18/12/2024

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HARPOON Conference 2024: New Horizons in Precision Oncology

The 5th HARPOON Conference, a collaboration between the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), took place on 21 and 22 November 2024 at the Heidelberg Congress Center. 150 experts from Europe came together to discuss the latest developments in precision oncology. The focus was on the multidimensional characterisation of cancers, modern data analysis and translationally oriented research – approaches that pave the way to personalised cancer therapies.

Promoting biologically-oriented cancer medicine through collaboration
In the age of data-driven clinical decision-making, standardisation of molecular data generation and analysis methods is essential to advance clinical trials and preclinical research. With increasing multi-centre efforts in this area across Europe and beyond, conferences such as HARPOON are crucial. They facilitate knowledge sharing, showcase the latest advances, and foster collaboration to advance multidisciplinary efforts in precision oncology. In doing so, HARPOON, which has been held annually since 2020, lays the groundwork for innovative clinical trials that ultimately lead to improved patient outcomes and further our understanding of tumour biology.

Conference highlights and key topics

Keynote Speaker Ulrik Lassen

The agenda of this year's conference was wide-ranging and divided into four sessions. The first session focused on advances in multi-omics analysis, the second on the feedback between clinical discoveries and basic research. The third session focused on clinical trials based on translational research. The last session was dedicated to new technologies for data analysis.

Two impressive keynote lectures from Scandinavia provided international perspectives:

 

  • On the first day, Ulrik Lassen (Centre for Cancer and Organ Diseases, Rigshospitalet, Denmark) presented strategies for implementing precision medicine in the Danish healthcare system.
  • Åslaug Helland (Oslo Comprehensive Cancer Center, Norway) provided insights into the use of precision oncology therapies in Norway on the second day
     
Keynote Speaker Åslaug Helland

The conference was not only a platform for scientists and clinicians, but also actively involved patient advocates. Cindy Körner, chair of the NCT Heidelberg Research Council, shared her perspective as both a cancer patient and researcher. A special feature discussed whether and how palliative care should be better integrated into precision oncology. This diversity contributed to a lively and inspiring exchange.

 

 

A glimpse into the future
The 2024 HARPOON conference offered a clear view of the promising possibilities of precision oncology. With the advances presented and their application in clinical practice, it sets a strong signal for the future of cancer medicine. Stefan Fröhling, Managing Director of the NCT Heidelberg, Head of the Division of Translational Medical Oncology at the DKFZ and one of the organisers of HARPOON, is optimistic about the future: ‘Science-driven personalised oncology has made tremendous progress in recent years. To fully exploit its potential and thus improve the chances of survival for cancer patients, we need to integrate experimental and clinical cancer research and data sciences even more closely. In recent years, HARPOON has developed into an interactive and dynamic forum that pursues precisely this goal and aims to bring together all stakeholders in individualised cancer medicine – including patients – to exchange ideas on the latest developments and sustainably strengthen the precision oncology community. Planning for HARPOON 2025 has already begun.’

Link to original press release