Summary of the 5TH International Congress on TNF and related cytokines: scientific advances and their medical applications 1

Ten years ago, a new field emerged with the isolation and cloning of tumor necrosis factor (TNF), an exceptionally pleiotropic cytokine that seemed to promise an effective treatment for cancer. The field drew a heavy following from the existing disciplines of immunology, oncology, endocrinology, hematology, and infectious disease research as it was recognized that the actions of TNF were relevant to each. The first International Congress on TNF and Related Cytokines was held in Heidelberg in 1986, and subsequent congresses were held in Napa, Chiba, and Veldhoven. This, the 5th Congress, was held at the Asilomar Conference Center in Monterey.