The fourth session of the NeuroSeS (Translation Neuroscience) lunch meetings took place on 10 September and was attended by 50 people.

The discussion focused on the topic "Preclinical Models of Brain Metastases - how they recapitulate human disease and inform patients' treatment" presented by neurosurgeon and researcher Cláudia Faria.

The following points were highlighted:

1. Brain metastases are the most common brain tumours in the adult population, very common in cancer patients and associated with poor prognosis. The development of innovative and more effective therapies has been hampered by the absence of representative animal models of the disease.
2. Mouse animal models generated from tumour tissue samples of brain metastases from patients were presented. Detailed study of these models showed a remarkable similarity between the pattern of spread of tumour cells in animals and disease progression in the patient from which the tumour tissue originated.
3. The importance of collecting and storing biological samples from patients to promote translational research was stressed. The iMM-CAML Biobank has fostered national and international research projects in various areas of medicine, including through the brain tumour collection containing biological samples from over 2000 patients, representing the largest collection of its kind in the country.
4. The established animal models were used in preclinical trials to test drugs targeting specific molecular targets and efficacy in tumour control was found. It was discussed how these preclinical pharmacological trials can be further extrapolated to clinical trials in patients.
5. There was consensus about the importance of articulation between hospital and research institutions for the development of research projects with scientific and clinical impact, the Lisbon Academic Medical Centre (CAML) being an excellent example of it.

The discussion was greatly enriched by the different doctors and researchers present, including researchers from fundamental sciences and from different clinical areas, neuroscience and oncology clinicians, and students from various academic levels.

Additional information:

Preclinical Modeling and Therapeutic Avenues for Cancer Metastasis to the Central Nervous System.

Singh M, Bakhshinyan D, Venugopal C, Singh SK.

Front Oncol. 2017 Sep 19;7:220. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2017.00220.

A Biobank of Breast Cancer Explants with Preserved Intra-tumor Heterogeneity to Screen Anticancer Compounds.

Bruna A et al. Cell. 2016 Sep 22;167(1):260-274.e22.

doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.08.041.

The organization of these meetings is the responsibility of Luísa Lopes and Cláudia Faria and is supported by Roche.

Cláudia Faria
Neurosurgeon (Neurosurgical Service HSM)
IMM Researcher and FMUL's Professor