Dear Colleague,
we are pleased to invite you to the Fifth International Symposium on Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia that will be held in Rome on September 24th–26th, 2009.
The symposium has traditionally been organised every four years since 1993 when it was first established by Professor Franco Mandelli.
Most leading experts working on either basic or clinical aspects related to this leukemia are come together in this meeting where they have a unique opportunity to present their work and share scientific information. APL is a model for unravelling key mechanisms of leukemogenesis and is a paradigm for innovative treatments including differentiating and anti-apoptotic agents, targeted immunotherapy, and chromatin remodelling agents.
In fact, this disease is today one of the most successful examples of translational research in medicine.
Over the past two decades, APL has evolved from being the most rapidly fatal to the most frequently curable acute leukemia.
These improvements relate to developed countries where highly specialised diagnosis and clinical care are available.
However, difficulties in accessing adequate infrastructures and insufficient networking at the national level has prevented the achievement of similar results in less privileged regions. Moreover, in spite of the striking progress in our understanding of APL pathogenesis, the causes of the disease are still unknown.
Clearly, there is still much room for implementation, debate and, particularly, cooperation at both the national and international level.
This symposium will offer to researchers and clinicians a unique forum for debate and collaboration.
We look forward to seeing you in the Eternal City.

With best personal regards,

Francesco Lo Coco
Symposium co-chairman

Miguel A. Sanz
Symposium co-chairman