The Montpellier Cancer Institute (ICM), care facility, clinical and translational research, oncology training and prevention, works on all cancerous diseases excluding hematology. It works closely with the IRCM on a joint strategic and operational committee the ICM-IRCM, composed of two yearly meetings for discussions on research projects and their developments, especially the introduction of physician – scientist “pairs” in order to ensure the passage from IRCM fundamental research to clinical research and information on findings and clinical needs towards research.

1. The ICM department of Pathology has developed research themes on the immune response induced by mAb treatment. This axis relates particularly to the ADCC phenomenon in metastatic colorectal cancer treated by cetuximab (IgG1), benefiting from a genomic approach (FCGR2A and FCGR3A polymorphisms) and immunohistochemical (in situ analysis of the lymphocytic infiltrate of liver metastases resected after treatment by cetuximab). This work is carried out in collaboration with the IRCLM and CRLC department of Biology in Montpellier (“Oncology Immunotargeting and Radiobiology” Team and the “Molecular resistance base to anti-tumor therapy” team),
2. The Clinical Research Unit – Promotion – Innovation, set up for all services in medical oncology, surgery, radiotherapy and complementary therapies enabled the inclusion of more than 665 patients in 148 Phase I to III studies in 2009,
3. The Biostatistics Unit – CTD Montpellier is one of 11 Data Processing Centre’s (CPC), labeled INCa in 2007. Its mission is to ensure all achievements or research project expertise in basic and clinical oncology, ranging from design and analysis up to publication of results,
4. The ICM unit of early clinical studies takes charge of patients entering clinical trials of administration of new molecules, new combinations of molecules or early stage radiation therapy (Phase I – II) in a specific 6-bed unit. It also permits suitable monitoring during follow-up or evaluation of new techniques (heavy pharmacokinetics…),
5. The Biological Resource Centre (BRC-ICM) combines two units of cryopreservation for the preservation of different types of samples: a tumor bank for processing tumor and non-tumor tissue samples as well as derived products (DNA, RNA and tissue chips) and a biobank for preserving blood products (serum, plasma and constitutional DNA) as well as other types of biological matrices (urine, drainage fluids…) The CRB interacts with basic research teams and investigators from the Montpellier Cancer Institute, but also other national or international teams as part of multi-themed institutional as well as industrial research projects. The CRB works with the Clinical Research Unit for obtaining clinical data related to biological resources.