FSTM is partner of the French Cancer Society
and the French Society of Haematology
and the French Society of Haematology
The microenvironment, or niche, plays a key role in the initiation of cancer and growth of cancer cells, in the escape of these cells from physiological anti-tumor defenses and in their resistance to treatment.
Promoting research on the tumor microenvironment is essential to understand the pathophysiology of cancers and to develop new therapeutic strategies to limit the risk of metastases and relapse after treatment.
The story of FSTM
The will to federate French research forces on the cancer microenvironment has been progressively built up over the last 10 years through recurrent national think tanks in Tours (37), bringing together researchers, hematologists and oncologists.
The French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) has encouraged this process by labeling in 2015 the research group GDR 3697 MicroNiT "Microenvironment of tumor niches" gathering 19 INSERM and CNRS research units. This GDR has been renewed in 2019 with 26 research units.
The dynamic created has allowed to share experiences, to promote collaborations between teams and to set up ambitious research projects in order to reinforce the knowledge on the development of cancers and to propose new therapeutic leads targeting the tumor microenvironment.
This impulse will continue and be strengthened within the FSTM, which will promote interactions between researchers, physicians, patient associations, cancer organizations and pharmaceutical partners in order to improve cancer treatment.