The Tumour Ecosystem: From Mechanisms to Novel Therapeutics

The Tumour Ecosystem: From Mechanisms to Novel Therapeutics is organized by European Association for Cancer Research (EACR) and will be held from Mar 17 - 19, 2026 at Centro Congressi Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Lombardia, Italy.

Description:
Tumours are complex ecosystems, involving multiple cell types that play pivotal roles in all stages of carcinogenesis, metastatic progression and response to therapy. Designing efficient novel therapeutics cannot be achieved without understanding the dynamics of the tumour microenvironment, to achieve a comprehensive, integrated understanding of reciprocal cancer-stroma interactions, and how they are modulated by cancer treatments. 

This meeting will cover the latest exciting breakthroughs on multiple aspects of the tumour microenvironment, including the intricate interactions of cancer cells with the immune system and with specific stromal cells in multiple organs. We will also highlight novel insights into tumour-host interactions including the nervous system and response to therapy. 

Join us to hear from world experts who are at the forefront of the tumour microenvironment field, sharing their latest discoveries and insights about their cutting-edge research and its implications for novel cancer therapies.

Topics to be covered:

• The role of inflammation and immunity in tumour progression and metastasis.
• Tumour-host interactions in response to therapy.
• Cancer interactions with the nervous system.
• Organ-specific metastatic niches.

Lay summary of the conference topic:
Tumours are more than just a collection of cancer cells and are better described as complex ecosystems: non-cancerous cells in the tumour microenvironment play a crucial role in all stages of tumour initiation and progression. Cancer research in recent years is no longer focused exclusively on the pathways inside tumour cells, but rather on understanding the biology of tumours as multi-cellular organs. 

This conference will cover the latest advances in research of the tumour microenvironment, including interactions of cancer cells with the immune system, understanding of metastasis (tumour spread to distant organs), interactions of cancer cells with the nervous system, and how these interactions affect therapy responses and lead to novel therapeutic strategies.