View from the conference: Gayathri Devi, Ph.D., at AACR Special Conference on Breaking Barriers in the Fight Against Rare Cancers

Gayathri Devi, Ph.D., Professor of Surgery; Vice Chair of Innovation in the Department of Surgery; and Director of Scientific Program Integration at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center, was an invited speaker in the plenary session, "Breaking new ground: Emerging therapeutic strategies for rare cancers" at an AACR special conference on rare cancers.  

The AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Breaking Barriers in the Fight Against Rare Cancers brought together researchers, clinicians, and patient advocates to discuss the latest advances in rare cancer research and the challenges that remain.

I had the opportunity to speak during the plenary session and shared data and insights on how tumors evolve and adapt, and the opportunity to target this adaptive stress response for rare cancers. I also highlighted our ongoing work through the MUSC Health Regional Health Network (RHN) in South Carolina and our global partnerships with investigators and patient advocates from the Inflammatory Breast Cancer International Consortium. Together, these collaborations aim to increase awareness and knowledge of rare breast cancers, such as inflammatory breast cancer, in rural and underserved communities by partnering with primary care providers.

A key message throughout the meeting was that, although each rare cancer affects relatively few patients, studying these diseases can provide valuable insights that benefit cancer research as a whole. Many of the presentations focused on how advances in genomics, molecular profiling, and disease modeling are improving our understanding of rare cancers and helping identify new therapeutic targets. There was also considerable discussion about the growing role of artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, and large clinico-genomic datasets in supporting diagnosis, biomarker discovery, and precision medicine. Speakers highlighted innovative approaches to clinical trial design that can better accommodate small patient populations, as well as promising developments in targeted therapies and immunotherapy.

One of the strongest themes across the conference was the importance of collaboration. Researchers emphasized that progress depends on sharing data, building partnerships across institutions and industry, and working closely with patients and advocacy groups. Overall, the meeting reflected a strong commitment to overcoming the unique challenges of rare cancers and translating scientific discoveries into more effective, personalized treatments for patients.