The 145th Annual Meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society of Japan (Fukuoka)

Organizer: Kazuhiro Katayama (Sch. Pharm., Nihon Univ.), Inoue Yasumichi (Grad. Sch. Pharm. Sci., Nagoya City Univ.)

Cancer is the leading cause of death in Japan. The age-adjusted mortality rate for cancer has been declining for 20 years, and the crude rate has begun to level off. This trend is due to advances in cancer treatment, particularly surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. New treatments, such as molecular targeted therapy and immunotherapy, have transformed cancer care. Many new drugs have been developed over the past two decades, and immune checkpoint inhibitors have been a game changer. These new drugs and combination therapies are becoming standard of care in cancer treatment, and the role of pharmaceutical research and pharmacists has grown significantly.
This symposium will focus on pharmaceutical approaches to cancer research, covering topics such as understanding cancer cell characteristics, exploring therapeutic targets, developing new drugs, and analyzing drug resistance, with discussions based on our recent studies. We aim to inspire young researchers and contribute to the revitalization of cancer research by providing insight into these developments. Advances in cancer research require the integration of knowledge and expertise from diverse fields such as biology, biochemistry, pharmaceutical hygiene, pharmacology and pharmacokinetics. It is truly an "all pharmacy" endeavor that requires a comprehensive blend of knowledge, skills and experience.