International Experts Summit on Oncology & Cancer Care

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Frequently asked

Glossary

1

Abstract

A short structured summary of a research study or case series that is submitted to the scientific committee for review and, if accepted, presented as an oral talk or poster. At an Osaka oncology meeting the abstract text normally has to state objective, methods, results and conclusion within a strict word limit.

2

Adjuvant therapy

Treatment given after primary surgery or radiotherapy to reduce the risk of recurrence - commonly chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, targeted agents or immunotherapy in solid tumours. Adjuvant trial readouts are a recurring theme on conference programmes because they change standard-of-care pathways.

3

Neoadjuvant therapy

Treatment given before surgery to shrink a tumour, test drug sensitivity in vivo or enable breast-conserving or organ-sparing surgery. Pathological complete response after neoadjuvant therapy is a frequent endpoint in presentations and poster discussions.

4

Biomarker

A measurable biological indicator - a gene mutation, protein expression pattern, methylation signature or circulating analyte - used to select therapy, predict response or monitor relapse. Biomarker-defined subgroups drive most modern trial designs and are a core topic when precision oncology is discussed.

5

Precision oncology

Matching treatment to the molecular profile of an individual tumour rather than to the organ of origin alone. It depends on broad genomic profiling, molecular tumour boards and access to off-label or basket trials.

6

Checkpoint inhibitor

A monoclonal antibody that releases the brakes on T cells by blocking PD-1, PD-L1 or CTLA-4 signalling. Combination schedules, toxicity management and duration of treatment are the practical questions delegates raise in immunotherapy sessions.

7

Immuno-oncology (IO)

The branch of cancer therapy that mobilises the immune system against tumours, including checkpoint blockade, cell therapy, vaccines and oncolytic approaches. IO sessions typically mix late-phase trial data with translational biomarker work.

8

CAR-T cell therapy

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell treatment in which a patient's T cells are engineered to recognise a tumour antigen, expanded and reinfused. Operational topics include lymphodepletion, cytokine release syndrome grading and long-term follow-up.

9

Liquid biopsy

Testing blood or other body fluids for circulating tumour DNA, circulating tumour cells or other tumour-derived material instead of taking a tissue biopsy. It is discussed for genotyping when tissue is scarce, for resistance monitoring and for minimal residual disease.

10

ctDNA

Circulating tumour DNA - short fragments of tumour-derived DNA detectable in plasma. Assay sensitivity and specificity differ between platforms, so conference debates often focus on which clinical decisions ctDNA results can safely support.

11

Minimal residual disease (MRD)

Disease that remains after treatment but sits below the detection limit of conventional imaging or morphology. MRD assays are used to stratify relapse risk and to decide whether treatment can be de-escalated or should be intensified.

12

Overall survival (OS)

The time from randomisation or diagnosis to death from any cause - the reference endpoint for judging whether a cancer therapy delivers real benefit. Mature OS data usually decide whether a surrogate endpoint result translates into practice change.

13

Progression-free survival (PFS)

The time from treatment start until documented disease progression or death. PFS reads out earlier than OS and is frequently the primary endpoint in phase II and phase III oncology trials, although its link to quality of life must be argued case by case.

14

Objective response rate (ORR)

The proportion of patients whose measurable disease shrinks by a predefined threshold, usually assessed with RECIST or a disease-specific equivalent. ORR is common in early-phase trials but is not by itself proof of survival benefit.

15

Real-world evidence (RWE)

Evidence derived from routine clinical practice - registries, claims data, electronic health records and chart reviews - rather than from controlled trials. It is used to test whether trial results hold in older, comorbid or underrepresented populations.

16

Molecular tumour board (MTB)

A multidisciplinary review in which pathologists, medical oncologists, geneticists and bioinformaticians interpret genomic profiling results and recommend matched therapy or trial options. MTB workflow and access equity are recurring health-services topics.

17

Multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting

A structured case review where surgery, radiation oncology, medical oncology, pathology and radiology agree on a management plan. MDT decision-making is often presented as a quality indicator in cancer care delivery.

18

Phase I / II / III trial

Sequential stages of clinical development: phase I establishes safety and dosing, phase II looks for signals of activity in a defined population, and phase III compares the new approach with the current standard in a larger randomised population.

19

Poster session

A scheduled slot in which presenting authors stand beside printed or digital posters and discuss methods and results with delegates. Posters are where early-stage and single-centre work is usually shown.

20

Plenary session

The headline sessions of the programme, usually featuring practice-changing trials, keynote lectures or global policy talks, scheduled without competing parallel tracks so the whole audience can attend.

21

Supportive and palliative care

Care focused on symptom control, psychosocial support and quality of life alongside or after anti-tumour treatment. Integration of palliative care into routine oncology is a standing theme at international cancer meetings.

22

Health economics and access

Assessment of cost, cost-effectiveness, reimbursement and equitable availability of cancer drugs and diagnostics. Access debates are especially prominent when high-cost precision oncology or cell therapies are on the agenda.