Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Introduction

Introduction Douglas E. Peterson, Stephen T. Sonis scientific and financial support of the conference by the National A review of mucositis publications during the past 15 years Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research reflected recogni- reveals a number of trends. For example, there has been a quan- tion of the importance of mucositis as both a clinical and scien- titative leap relative to the number of publications citing muco- tific problem. sitis in cancer models; slightly more than 100 studies appeared Because of the unmet clinical needs in patients, mucosal in- in the literature in 1986 in contrast to well over 400 studies in jury has become an important niche area for pharmaceutical and 1998. It is likely this escalating pace has been sparked by three biotechnological development. Thus, industry has also exhibited factors: 1) recognition of mucositis as an important cancer a leading role in driving the science that has enhanced under- therapy dose-limiting toxicity, 2) high incidence of mucositis in standing of the pathophysiology of the condition. In reality, relation to optimal regimens of tumoricidal therapy, and 3) bio- industry will likely convert basic discovery in this area to clini- logic complexity of the condition. cally successful therapy. Industrial support, evidenced by atten- An increasing proportion of studies in recent years has evalu- dance at the meeting as well as provision of financial resources, ated mechanistic aspects of mucosal injury. Consequently, un- was a clear demonstration of a collective corporate commitment derstanding of the pathophysiology of mucositis has been stra- both to advance the field and to develop efficacious products for tegically advanced. It now seems clear that mucositis represents patients at risk for mucosal injury. the endpoint of a process that includes virtually all cell and tissue The agenda for the conference was designed to combine types within mucosa and that is subject to alteration by local structured presentations in conjunction with workgroups and environment and genetic predisposition. Ironically and despite broad discussion. This approach, in turn, was directed to the the number of recent studies reporting interventional clinical ultimate goal of defining substantive and fruitful areas for future trials, an effective treatment for mucositis has, to date, been investigation. elusive. Thus, mucositis remains an important clinical toxicity Text for the formal presentations establishes the basis for this for which novel management approaches are needed. Its diverse monograph. A summary of the plenary session that evolved biologic and clinical nature lends itself to a collaborative effort based on workgroup proceedings also provides important per- to ameliorate the condition. spectives for the future research directions and is included as The proceedings reported in this monograph derive from the well. Conference on Mucosal Injury in Cancer Patients: New Strate- We are pleased that the conference proceedings are being gies for Research and Treatment. The symposium was held in published in the monograph series of the Journal of the National Bethesda, MD, May 24–25, 2000, and attracted an eclectic mix Cancer Institute (JNCI), and we thank the JNCI Editorial Board of clinicians and scientists that reflected a broad constituency of and monograph production team for their support. Access to the those interested in mucositis. Approximately one half (51%) of monograph will be available through the Web site of the Na- the 120 attendees were from either hospitals or medical or dental tional Cancer Institute (http://www.nci.nih.gov) and in turn from schools, 33% were from industry, and 16% traveled the short the National Oral Health Information Clearinghouse Web site physical distance from the National Institutes of Health or the (http://www.nohic.nidcr.nih.gov). Food and Drug Administration. The professional training, re- search backgrounds, and clinical interests of participants were Affiliations of authors: D. E. Peterson, School of Dental Medicine, Depart- diverse; basic and translational scientists, radiation and medical ment of Oral Diagnosis, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington; oncologists, oral medicine specialists, nurses, general dentists, S. T. Sonis, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and dental hygienists all were in attendance. Geographic diver- Divisions of Oral Medicine, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Dentistry, sity was also a hallmark. While the majority of participants came Boston, MA. from throughout the United States, other countries and conti- Correspondence to: Douglas E. Peterson, D.M.D., Ph.D., School of Dental nents including Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Medicine, Department of Oral Diagnosis, University of Connecticut Health Cen- Asia were also well represented. ter, 263 Farmington Ave., Farmington, CT 06030-1605 (e-mail: Peterson@NSO. UCHC.EDU). The National Institutes of Health play a key role in determin- ing the national agenda for biomedical research. The substantial © Oxford University Press 6 Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monographs No. 29, 2001 Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jncimono/article-abstract/2001/29/6/911371 by Ed 'DeepDyve' Gillespie user on 10 February 2018 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png JNCI Monographs Oxford University Press

Introduction

Peterson, Douglas E.; Sonis, Stephen T.
JNCI Monographs , Volume 2001 (29) – Oct 1, 2001
Download PDF
1 page

Loading next page...
 
