Kick-off meeting

This first meeting of the ISPDC explored the main aspects of the revolutionary change that is taking place in the understanding of cancer etiology, etiopathogenesis and treatment of all malignant diseases. It is becoming increasingly evident that a chronic destruction of cellular homeostasis as represented by a cancer-specific intracellular alkalinisation, as well as its consequences at multiple levels, is one of the main factors, or even the most significant one, in both the initial cause of cancer and its in local progression and invasion as well as in the activation and progress of the metastatic process. In spite of the large body of data in this relatively new area of anticancer research and treatment, there has never been an open International Symposium dedicated to the numerous aspects of pH and/or the dynamics of the hydrogen ion in cancer, a feature that underlinines the importance and timely organization of this International Symposium.

 

Both basic researchers and clinical oncologists participated in this meeting where an ideal environment to discuss all the aspects of these new approaches to cancer research and treatment has been created.  

 

The following themes have been discussed:

 

From the etiological point of view, to analyze the role of intracellular alkalinisation, and of the different etiopathogenic factors that mediate its induction, as a specific cause for cell transformation in cancer.

 

From the etiopathogenic point of view, to analyze the role of the different membrane-bound proton pumps and transporters in:

• the primary induction of intracellular alkalinisation;
• the induction of an extracellular/interstitial/intratumoral acidification secondary to intracellular alkalinisation (“H+-reversal”);
• the role of extracellular/intratumoral acidification in malignant cell migration, local invasion, MDR (multiple drug resistance) and the progression of the metastatic process;
• the increase of reversed pH gradients (alkaline inside-acid outside), and the role of this pHi-pHe reversal in cancer progression and spread as well as in multiple drug resistance (MDR);
• the role of tumor metabolism in exacerbating altered pH dynamics as well as the reciprocal effects of intracellular alkalinisation and extracellular acidification on tumor metabolism.