Led by Professor Udo Oppermann, Chair in Musculoskeletal Sciences at NDORMS, the meeting brought together expertise spanning clinical practice, molecular biology and drug discovery, with a shared aim to better understand chondrosarcoma and accelerate the development of effective treatments for this rare bone cancer. The event was supported by Bone Cancer Research Trust, Sarcoma UK as well as private sponsors PacBio and 10X Genomics.
The day opened with a clinical focus, highlighting the challenges of diagnosing and treating a disease with diverse subtypes and limited therapeutic options. A keynote address delivered by Dominique Heymann, Universite de Nantes, explored how the tumour microenvironment may offer new avenues for intervention.
Subsequent talks discussed how biological insights can translate into clinical impact and examined histological classification of chondrosarcoma, emerging molecular pathways, and the current landscape of therapies in clinical trials. Together, these sessions emphasised the importance of integrating pathology, genomics and clinical data to refine diagnosis and guide treatment decisions.
A central feature of the workshop was the inclusion of patient and charity perspectives. A dedicated discussion session asked a simple but important question: ‘What do patients and carers prioritise?’