Coordinators of the scientific report: R. Falcioni - V. Stigliano

The mission of this Line is the identification and elucidation of the mechanisms that contribute to the risk of developing cancer, the characterization and validation of new biomarkers of susceptibility to cancer, and the development of methodologies capable of increasingly anticipating the diagnosis of cancer in subjects and/or populations at risk. Primary prevention intervenes on healthy subjects and is based on the identification of risk factors, the assessment of exposure to these factors and their modification. Secondary prevention intervenes on sick people, identifies the disease at an early stage, asymptomatic, susceptible to immediate and effective therapeutic intervention. The advent of advanced technologies, genetic characterization and molecular classification, make the prognostic stratification of tumors and early detection of cancer increasingly possible. The perspective of this Line is therefore to carry out research activities aimed at educating new diagnostic and/or behavioural procedures aimed at cancer prevention, improvement of health status and cancer control. At present, the existence of innovative molecular and instrumental diagnostic techniques makes it possible to make an early diagnosis of the tumor and to define the molecular characteristics that influence the therapeutic approach and prognosis. Fundamental elements for the success of the Line are: (A) access to biological materials from subjects predisposed to the onset of tumors due to hereditary family causes, or environmental factors; (B) multidisciplinary experimental approaches that take into account bio-molecular, epidemiological, nutritional, virological, radiodiagnostic, endoscopic, clinical and surgical expertise.