Tumour phenotypes are profoundly influenced by the plasticity of cancer cells, which allows them to adapt and thrive in diverse environments. Cancer cell plasticity refers to the ability of cancer cells to adapt their phenotype, function, and behaviour in response to intrinsic and extrinsic cues. This intrinsic flexibility represents a significant challenge in cancer treatment, as it underlies tumour heterogeneity, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. Emerging evidence suggests that non-genetic mechanisms, such as epigenetic modifications, metabolic reprogramming, and dynamic phenotypic transitions, play a pivotal role in driving this plasticity.

Despite decades of intensive research, our understanding of how cancer cell plasticity is orchestrated and how it contributes to tumour progression and therapy evasion remains incomplete. Advancing this knowledge is imperative for developing more effective therapeutic strategies to counteract the adaptive prowess of cancer cells.

This conference will explore the fundamental mechanisms that control cancer cell plasticity at multiple biological levels, including the epigenome, transcriptome, metabolome, and cellular microenvironment. Experts will also discuss innovative approaches to target cancer cell plasticity using novel pharmacological interventions, aiming to prevent or reverse the adaptive mechanisms cancer cells use to circumvent conventional therapies.