The 2021 International Invasive Lobular Breast Cancer (ILC) Virtual Symposium took place on June 24-June 25 with special ILC patient advocate-focused sessions on June 23 and June 30. Over 740 physicians, researchers, patient advocates, and people with ILC from 36 countries participated to learn about ILC and discuss the most current research underway to better understand this unique disease.
The Symposium showcased rapid progress in ILC research with an agenda that featured presentations and discussions tackling challenges and opportunities that are ongoing in lobular breast cancer diagnostics, imaging, biology and treatment, and the growth of patient advocacy organizations ready to support the research.
The Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance (LBCA) was well-represented during the symposium. Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) members, advocates, and staff all served as speakers. Additionally, SAB Chair Dr. Otto Metzger, SAB Past Chair Dr. Steffi Oesterreich, and SAB member Dr. Patrick W.B. Derksen served as event co-chairs along with Dr. Christine Desmedt. Dr. Derksen and Dr. Desmedt also serve as co-chairs of the European Lobular Breast Cancer Consortium (ELBCC).
ILC Symposium Agenda and Recordings
The symposium took place over four days and included sessions specifically geared toward patient advocates. Those sessions were the Patient Advocate Orientation and the Highlights of the International ILC Virtual Symposium. We encourage those without a scientific background to watch these sessions prior to the scientific sessions. They are presented in language that you may find more accessible. They also provide important context for interpreting the discussions in the scientific sessions. Recordings can be accessed by clicking on the blue headlines for each session.
Patient Advocate Orientation – June 23
Basic tools and information for patients and advocates to make the most of the scientific sessions of the International ILC Virtual Symposium and learn about lobular breast cancer.
Karen Van Baelen, MD, KU Leuven, UZ Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
“Lobular Breast Cancer: from Diagnosis to Treatment”
Christine Desmedt, PhD, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
“The ABCs of Cancer Biology”
“Peculiarities of Lobular Breast Cancer Biology”
Highlights of the International ILC Virtual Symposium – June 30
Join leading lobular breast cancer researchers and ILC advocates for a discussion of the highlights of the International ILC Virtual Symposium and Q&A.
Moderator: Laurie Hutcheson, Executive Director, Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
Gary A. Ulaner, MD, PhD, Chair of Molecular Imaging and Therapy at Hoag Family Cancer Institute
Day 1 of the International ILC Virtual Symposium Scientific Sessions
Keynote Address and Presentations and Q&A: Addressing Challenges in ILC Pathology, Diagnosis and Imaging
Christine Desmedt, PhD, Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven
“Molecular features of lobular breast cancer: opportunities for individualizing therapy”
Matthias Christgen, MD, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany
“Lobular Breast Cancer: Histomorphology and different concepts of a special spectrum of tumors”
Peter Simpson, PhD, University of Queensland, Australia
“Developing Lobsig – a signature capturing the molecular heterogeneity of ILC”
Jorge Reis-Filho, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NYC
“Artificial intelligence in breast pathology: beyond cancer detection”
Hannah Linden, MD, Seattle Cancer Alliance, Seattle, WA
“Imaging challenges in ILC and molecular imaging advances”
Presentations and Q&A: Addressing Challenges in ILC Treatment
Chair: Otto Metzger, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School. Boston, MA
Sabine Linn, MD, PhD, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Netherlands
“Treatment of early-stage ILC. What is different?”
Rinath Jeselsohn, MD, Dana Farber-Cancer Institute, Boston, MA
“Estrogen signaling – what are the differences between lobular and ductal cancer?”
Ron Bose, MD, Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
“Targeted anti-HER2 based therapy? Her2 mutations and treatment rationale”
Otto Metzger, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
“Discussion with breast cancer advocates on current and future aspect of ILC tailored therapies”
Day 2 of the International ILC Virtual Symposium Scientific Sessions
Panel Discussion with Q&A: How researchers, clinicians and patient advocates can accelerate lobular breast cancer research
Leigh Pate, Founder Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
Laurie Hutcheson, Executive Director, Lobular Breast Cancer Alliance
Claire Turner, Founder and Chair, Lobular Breast Cancer UK, UK Patient Advocate Representative for European Lobular Breast Cancer Consortium
Presentations and Q&A: New Avenues in ILC Research
(This session starts at the 1 hour mark in the linked recording.)
Chair: Patrick Derksen, PhD, UMC Utrecht (Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht), The Netherlands
Matthew Sikora, PhD, University of Colorado Cancer Center, Aurora, CO
“Understanding ILC as a unique context for interaction between estrogen signaling and DNA damage response”
George Sflomos, PhD, Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research, Lausanne, Switzerland
“Novel Models of Lobular Breast Cancers: what we have learned and where we are heading”
Yeji An, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
“Refining the ILC mouse model: exploring the role of 16q hemizygosity in breast cancer”
Presentations and Q&A: Lobular Breast Cancer Biology
Chair: Christine Desmedt, PhD, Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven
Val Brunton, PhD, Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Edinburgh
“Tumor-stromal interactions in ILC”
Adrian Lee, PhD, UPMC Hillman Cancer, Institute for Precision Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
“Single-Cell transcriptomic heterogeneity in invasive ductal and lobular breast cancer cells”
Patrick Derksen, PhD, UMC Utrecht, The Netherland
“Oncogene addiction 2.0. E-cadherin loss causes vulnerabilities to targeted treatments”
Clare Isacke, PhD, The Institute of Cancer Research, London
“Characterization and modeling of lobular breast cancer leptomeningeal metastasis”
