SUMMARY OF GENITOURINARY CANCER MEETINGS
This site segment presents three genitourinary (GU) cancer meetings—the 2002 annual meeting cosponsored by the National Cancer Institute and the Society of Urologic Oncology and two State of the Science (SOTS) meetings sponsored by the National Cancer Institute on the GU cancers that have been held since 1999. All meetings presented on this site share the common purpose of disseminating recent advances in knowledge about GU cancers.

The SUO meeting covered state-of-the-art issues related to a host of GU cancers. This session was a discussion of issues by members of the urologic oncology community at the National Institutes of Health. Urologic surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, research scientists, and fellows/residents in training attended and participated.

To date, GU State of the Science meetings have covered cancers of the superficial bladder and prostate. Themes have included advances in diagnosis, treatment planning and administration, therapy development - with emphasis on molecular targets - and use of models of "clinical states" within a cancer type for guiding all stages of disease management. The SOTS GU cancer meetings provide a structured forum for interaction among clinician investigators familiar with the needs, problems, and opportunities presented by GU cancer and laboratory scientists working in the fields of molecular biology, signal transduction and cell cycle control, cellular microenvironment, angiogenesis, and imaging research. Participants in the meetings include clinical investigators and basic scientists from academia, industry, and the community, as well as representatives from patient advocacy organizations.