History of Japan Society for Neuro-Oncology
Masakatsu Nagai, M.D.
The Japan Society for Neuro-Oncology (JSNO) was inaugurated in 1980 by the advocacy of Dr. TakaoHoshino, who was a staff member in the Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California San
Francisco (UCSF) at that time. In the United States, the `U.S.Conference on Brain Tumor Research andTherapy' had been held since 1975, under the leadership of Dr. Charles Wilson and Dr. Victor Levin of UCSF,
at the famous resort Asilomar in California. This so-called 'Asilomar Conference' was organized as asemi-closed system in which relatively few participants (about 50) stayed overnight at the same lodging for
two to three days. Dr.Hoshino and the author planned the Japanese Conference in a similar style as theAsilomar conference.
The first Meeting of Conference in Japan was held in 1980 with chairperson Dr.Masakatsu Nagai, at Nikko,
one of the most famous sight-seeing places in Japan, so that, Conference was named as the 'Nikko
Conference on Brain Tumor Research and Therapy'. 37 papers were presented and 68 participants attended
the two-day meeting. It was not certain whether such a meeting could continue in the future at this point intime. The Conference was held every two years until the third Meeting, but due to a stronger voices callingfor yearly meetings, it came to be held, after the fourth Meeting, every year. Resorts throughout the wholecountry were chosen as Conference sites. As for the participants at the Conference, the number was initiallylimited, but with the increasing numbers of young brain tumor researchers and the increasing numbers ofapplications for participation, an open system was initiated from the 10th Meeting. The name of theConference was also changed to the 'Japanese Conference on Brain Tumor Research and Therapy`. Because
the number of papers and participants continued to increase, the Conference gradually reached the scale ofa Society. The Society structure was fixed in 2002, and it was named the 'Japan Society of Neuro-Oncology`
which continues up to now.
Consistently from the start, the main subject matter of JSNO has been basic research on malignant brain
tumors, especially malignant gliomas and the development of therapeutic measures against them. Many
research results have been presented by JSNO participants, and superior achievements have been brought
forth regarding molecular genetics of glioma pathogenesis, tumor biology focused on cell-kinetics,chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, gene therapy and combination therapies of these onmalignant glioma.
The Annual Meeting of JSNO (25 in total) was held with chairperson Dr. Soichiro Shibui in Tokyo in
December 2007. There were 188 written applications, and the participant number was a record-high of 280people. Compared to the First Meeting in 1980, the number of subjects covered has increased five hold andthe number of participants is four times as many. There is an immeasurable deep emotion for such asurprising development as the Meeting. The characteristic style of Meeting, however, has not changed
compared to the time of the 'Conference' even after having now become a 'Society'. Namely, all theparticipants still stay at the same lodging, continue heated discussions till midnight in front of posterpresentations, holding a wine-glass in one hand (Poster & Wine session! ).
The founder of JSNO Dr. Takao Hoshino died in 1993, but he left a legacy of encouragement to thefoundation in the form of and award for the most excellent article on brain tumor research. The prize wasnamed the 'Hoshino Award`, and there are a lot of nominations for it every year. 15 young researchers have
won it since 1993. JSNO linked into the 'International Conference on Brain Tumor Research and Therapy'(ICBTRT) which developed from the 'U.S.Conference'. The 4th ICBTRT (1981), with Dr. Keiji Sano aschairperson, the 7th (1987), with Dr.Masakatsu Nagai as chairperson, and the 13th (1999), with Dr. Hiroshi
Abe as chairperson were held in Japan and the 17th ICBTRT will be held in this year (2008) at Hakodate,Hokkaido, with chairperson Dr. Masao Matsutani. Moreover, the Asian Society for Neuro-Oncology wasinaugurated in 2002, at Kumamoto, Japan with chairperson Dr. Yukitaka Ushio, which afterwards has beenorganized every year in each country in Asia.
The activity of JSNO is expected to be aimed at further development of cooperation with these internationalsocieties and to help bring about remarkable results on brain tumor research throughout the world.