In this forum the role of hypoxia as a potential target for cancer therapeutics will be discussed. Changes in oxygen levels within solid tumors profoundly affect the biological behavior of cancer cells and their response to therapy. However, an apparent strength of cancer cells might be turned into their Achilles" heel, by developing therapeutic strategies that exploit intratumor hypoxia. Hypoxia inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) has been implicated in many processes required for tumor progression, including but not limited to tumor metabolism, angiogenesis and metastasis. However, HIF-1-independent pathways are also essential for survival of hypoxic cancer cells and the unfolded proteins response, as a potential target for therapy, will be discussed. Finally, hypoxia is also a consequence of antiangiogenic and antivascular regimens. How these strategies can be combined with novel molecularly targeted agents will also be discussed. In summary, this session will provide an opportunity to discuss how to overcome current limitations of therapeutic strategies targeting intratumor hypoxias.
Forum: Exploiting the Hypoxic Tumor Microenvironment for Therapeutics

Giovanni Melillo. National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD

Dietmar Siemann. Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Albert C. Koong. Stanford Univ. Medical Ctr., Stanford, CA

Amato J. Giaccia. Stanford Univ. School of Medicine, Stanford, CA,