/lp/oxford-university-press/introduction-sz1gPofyb3
Publisher
Oxford University Press
Copyright
© Oxford University Press
ISSN
1052-6773
eISSN
1745-6614
DOI
10.1093/oxfordjournals.jncimonographs.a003442
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Douglas E. Peterson, Stephen T. Sonis scientific and financial support of the conference by the National A review of mucositis publications during the past 15 years Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research reflected recogni- reveals a number of trends. For example, there has been a quan- tion of the importance of mucositis as both a clinical and scien- titative leap relative to the number of publications citing muco- tific problem. sitis in cancer models; slightly more than 100 studies appeared Because of the unmet clinical needs in patients, mucosal in- in the literature in 1986 in contrast to well over 400 studies in jury has become an important niche area for pharmaceutical and 1998. It is likely this escalating pace has been sparked by three biotechnological development. Thus, industry has also exhibited factors: 1) recognition of mucositis as an important cancer a leading role in driving the science that has enhanced under- therapy dose-limiting toxicity, 2) high incidence of mucositis in standing of the pathophysiology of the condition. In reality, relation to optimal regimens of tumoricidal therapy, and 3) bio- industry will likely convert basic discovery in this area to clini- logic complexity of the condition. cally successful therapy. Industrial support, evidenced by atten- An increasing proportion of studies in recent years has evalu- dance at the meeting as well as provision of financial resources, ated mechanistic aspects of mucosal injury. Consequently, un- was a clear demonstration of a collective corporate commitment derstanding of the pathophysiology of mucositis has been stra- both to advance the field and to develop efficacious products for tegically advanced. It now seems clear that mucositis represents patients at risk for mucosal injury. the endpoint of a process that includes virtually all cell and tissue The agenda for the conference was designed to combine types within mucosa and that is subject to alteration by local structured presentations in conjunction with workgroups and environment and genetic predisposition. Ironically and despite broad discussion. This approach, in turn, was directed to the the number of recent studies reporting interventional clinical ultimate goal of defining substantive and fruitful areas for future trials, an effective treatment for mucositis has, to date, been investigation. elusive. Thus, mucositis remains an important clinical toxicity Text for the formal presentations establishes the basis for this for which novel management approaches are needed. Its diverse monograph. A summary of the plenary session that evolved biologic and clinical nature lends itself to a collaborative effort based on workgroup proceedings also provides important per- to ameliorate the condition. spectives for the future research directions and is included as The proceedings reported in this monograph derive from the well. Conference on Mucosal Injury in Cancer Patients: New Strate- We are pleased that the conference proceedings are being gies for Research and Treatment. The symposium was held in published in the monograph series of the Journal of the National Bethesda, MD, May 24–25, 2000, and attracted an eclectic mix Cancer Institute (JNCI), and we thank the JNCI Editorial Board of clinicians and scientists that reflected a broad constituency of and monograph production team for their support. Access to the those interested in mucositis. Approximately one half (51%) of monograph will be available through the Web site of the Na- the 120 attendees were from either hospitals or medical or dental tional Cancer Institute (http://www.nci.nih.gov) and in turn from schools, 33% were from industry, and 16% traveled the short the National Oral Health Information Clearinghouse Web site physical distance from the National Institutes of Health or the (http://www.nohic.nidcr.nih.gov). Food and Drug Administration. The professional training, re- search backgrounds, and clinical interests of participants were Affiliations of authors: D. E. Peterson, School of Dental Medicine, Depart- diverse; basic and translational scientists, radiation and medical ment of Oral Diagnosis, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington; oncologists, oral medicine specialists, nurses, general dentists, S. T. Sonis, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and dental hygienists all were in attendance. Geographic diver- Divisions of Oral Medicine, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Dentistry, sity was also a hallmark. While the majority of participants came Boston, MA. from throughout the United States, other countries and conti- Correspondence to: Douglas E. Peterson, D.M.D., Ph.D., School of Dental nents including Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and Medicine, Department of Oral Diagnosis, University of Connecticut Health Cen- Asia were also well represented. ter, 263 Farmington Ave., Farmington, CT 06030-1605 (e-mail: Peterson@NSO. UCHC.EDU). The National Institutes of Health play a key role in determin- ing the national agenda for biomedical research. The substantial © Oxford University Press 6 Journal of the National Cancer Institute Monographs No. 29, 2001 Downloaded from https://academic.oup.com/jncimono/article-abstract/2001/29/6/911371 by Ed 'DeepDyve' Gillespie user on 10 February 2018

Journal

JNCI Monographs – Oxford University Press

Published: Oct 1, 2001

There are no references for this article.