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Dear colleagues and friends,

Pheochromocytoma/Paraganglioma is an endocrine tumor that originates from the adrenal medulla and paraganglion. It is a rare disease with an incidence of 2 to 8 per million person years. While the majority of cases can be cured by appropriate diagnosis and treatment, the diverse and non-specific symptoms often cause a delay in diagnosis with subsequent development of various life-threatening cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. In addition, approximately 10 to 20 percent of cases involve malignant tumors where early diagnosis and effective treatment are not established. Greater knowledge of the disease including elucidation of its cause and pathogenesis, and development of innovative diagnostic methods and treatment are global subjects that require attention.

In 2003, the Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma RESearch Support ORganization (PRESSOR) was established with Dr. William M Manger as the first President with the aim of facilitating advancement of the diagnosis and treatment of pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma and related neuroendocrine tumors. As part of its global activities, PRESSOR organized International Symposium on Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (ISP) every three years. The symposium included ISP2005 in Bethesda, MD, USA, chaired by Karel Pacak and Graeme Eisenhofer, ISP2008 in Cambridge, UK, chaired by Ashley Grossman and Morris Brown, and ISP2011 in Paris, France, chaired by Anne-Paule Gimenez-Roqueplo and Pierre-Francois Plouin. Following these successful meetings, we are delighted to announce that the ISP2014 will be held for the first time in Asia in Kyoto, Japan from 17th to 20st September 2014. The symposium will take place at the Convention Center, Mielparque Kyoto, which is situated very close to Kyoto Station.

Because of the difficulties in early diagnosis and treatment after diagnosis, pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma is also one of the most important rare and intractable diseases in Japan. We, with the aid of Health and Labor Sciences Research Grants for research on rare and intractable diseases from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Japan, have conducted various investigations including a nation-wide survey of patients and establishment of a pheochromocytoma registry, central analysis of histopathological findings, open-to-the public symposiums, development of a mailing network to promote physician to physician communication, a clinical guide for the diagnosis and treatment of pheochromocytoma, and support for patient groups in Japan. Despite these initiatives there are still many difficult problems to overcome, with social recognition of the disease remaining insufficient. In this context the ISP2014 held in Japan will have a major impact on the development of research and clinical practice on the disorder in both Japan and the rest of the world. The ISP 2014 will cover all aspects of research on pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma, focusing on pheochromocytoma-related genes, new biochemical tests and imaging, new medical treatments, and the clinical guideline. The ISP2014 will also provide a good opportunity to present various cases for discussion.

Kyoto is an ancient capital with a history of more than 1200 years and is the center of science and culture in Japan. You are all welcome to visit Kyoto, Japan in 2014 to attend the ISP2014 and to experience the culture and tradition of Japan.

For the Organizing Committee,

Chairperson
Mitsuhide Naruse, MD. PhD.
Director, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Hypertension
Vice-Director, Clinical Research Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases.
Kyoto Medical Center, National Hospital Organization
Kyoto 612-8555, Japan