{"id":102118,"date":"2026-06-02T18:13:15","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T16:13:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/port.lukasiewicz.gov.pl\/experts-on-the-future-of-oncology-at-port-for-health-oncology-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-06-02T19:22:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T17:22:14","slug":"experts-on-the-future-of-oncology-at-port-for-health-oncology-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/port.lukasiewicz.gov.pl\/en\/experts-on-the-future-of-oncology-at-port-for-health-oncology-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Experts on the Future of Oncology at PORT for Health: Oncology 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\u201cIf I had to choose one word that is essential for the future of oncology, I would say: combination,\u201d said Prof. Stefaan van Gool of the Immun-Onkologisches Zentrum K\u00f6ln, summarizing a theme that repeatedly emerged in discussions throughout the several days of the PORT for Health: Oncology 2026 conference. Researchers and clinicians agreed that the future lies in combined therapies, precision medicine, and close collaboration between the laboratory and the clinic. <\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Collaboration and Connections Matter More Than Individual Discoveries<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Dr. Stefaan van Gool, a specialist in immunotherapy for brain tumors, emphasized that too often we focus on a single element \u2013\u00a0 a single drug, mechanism, or discovery. In reality, treatment effectiveness depends on combining different therapeutic approaches and integrating expertise from multiple disciplines.<\/p>

\u201cThe development of effective therapies today requires close collaboration between scientists conducting basic research, teams involved in translational studies, and physicians working directly with patients,\u201d said Dr. Stefaan van Gool. \u201cBasic research teaches us how to design effective therapeutic combinations, while clinicians show us how to translate knowledge from the laboratory into tangible benefits for patients.\u201d<\/p>

A similar view was expressed by Dr. Aur\u00e9lie Poli of the Luxembourg Institute of Health: \u201cOncologists should have access to the full range of available tools. Surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy will of course remain the foundation of cancer treatment, but if we want to help patients more effectively, we need new therapeutic options.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Dr. Aur\u00e9lie Poli<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Glioblastoma Cells in Neural Networks<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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The keynote speaker at the conference, which brought together scientists working on various aspects of cancer research in Wroc\u0142aw on 28\u201329 May, was Prof. Frank Winkler of Universit\u00e4tsklinikum Heidelberg, recipient of the The Brain Prize 2025, one of the most prestigious awards in neurobiology. His lecture focused on glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer.<\/p>

Research findings from his team show that glioblastoma cells do not function in isolation. Instead, they remain in active communication with surrounding cells and structures of the nervous system. This discovery is changing the way scientists think about treating glioblastoma: targeting cancer cells alone is not enough \u2013 the entire microenvironment in which they operate must also be taken into account.<\/p>

For participants, the conference provided an opportunity to translate new knowledge directly into clinical practice.
\u201cI\u2019m reviewing my notes and thinking about what I should change in my approach. I\u2019ve already contacted my colleagues and asked them to take a closer look at two newly identified NK cell subtypes,\u201d said Dr. Stefaan van Gool. \u201cThis is not a vacation \u2013 it\u2019s about gaining new insights and translating them into better patient care.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Prof. Frank Winkler<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Precision Medicine Instead of a One-Size-Fits-All Approach<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Dr. Helen Kakkassery of King’s College London presented research on BIA-ALCL (breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma), a rare cancer linked to breast implants. As part of a collaboration between King’s College London and \u0141ukasiewicz \u2013 PORT, researchers are using biobank resources to analyze changes in patients\u2019 immune systems and explore new therapeutic opportunities.<\/p>

Dr. Helen Kakkassery emphasized that the diversity of cases encountered in clinical practice requires an individualized approach to each patient: \u201cThe future lies in highly precise, personalized treatment tailored to each individual patient.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Cancer as a Chronic Disease \u2013 A New Challenge for Oncology <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Advances in cancer treatment mean that more and more patients are living longer with the disease. While this is a major success, it also creates new challenges for research.<\/p>

\u201cWe are seeing a growing number of patients who live many years after their diagnosis. However, complications such as fatigue, peripheral neuropathy, and cognitive impairment can have a profound impact on their quality of life, and we still know relatively little about the mechanisms behind these conditions,\u201d said Dr. Andrew Shepherd of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.<\/p>

According to the researchers, one of the key challenges in the coming years will be not only improving the effectiveness of cancer treatments, but also reducing their side effects and providing better support for patients after treatment has ended.<\/p>

Dr. Aur\u00e9lie Poli noted that a long-term goal should be to transform at least some cancers into conditions that patients can live with for many years: \u201cI hope we will have enough tools at our disposal to treat cancer as a chronic disease. That is how I envision the future \u2013 cancer therapies that not only extend patients\u2019 lives but also help them maintain a good quality of life.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Dr. Andrew Shepherd<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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From Conversation to Long-Term Collaboration<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\u201cIt was a great opportunity to learn what is happening in other teams, to talk with colleagues, and to consider how these meetings could lead to concrete joint research projects,\u201d said dr Wojciech Kr\u0119\u017cel from the Institut de G\u00e9n\u00e9tique et de Biologie Mol\u00e9culaire et Cellulaire.<\/p>

PORT for Health is an annual scientific conference organized by \u0141ukasiewicz \u2013 PORT since 2021. The event brings together researchers, clinicians, and industry representatives to discuss the most significant advances in life sciences and translational medicine. Each edition is dedicated to a major biomedical challenge, alternating its focus between neuroscience and oncology.<\/p>

In 2027, we invite you to join a conference dedicated to the latest research findings in neuroscience.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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