Name, surname and ID: increasingly refine the diagnosis to address genitourinary tumors

Alberto Jiménez Schumacher, ARAID at IIS Aragón, participates in the 400th edition of the Scientific Symposium of the Spanish Group of Genitourinary Oncology (Sogug) that brings together more than XNUMX national and international experts

Every year more than 60.000 cases of genitourinary tumors are diagnosed in Spain. This represents 15 percent of all cancer patients. During the XIV symposium of the Spanish Society of Genitourinary Oncology, SOGUG, it was revealed that the main challenges are to improve two aspects: the multidisciplinary approach and speeding up access to innovative drugs.

To achieve the best treatment, Alberto Jiménez Schumacher, from the Biomedical Research Center of Aragón, pointed out the importance of giving these tumors, like the rest, a “name, surname and if we are in a hurry, ID.” With this he referred to the need to advance knowledge about molecular biology in these neoplasms and continue exploring biomarkers to offer more precise treatments; In some genitourinary tumors, one of the pending issues is to find predictive and prognostic markers that contribute to selecting the most suitable treatments. In this context, Jiménez Schumacher considered that “having technology as sensitive as liquid biopsy can help revolutionize diagnoses, monitor the evolution of mutations and treatments and, ultimately, move towards the use and development of more rational drugs.”

Thus, with the aim of advancing the knowledge of these tumors, from diagnosis to treatment, SOGUG has multiple trials underway. As Aránzazu González del Alba, president of the society, explained during the session that opened the symposium, this group is “aimed at promoting health, as well as promoting research programs and continued training in genitourinary tumors.”

Boost from different entities

One of the discussion tables revolved around the situation of clinical and translational research. Marta Puyol Escolar-Noriega, from the Scientific Foundation of the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC), Madrid, pointed out that this entity is also reaching a very considerable height in promoting research since they have launched “a very ambitious call to investigate those types of cancer whose survival is less than 30 percent.”

Cristóbal Belda, director of the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), also recalled the advances that have been reflected in the Science Law, with measures such as “the modification of the figure of the clinical researcher, which is recognized” or “the stabilization of researcher contracts end once they end, which has been accompanied by specific budget items.” Schumacher acknowledged that adding these points “has been transformative,” although he noted that there are still points to improve such as “improving infrastructure, and detecting other possible shortcomings.”

Present and future of genitourinary tumors

Despite the pending challenges, research on genitourinary tumors is advancing, although at different rates depending on the neoplasia. Experts in each of them reviewed their situation.

Nuria Romero Laorden (La Princesa University Hospital) highlighted that in prostate cancer “we have gone from having only chemotherapy to 10 treatments.” The specialist divided the main lines of research in this tumor into three, these being “treatments that aim to overcome resistance, radiopharmaceuticals and, in immunotherapy, those that delve into 'turning on' the immune system and help it recognize the tumor.” .

Regarding kidney cancer, José Luis Pérez Gracia (University of Navarra Clinic) expressed that “in addition to further improving treatments, we must better understand those we already have.” Thus, he stressed the importance of evaluating “why treatments work or stop working.” “By doing this analysis on a few patients, analyzing very specific cases well, very relevant results can be achieved,” he concluded.

Santiago Gómez Díaz, first vice president of the National Prostate Cancer Association (ANCAP), referred to urothelial cancer, indicating that “predictive biomarkers are needed to indicate the effectiveness of treatments.” He also highlighted that “treatments that were administered in more advanced disease are moving to more initial phases.”  

“In the last 10-20 years there has been great progress in bladder cancer,” highlighted Albert Font Pous, from the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO). Among them, he highlighted very important treatment strategies "such as immunotherapy and others with targeted treatments such as conjugated antibodies, which have revolutionized the panorama." “The most promising path advances through liquid biopsy: studying circulating DNA can revolutionize the approach to this tumor, as is already happening in the breast or colon,” Font stated.