It is my great pleasure to inform you that the 20th Asia Pacific Cancer Conference will be held from November 12 to 14, 2009 at the Tsukuba International Congress Center (Epochal Tsukuba) in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
The Asia Pacific Cancer Conference has as its objectives to facilitate, coordinate, and promote research on cancer epidemiology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as to contribute to the improvement and availability of cancer health care in the Asia Pacific region, thereby working for the development of both academe and culture and the betterment of human welfare.
We have set the theme of this meeting as “Cancer Control - Setting the Focus on Unique Asian Pacific Contributions”. As the upcoming conference will mark its 20th anniversary, we will go beyond conventional presentations and draw up concrete recommendations by re-evaluating epidemiological characteristics of cancer in the Asia Pacific region, as well as carrying out comparative studies with data from the West, and the characteristics identified will serve as the basis for positive discussions aimed at achieving proper prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. To that end, working groups on cancers that are prevalent in the Asia Pacific region, such as gastric, colon, liver, breast, prostate, and lung cancers, will be launched at least a year ahead of the conference to initiate group discussions. The results will be presented at the plenary session to a wider audience and compiled as the final recommendation.
I look forward to your contribution and support to the 20th Asia Pacific Cancer Conference as well as submission of your abstracts and participation in the meeting.
With best wishes
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Hideyuki Akaza
Department of Urology, University of Tsukuba
President, the 20th Asia Pacific Cancer Conference
