Higher levels of physical activity are associated with a lower risk of developing cancer and exercise interventions in cancer patients have several beneficial effects including potential anti-cancer effects. The mechanisms by which physical activity or exercise prevents cancer or influences an existing tumour are incompletely understood. Recent work especially by the Copenhagen group has identified catecholamine and Hippo-regulated mechanisms by which exercise affects cancer cells. In another paper, however, stress-induced catecholamines were shown to promote pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Thus, whilst exercise may generally prevent the development of cancer or inhibit an existing tumour e.g. through catecholamine-Hippo action, there may specific types of cancer where exercise will worsen a cancer. Finally, time of day, diet or exercise-regulated blood metabolites, proteins or cells may not only affect the behaviour of cancer cells but may additionally increase or lower the effectiveness of anti-cancer drugs. For example, uric acid, which is influenced by diet and exercise, reduces the sensitivity of cancer cells to the chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil.
The aim of our meeting was to bring together researchers that work on cancer and exercise. As several anti-cancer effects of exercise may be mediated by Hippo signalling proteins, we will have a special focus on Hippo signalling in cancer. Finally, the Munich team will specifically work on paediatric cancer and for that reason we will focus on cancer in children as well.
On September 21st-22nd 2018, we organized our third international meeting in Raitenhaslach on the topic “Hippo, Exercise & Cancer”, funded by the TUM Incentive Fund.
On Friday and Saturday delegates presented 30 min talks on their research in relation to the topic of the meeting. As exercise biologists we also organized two opportunities for a “science talk” run or walk. For our group the main outcomes are to a) network with researchers who use methods that we use or plan to use, to b) see how leading groups experimentally address research questions that are relevant to us and to c) get a feeling for the standard of research in related life sciences. From our perspective the size of the group, length of the talks and the venue worked very well. Raitenhaslach is the perfect scientific meeting place and our planning was made easy by the superb Raitenhaslach team led by Mrs Kreuz.
Speakers:
- Prof. Dr. Sportwiss. Henning Wackerhage: “Introduction: Can we use exercise, diet or timing to influence tumour hallmarks and to sensitise tumours for drug treatment? (Exercise Biology, Technical University of Munich)
- PD Dr. Dr. med. Irene Teichert von Lüttichau: „Paediatric cancer Part 1“ (Kinderklinik, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich)
- PD Dr. Simone Hettmer: “Paediatric cancer 2” (Klinik für Pädiatrische Hämatologie und Onkologie, Universitätsklinikum Freiburg)
- Jesper Christensen, PhD: “The effect of exercise on cancer incidence and on existing tumours (Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen)
- Dr. Bernhard Renz: “Can exercise be bad for some cancer patients? Pro-and anti-cancer effects of catecholamines” (Klinik für Allgemeine, Viszeral- und Transplantationschirurgie, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich)
- Dr. rer. medic. Sabine Kesting & Peter Weeber, MSc:” Exercise interventions in children with cancer” (Preventive Pediatrics/ Exercise Biology, Technical University of Munich)
- Juha Hulmi, PhD: “Cancer cachexia: the role of skeletal muscle for cancer survival” (Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä)
- Dr. Marta Murgia: “Mass spectrometry-based proteomics of human plasma: a system view of diet, exercise and therapeutic interventions” (Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Munich)
- Daniela Schranner, M.Sc.: “Exercise and the blood metabolome” (Exercise Biology, Technical University of Munich)
- Dr. Paul Reynolds, PhD: “Hippo signalling in cancer and as a target for nutrient and exercise signals” (School of Medicine, University of St Andrews,)
- Prof. Dr. Marius Sudol: “Mechano-Perspective on Hippo-YAP Pathway and Cancer” (Mechanobiology Institute, National University of Singapore)
- Abdalla Mohamed, PhD: “Crispr-Cas9 screen to study Hippo proteins in cancer” (Helmholtz Center Munich)
Other delegates:
- Anja Pfluger, Exercise Biology, Technical University of Munich
- Dr. Martin Schönfelder, Exercise Biology, Technical University of Munich