A dozen Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research scientists from around the world presented the latest advancements in basic and clinical cancer research at the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2013 in Washington, D.C. Progress in immunotherapy and epigenetics led the program with important diagnostic and treatment implications for emerging cancer therapy. "With new immunotherapy agents available to help patients with melanoma, researchers are developing prognostic biomarkers to determine who will benefit most to fully realize the potential of these treatments," explained Jedd D. Wolchok, M.D., Ph.D., director of Ludwig's Collaborative Laboratory at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center during his presentations at the AACR meeting. "By identifying targeted combinations of agents, the immune response can be improved in certain patients with melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer." Developments in immunotherapeutic treatment of ovarian cancer was highlighted in a "Meet the Expert" session with George Coukos, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Ludwig Center for Cancer Research of the University of Lausanne, in Switzerland. His presentation described current progress and future prospects in vaccine and adoptive T-cell therapy development, as well as immunomodulatory therapy tools available for immediate clinical testing. "Ovarian cancer remains a very important therapeutic challenge," commented Dr. Coukos. "With no drugs approved in two decades in the U.S. and no therapeutic targets emerging from deep sequencing analyses, immunotherapy could offer a promising new approach." Dr.Login Or Register To Read Full Story