Direct From ASCO
ASCO’s Immediate Past President Helps Build Future of Cancer Research and Care by Supporting Conquer Cancer Foundation
George W. Sledge, Jr, MD, has been treating patients with breast cancer, and pursuing research in the field, for more than 30 years—the last few electrified by a rapid proliferation of knowledge. “We have so much to offer our patients today,” says Dr. Sledge, who serves as Ballve-Lantero Professor ...
The 2013 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium Will Observe the Meeting’s 10-Year Anniversary
A decade after its start in 2003 with a few hundred attendees, the Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium now boasts more than 3,000 participants from all over the world. The next implementation marks the meeting’s 10th anniversary. The 3-day meeting—to be held January 24–26 in San Francisco—is designe...
JCO Presents New Training Seminar for Authors
Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO) recently launched a training seminar for potential authors, entitled, “Publishing Your Research: A Seminar From the Editors of JCO.” The first seminar was held in January prior to the 2012 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium in San Francisco. Daniel G. Haller, MD, E...
Career Development Award Recipient Susan K. Parsons, MD, Supports Next Generation of Researchers
Like all pediatric oncologists, Susan K. Parsons, MD, MRP, knows that when a child is diagnosed with cancer, it happens to the whole family. Siblings must cope with everything from disruption of routine to reduced parental attention, to the often-new possibility of mortality. Parents must navigate ...
New ASCO in Action Website
For the past 2 years, ASCO members and others who have looked to ASCO for insight on policy issues have turned to the ASCO in Action section of the Society’s website for up-to-date information. Now, ASCO has launched a whole new website devoted entirely to policy issues and ASCO’s specific efforts t...
ASCO Expert Panel Concludes Evidence Supports Physician Discussion of PSA Testing for Men with Longer Life Expectancies
ASCO has issued a new evidence-based provisional clinical opinion (PCO) on the use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing for prostate cancer screening. To facilitate informed decisions, ASCO also released a new, detailed decision aid to help men and their physicians understand the risks and ben...
ASCO Guidelines Support Weight-based Chemotherapy Dosing
The American Society of Clinical Oncology supports research showing that it’s safe and effective for people with cancer—especially those who are obese—to receive higher chemotherapy doses based not on estimates but on their actual weight. Direct your patients to ASCO’s guidelines on weight-based d...
What the Latest Breast Cancer News Means for Patients
Direct your patients to www.cancer.net/breastsymposium to learn about the research highlighted at the 2011 Breast Cancer Symposium in the special online newsletter, Cancer Advances: News for Patients from the 2011 Breast Cancer Symposium. Also, your patients can listen to a podcast of the symposium...
ASCO Connection Adds New Columnists, Launches Group Creation Option
ASCO’s professional networking site, ASCOconnection.org, continues to build depth in areas of interest to the oncology community, adding as its newest commentator ASCO President Michael P. Link, MD, the Lydia J. Lee Professor in Pediatric Oncology at Stanford University School of Medicine, as well a...
A New Donor Shines with Conquer Cancer Foundation
To support all of our valuable programs for patients and physicians, the Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology partners with organizations of every size and scale, and every partnership has a lasting impact. Recently, the Foundation began working with a new supporter...
Conquer Cancer Foundation $10K Challenge: Multiply Your Donation’s Impact in September
The Foundation proudly announces its first-ever Conquer Cancer Foundation $10K Challenge. In September, a portion of online gifts to the Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology will be matched by the generous support of Ariad Pharmaceuticals®. The Conquer Cancer Found...
Constructing a Top Five List in Oncology
The American Society of Clinical Oncology has joined the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation and eight other medical specialty societies to take a collective stand in improving patient care and addressing rising health-care costs. As part of the ABIM Foundation’s Choosing Wisely® c...
Conquer Cancer Foundation Programs for Medical Students and Residents Support Diversity in Oncology Workforce
The Conquer Cancer Foundation funds two programs, the Medical Student Rotation (MSR) and the Resident Travel Award (RTA), to facilitate the recruitment and retention of individuals from populations underrepresented in medicine to cancer careers, with a special focus on the development of clinical ...
Susan Halabi, PhD, Is Helping to Fund Future of Cancer Research
Susan Halabi, PhD, thinks in terms of probabilities. Based at Duke University School of Medicine, where she is an Associate Professor of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Dr. Halabi specializes in the design and analysis of clinical trials, statistical analysis of biomarker and microarray data, and ...
Measures of Success for Cooperative Group Reorganization
ASCO continues to work with the NCI and others to transform the Cooperative Group Program through implementation of recommendations of the 2010 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, “A National Cancer Clinical Trials System for the 21st Century: Reinvigorating the Cooperative Group Program.” Five Goa...
