Tobacco kills: what’s new? PS2.06Chaired by: L Joossens (Brussels, Belgium)

08:30 - 08:45 Leadership in tobacco control PS-217J Mackay (Hong Kong, China)

08:45 - 09:05 Deaths from smoking: new evidence PS-218R Peto (Oxford, UK)

09:05 - 09:20 Smokescreens: methods of the tobacco industry PS-219G Dubois (Amiens, France)

09:20 - 09:35 Death, tobacco taxes and governments PS-220P Jha (Toronto, Canada)

09:35 - 09:50 Evidence-based tobacco control PS-221aGT Fong (Waterloo, Canada)

09:50 - 10:00 Discussion PS-221b

12:45 - 13:45 Combination is key in cancer treatment SAT3Chaired by: M Aapro (Genolier, Switzerland)

M Ozsahin (Geneva, Switzerland)Satellite session organized by Merck Serono

12:45 - 13:45 The forgotten women: supporting women with metastatic breast cancer SAT4Chaired by: tbcSatellite session organized by Bristol Myers Squibb

10:30 - 12:00 Smoke-free policies: necessary, practical, popular CT2.07Chaired by: J Samet (Baltimore, USA)

10:30 - 12:00 Knowledge transfer: ensuring the usable is used CT3.06Chaired by: J Harford (Bethesda, USA)

10:30 - 12:00 Communication, families, physicians: exploring the CT4.07boundaries of cultural diversity in cancer careChaired by: A Surbone (Milano, Italy)

L Baider (Jerusalem, Israel)Session developed in collaboration with the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS)

10:30 - 12:00 Evidence is one thing, delivering it is another: FC5.25programme planning, guidelines, and risk communicationChaired by: D Iverson (Wollongong, Australia)

10:30 - 12:00 High-performing cancer systems CT5.18Chaired by: T Sullivan (Toronto, Canada)Session supported and developed in collaboration with theEuropean School of Oncology (ESO) and Cancer Care Ontario (CCO)

10:30 - 12:00 Cancer prevention: interventions that work (or don’t) CT1.19Chaired by: G Xuereb, WHO (Geneva, Switzerland)

Not to miss

Satellite sessions

Final Programme, pg 89. Room A

Final Programme, pg 98. Room Salève

Final Programme, pg 89. Room A

Final Programme, pg 90. Room B

Final Programme, pg 92. Room D

Final Programme, pg 95. Room G

Final Programme, pg 97. Room Mont Blanc

Final Programme, pg 101. Room C

Final Programme, pg 104. Room D


8 World Cancer Congress

New oncology drugs areextremely difficult toproduce. In spite of

huge investment from pharma-ceutical companies and manyyears in the production pipeline,anti-cancer drugs have the sec-ond lowest overall probability ofreaching the market. Only 5%are finally approved for commer-cial use on patients.

Around US $1 billion is spenteach year on drug development,yet a large proportion is spent onphase III trials, of which morethan 50% end in failure. Thechallenge, then, is to improveresearchers’ understanding of thesystem and ensure better fundingfor earlier phase I and II trials.

Dr F Zia of the natural prod-ucts branch of the NationalCancer Institute (USA) describedthe potential for developing newdrugs from chemical compoundsthat occur naturally in plants,marine invertebrates andmicroorganisms. He said that17% of all approved small mole-cule anti-tumour drugs originat-ed from natural products andanother 21% are derivatives ofnatural products. The NCI’snatural drug development pro-gramme has created a naturalproducts repository and definedagreements that benefit sourcecountries, while still permittingaccess to laboratories around theworld.

For the pharmaceutical indus-try, cancer drug development iscurrently focused on two majorareas, targeted drugs and targetedinterventions, according to DMumberg of Bayer ScheringPharma. Targeted drugs are notreally a new concept and includethe first hormone receptor antag-onists such as Tamoxifen. Yettargeted drugs do not work onall patients, so targeted applica-tions have to be considered. Forsuccessful treatment, targeteddrugs need to be applied to theright cancer sub-type.

The different epithelial growthfactor receptors in smokers andnon-smokers seems to play a role

in their differing response toanti-cancer drugs. Some target-ed drugs work better in women,non-smokers and Asians, and thisopens the possibility of futurework on drugs targeting specialpopulations.

Because of the complexity ofthese issues, it was suggested thatexperts in the field need to workmore on feedback cycles, withretrospective analysis of respon-ders and greater efforts to takeadvantage of large cooperativestudies.

Dr U Banerji of the RoyalMarsden Hospital (UK)described the advantages and dis-advantages of developing newdrugs in an academic setting.Constraints for academics includepoor funding and limited accessto sophisticated technology. Yetacademics play an important rolein defining targets, gaining accessto patients and selecting the rightpatient groups to participate inexpensive phase III trials.

Prof J Verweij, of the ErasmusUniversity Medical Centre,Rotterdam, described the workof the European Organizationfor the Research and Treatmentof Cancer(EORTC). With200 institutionsin 31 Europeancountries, theEORTC enrolsover 5000patients each

year in clinical trials. It facilitatesresearch by providing access topatients with uncommon malig-nant conditions and works incollaboration with regulatoryagencies.

During the question time, itwas suggested that poor patientselection in trials conducted bythe industry, perhaps driven by adesire to achieve quick results,could contribute to the high fail-ure rates, especially in studies onmolecular target trials.

Despite the extensive workalready undertaken, there is stillgreat potential for advances fromnatural sources. It appears thatthe intrinsic characteristics ofmarine organisms make themmore powerful sources thanplants, and that pharmaceuticalcompanies are showing arenewed interest in naturalsources, as the development ofnew synthetic compounds slows.

There is much work still to bedone, and the combined effortsof academics, institutions, gov-ernments and the pharmaceuticalindustry are essential to ensurethe development of new anti-cancer drugs.

This Daily News was edited by ParaicRéamonn, with help from Amanda Marlin.International congress volunteers Ann Galea,Janet Hammond, Tania Khan, Aniko Lecoultreand Sarah Webborn contributed reporting.Layout: Carlos Ocampo

Developing drugs

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