Oncology

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Overview

The Oncology Research Area has been composed by nine groups addressing main unsolved issues in cancer. The research during this period covered the fields of child and adolescent cancer, melanoma, gynecology, urology, cancer stem cells and the molecular mechanisms of the tumor pathologies. There were also three groups from the CIBBIM-Nanomedicine. These groups studied the use of nanotechnology in biomedical applications to improve therapeutic strategies and diagnostics. During the last years the Area has been very active at shared activities such as the virtual AACR yearly meeting, the internal and external ONCO-VHIR seminars and the organization of other periodic topic-based workshops and leisure and team-building activities. This year the Area also organized a World Cancer Day event to get closer to the society. During the mentioned period most groups of the Area have participated in the In-Campus multidisciplinary Task Force Groups for different tumors (gastric, prostate, melanoma, ginecology etc. with the specialized pathologist also involved) that have been fueled by VHIR-VHIO-Hospital. It is also noteworthy the shared scientific production in terms of publications between different groups of the Area and the stable collaborations between groups that have consolidated during these period.

Publications

141
total
748
impact factor
5.30
average impact factor

Group Leader: Diego Arango

During the year 2019 we have made significant contributions towards the understanding of the role of Myosin Vb in the context of colorectal tumors, but also in the microvillus inclusion rare disease. We have made important advances in the identification of predictive biomarkers to regorafenib, a pan-tyrosine kinase inhibitor used for the treatment of colorectal cancer patients at late stage. Accordingly, a PhD student has defended her doctoral work on this topic. Additionally, the work in drug repurposing to treat head and neck squamous cell carcinomas in Fanconi Anemia patients led to the designation of afatinib by the European Medicinal Agency, a second-generation EGFR inhibitor, as an orphan medicinal product (EMA/829563/2018, release date: February 2019).

VHIR Annual Report 2019