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Solid Tumors Subdivision Report
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By Antonia R. Sepulveda MD., PhD.
Chair, Solid Tumors Subdivision
e-mail: Sepulveda@uphs.upenn.edu
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This
year, 2009, continues to affirm the vibrant field of
molecular testing of solid tumors as a rapidly expanding
field, now claiming a long list of tests used in routine
clinical testing. This year, heading the new armamentarium
of molecular tests for solid tumors are applications of
predictive tumor marker for treatment selection.
The
2009 Program Committee Representatives Antonia Sepulveda
and Loren Joseph working with the Program
Committee have put together what we feel is an exciting
Annual Meeting Program for the AMP membership. Here are some
highlights. The program will feature state of the art
advances in the application of molecular testing for the
selection of cancer therapies, including talks covering
Kras mutation testing. The advances from the human
genome project have had very significant effects in the
development of our field of Molecular Pathology and
Diagnostics and this year, we will feature speakers who are
investigators and practicing molecular pathologists who will
present advances made possible by the human genome
initiative and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) program.
Similar to last year, the program will include a platform
presentation Workshop Session featuring oral presentations
selected from the submitted abstracts.
Representatives to the Training and Education (T&E)
Committee, Jennifer Laudadio and Liang Cheng
have worked with the T&E Committee on the development of
four webinars to be presented in 2009 including one focusing
on solid tumors. As part of the webinar series, the Training
and Education Committee is hosting a Spring webinar on
testing for tumors of unknown origin. This Committee began
planning for the annual outreach course and is looking to
include more solid tumor/anatomic pathology topics this
year. Nominating Committee Representatives for the Solid
Tumor Subdivision, Marina Nikiforova and Deborah
Dillon have been active in recruiting candidates for the
Solid Tumor Subdivision for the upcoming election.
From
the Clinical Practice Committee (CPC), Bill Funkhouser
and Frederico Monzon are working on a review
manuscript of the impact of fixation on molecular testing.
Frederico is also working on a hybrid CPC/PRC workgroup that
is crafting a letter to FDA expressing AMP's position on
Genentech's petition to regulate Laboratory Developed Tests
(LDT).
Abstract submission is open until the deadline June 2, 2009.
Go Solid Tumors Subdivision (STS)! Let's have a record
number of abstracts this year!
Wishes
for a wonderful Spring to all of you. |