1^st-3^rd May 2019, Porto

It is our great honour to welcome you to Porto for the XXVI Edition of the Porto Cancer Meeting. This international meeting has been organized since 1990 by Ipatimup and is now anchored on i3S – Institute for Research and Innovation in Health, the largest health research institute in Portugal. This year, the scientific program of the XXVI Porto Cancer Meeting will focus on The Cancer Ecosystem: From Research to Pathology and Treatment.

The cancer ecosystem is a hot topic of current biomedical research, attracting also great interest from the clinical standpoint. The cancer ecosystem refers to the interactions between tumour cells and their surroundings, whether in the tumour bed (immune cells and stroma) and/or at distant sites (microbiome). These interactions have a significant impact not only on tumour development per se but also on modulation of response to treatment, in particular immunotherapy.

Once more, the Porto Cancer Meeting is bringing together the perspectives from several key players in the field ranging from researchers and pathologists to clinicians. Through its characteristic multidisciplinary and informal atmosphere, the meeting will create a great environment for discussing the latest developments in the Cancer Ecosystem as a pivotal element modelling tumour development, diagnosis and treatment.

The meeting will include keynote lectures from invited speakers, selected oral communications, two speed talk sessions and a poster session. These will be held in an informal environment, allowing close and detailed discussions among participants.

This year, the Porto Cancer Meeting also embraces the 5^th Joint Meeting Porto-Bordeaux, an event that is organized under the auspices of twin cities and two countries, every second year since 2009. Linked by friendship, long-lasting collaborations and common research interests, the two “languages”, have designed a unique event aiming to share knowledge dedicated to practical applications of molecular pathology in the diagnosis of cancer and precancerous lesions, with a special focus on residents and young pathologists.

The 5^th Joint Meeting Porto-Bordeaux will highlight the importance of pathologist’s role in the era of precision medicine, demonstrating the advantages of the interplay between clinicians/oncologists, molecular biologists/geneticists and patients/treatment, and will offer a unique value opportunity aimed at a broader learning horizon under the umbrella cover of pathology.

We hope you will enjoy a pleasant meeting and have the opportunity to visit the beautiful and exciting city of Porto.