After a challenging COVID-19 affected 18 months, the Cooperative Trials Group for Neuro-Oncology (COGNO) was able to hold its 13th Annual Scientific Meeting “Brain Cancer 2021: Concepts to Cure” on the 25th and 26th of October over a virtual platform. The meeting did not disappoint with 178 delegates enjoying an array of international speakers and local experts covering a variety of important neuro-oncology topics over the two days.
The Meeting followed on from the exciting ABCARA Scientific Research Symposium and BTAA Patient Education and Information Forum, both held the preceding day. Session 1 started with international guest neuro-pathologist, Professor David Louis MD from Boston, speaking on the updated WHO classification of Central Nervous System Tumours which will be the 5th edition due for release later this year. The changes he outlined involve incorporating the latest molecular data in a new layered and nuanced reporting system which will be an important change in practice over the coming years.
Following on was Professor Nino Chiocca MD PhD FAANS, neurosurgeon from Boston, discussing his work on immunotherapy for malignant gliomas and the challenges and opportunities that exist in this space. Session 2 gave spotlight on local researchers covering Drug Discovery, the Role of Ion Channels in Gliomas, Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Immunotherapy for Brain Cancers and Correlating Clinical Outcomes with Gene Signatures in Melanoma Brain Metastases. The session finished with an update on the exciting new ABCARA concept which you can find out more about at www.abcara.com.
The final session of the first day got to the core of COGNO business with the clinical trials update. This covered some fantastic achievements, notably the publication of the VERTU trial and exciting progress on NUTMEG and LUMOS trials. This was tempered by the close of the EORTC-led IWOT trial in low grade gliomas due to poor international recruitment highlighting the challenges of running high quality clinical trials in neuro-oncology.
Day 2 started with international guests giving insight on the most common primary intracranial tumour, meningioma. Professor Michael Jenkinson MB ChB PhD FRCSEd, neurosurgeon from the U.K, gave an update on Clinical Trials in Meningioma covering the landscape and challenges in running studies for this disease widely perceived as benign and slow growing. Professor Gelareh Zadeh MD PhD FRCS(C) FAANS, neurosurgeon from Toronto, gave a talk on a new clinically applicable molecular classification of Meningiomas. Session 5 focused on the critical role of medical imaging to the management of brain tumours focusing on advances in imaging technology and how these developments are extending our ability to correlate radiological characteristics with the molecular nature and clinical behaviour of brain tumours.
The speakers elaborated on advances in radio genomics, novel visualisation techniques and ultra-high field techniques in the clinical imaging of brain tumours. Session 6 examined how professionals are supporting patients and carers. International presenter, Ms Maureen Daniels BScN RN, from the Gerry and Nancy Pencer Brain Tumour Center, Toronto, shared with us her many years of experience as an advocate for patients and carers from her experience with support groups. Associate Professor Haryana Dhillon and Professor Kate Drummond presented on their current projects developing tools for patients and carers to use in support of those living with brain cancer.
The final session of the meeting featured three selected abstracts covering a range of topics opening with a discussion on neoadjuvant stereotactic radiosurgery for brain metastasis followed by a study of response for combined immunotherapy and SRS in melanoma patients. The final topic of the session described the patterns of care of adult patients diagnosed with medulloblastoma in the Australian population.
The meeting closed with awarding of prizes. The BTAA Lynette Williams Award and the COGNO Most Outstanding Poster Award were won by Dr Ken Teng, a neurosurgery registrar, for his poster “Quality of life, cognition and psychological health in patients with benign and low-grade brain tumours”. The COGNO Most Outstanding Oral Presentation and the COGNO Young Investigator Award were won by Dr Mihir Shanker, a radiation oncology trainee, for his paper “Quantitative volumetric tumour response in patients treated with combination Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery and immunotherapy for melanoma brain metastases”. Congratulations to both well-deserved prize winners.
As with any meeting none of this can be possible without the support of generous sponsors such as platinum sponsor Cure Brain Cancer Foundation, gold sponsor The Brain Cancer Group – Care2Cure, bronze sponsors PharmAbcine and Elekta, and of course our supportive sponsor, Brain Tumour Alliance Australia (BTAA).
On behalf of all the delegates I would like to offer our congratulations to the ASM Organising Committee on a very successful virtual ASM. I would also like to extend a warm invitation to join us (hopefully face to face!!) at the 14 th COGNO ASM in Brisbane 16-18th of October 2022.
By Dr Hamish Alexander, Co-Convenor, COGNO ASM 2022
