National Meeting on Managing Advanced Non-Melanoma Skin Cancers
Monday 22nd November 2021
The Wellcome Collection, 183 Euston Road, London, NW1 2BE
Background
The past decade has seen significant advances in the management of patients with advanced skin cancer. The introduction of BRAF-targeted and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy has revolutionized the outlook for people with advanced skin melanoma bringing a real prospect of prolonged remission and survival over years. However, significant challenges remain for managing other aggressive skin cancers. Advanced Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) can respond to chemotherapy or radiotherapy but remission times are typically short. Patients have benefited from the introduction of immune therapy, but there is no systematic knowledge about the impact of patients’ immune status on outcome and on how to combine or sequence multiple modalities to maximize disease control. Most cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (cSCC) are successfully managed surgically but treatment for people with locally advanced or metastatic cSCC is an orphaned area of oncology. The mainstay remains 5-FU and platinum-based chemotherapy although in principle this cancer should respond to immune therapy.
This meeting will illustrate the challenges and possible solutions in managing advanced MCC and cSCC through case-based discussion, bracketed by talks on the biology of the cancers and on developments in systemic therapy. This meeting will also take the opportunity to identify and develop ideas for new translational research and trials to benefit patients with these conditions.
Purpose
1. To share experience and update knowledge to optimize the multi-modality management of rare aggressive and advanced skin cancers.
2. To build a community of clinicians with an interest in optimizing treatment and developing trials into advanced skin SCC and Merkel cell carcinoma.
Who should attend
This meeting is aimed at members of skin cancer multi-disciplinary teams providing treatment and care for people with advanced non-melanoma skin cancers. This includes surgeons, radiation and medical oncologists, dermatologists, specialist nurses, pathologists and radiologists, both consultants and specialist trainees. This meeting is clinically orientated but also offers an opportunity for laboratory scientists in relevant areas to consider how their area of work can be placed in a clinical context.
Organising Committee:
Prof Catherine Harwood, Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Pat Lawton, Consultant Clinical Oncologist
Dr Gus Martin Clavijo, Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Charlotte Proby, Professor of Dermatology
Dr Ankit Rao, Consultant Medical Oncologist
Dr Ananth Sivanandan, Consultant Clinical Oncologist
Dr Neil Steven, Consultant in Medical Oncology
The past decade has seen significant advances in the management of patients with advanced skin cancer. The introduction of BRAF-targeted and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy has revolutionized the outlook for people with advanced skin melanoma bringing a real prospect of prolonged remission and survival over years. However, significant challenges remain for managing other aggressive skin cancers. Advanced Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) can respond to chemotherapy or radiotherapy but remission times are typically short. Patients have benefited from the introduction of immune therapy, but there is no systematic knowledge about the impact of patients’ immune status on outcome and on how to combine or sequence multiple modalities to maximize disease control. Most cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (cSCC) are successfully managed surgically but treatment for people with locally advanced or metastatic cSCC is an orphaned area of oncology. The mainstay remains 5-FU and platinum-based chemotherapy although in principle this cancer should respond to immune therapy.
This meeting will illustrate the challenges and possible solutions in managing advanced MCC and cSCC through case-based discussion, bracketed by talks on the biology of the cancers and on developments in systemic therapy. This meeting will also take the opportunity to identify and develop ideas for new translational research and trials to benefit patients with these conditions.
Purpose
1. To share experience and update knowledge to optimize the multi-modality management of rare aggressive and advanced skin cancers.
2. To build a community of clinicians with an interest in optimizing treatment and developing trials into advanced skin SCC and Merkel cell carcinoma.
Who should attend
This meeting is aimed at members of skin cancer multi-disciplinary teams providing treatment and care for people with advanced non-melanoma skin cancers. This includes surgeons, radiation and medical oncologists, dermatologists, specialist nurses, pathologists and radiologists, both consultants and specialist trainees. This meeting is clinically orientated but also offers an opportunity for laboratory scientists in relevant areas to consider how their area of work can be placed in a clinical context.
Organising Committee:
Prof Catherine Harwood, Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Pat Lawton, Consultant Clinical Oncologist
Dr Gus Martin Clavijo, Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Charlotte Proby, Professor of Dermatology
Dr Ankit Rao, Consultant Medical Oncologist
Dr Ananth Sivanandan, Consultant Clinical Oncologist
Dr Neil Steven, Consultant in Medical Oncology