Insights into the mechanisms driving cancer cell growth have led to some success in the development of targeted therapeutics. In general, these agents exert their anti-cancer effects by specifically blocking signaling that: promotes tumor cell proliferation, obstructs cell death, hampers cellular differentiation, or facilitates angiogenesis. However, the molecular pathways that underlie these cellular processes are multifaceted and often redundant. As well, the genetic or epigenetic aberrations that drive the development of cancers are heterogeneous, making it a challenge to devise a successful cancer therapeutic by targeting a single gene. Obviously, a more profound understanding of the complexity of these signalling pathways and new approaches with which to unravel the mechanisms underlying tumorigenic genetic changes are needed to improve targeted cancer therapies.

The focus of Cancer Therapeutics: The Road Ahead is to bring together the myriad researchers who seek to expand our knowledge of molecular pathways that are deregulated in cancer and who, consequently, are engaged in cutting edge drug development and clinical trials. This conference offers a way to summarize the work of these investigators and to generate interdisciplinary discussions among the foremost researchers in the field. The ultimate goal is to identify practical and effective targets for the development of new and highly specific anti-cancer drugs.

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