Bequest from Dr. Nora Janjan and Jack Calvin Supports Conquer Cancer Foundation’s Work in Palliative Care
For Nora Janjan, MD, MPSA, MBA, the practice of oncology is rooted in purpose, empathy, and trust. “You walk into the hospital and you know exactly why you’re there,” she says. “You are there to help patients and their loved ones through probably the most difficult experience that they will ever fa...
ASCO, CCF Congratulate 2017 Grant and Award Recipients
The Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO (CCF) presented more than $6.3 million in grants and awards to 247 promising oncology researchers at the 2017 ASCO Annual Meeting. CCF and ASCO congratulate the recipients on their contributions to the field of oncology and offer their profound thanks to the g...
ASCO and CancerLinQ Participated in Landmark Cancer Moonshot Summit
ASCO Chief Executive Officer Clifford A. Hudis, MD, FASCO, and CancerLinQ LLC Chief Executive Officer Kevin Fitzpatrick attended Vice President Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot Summit at Howard University on Wednesday, June 29, 2016. Along with leaders and stakeholders across the cancer research and car...
ASCO Member Helps to Strengthen Cancer Care Internationally Through Philanthropy and Volunteer Service
Ian F. Tannock, MD, PhD, DSc, FASCO, Professor of Medical Oncology at Princess Margaret Hospital and University of Toronto, has long been an advocate for ASCO as a truly global society and a leader in cancer care worldwide. It’s something he encouraged during his time on ASCO’s Board of Directors, a...
Oncology Career Fair at ASCO Annual Meeting
The 13th Annual Oncology Career Fair at the 2013 ASCO Annual Meeting offers a convenient way for attendees to learn more about employment opportunities available in the rapidly developing oncology profession. In addition, the Career Opportunities and Other Medical Meetings posting boards, located ad...
It’s Time to Get Ready for New Medicare Reporting Requirements
As if you didn’t already have enough to worry about, now add this: If your practice doesn’t meet the requirements of the Physicians Quality Reporting System (PQRS) and Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive, you don’t just miss out on the bonuses the programs offered as incentive in recent years. If...
Institute of Medicine Report on Omics-based Testing Bolsters ASCO’s Blueprint for Transforming Cancer Research
A recent report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) addresses elements that ASCO has stated are necessary for transforming the therapeutic development and clinical trial processes. In March, the IOM released the report “Evolution of Translational Omics: Lessons Learned and the Path Forward,” which ...
ASCO Seeks Better Access to Clinical Trials for Patients with Cancer
ASCO and other organizations submitted recommendations to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to influence development of a clinical trials coverage regulation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The health-care law requires insurers to cover routine care costs for patie...
Weekly Online Polls Help Define Key Concerns of ASCO Members
ASCO members now have the opportunity to help the Society gather information and opinions about important cancer policy issues. ASCO in Action, ASCO’s revamped policy news website (http://ascoaction.asco.org), features weekly polls designed to gauge the views of ASCO members on a variety of topics...
GI Symposium Helps Oncologists Stay Abreast of Fast-moving Research
Gastrointestinal cancers are a key therapeutic area in research, and science is moving forward in that arena at a fast clip. But how are those who focus on gastrointestinal malignancies in the clinic supposed to stay on top of it all? One great way is to attend the annual Gastrointestinal Cancers S...
ASCO Study Shows Integrating Nonphysician Providers into Oncology Practices Is a Win for Patients and Providers
Is the expanded use of nonphysician providers (NPPs) a viable way to help ease the challenges oncology practices could feel if the number of oncologists entering the field does not keep pace with potential growth in the demand for their services? The ASCO Workforce Advisory Group thought the questi...
UN Summit to Focus on Noncommunicable Diseases This Month
For the second time since its inception 65 years ago, the United Nations General Assembly is holding a “High-level Meeting” that will focus on health. During the September 19–20 meeting, world leaders will shine a spotlight on the devastation that noncommunicable diseases are causing and have caused...
Mark G. Kris, MD, Recipient of First ASCO Humanitarian Award
The ASCO Humanitarian Award honors an oncologist who personifies ASCO’s mission and values by going above and beyond the call of duty in providing outstanding patient care through innovative means or exceptional service and leadership in voluntary, uncompensated endeavors in the United States or abr...
Be a Conqueror With CCF’s Simple Fundraising Platform
BY CREATING an online fundraising campaign page at WeConquerCancer.org, anyone can make a difference in raising awareness and providing support for vitally important cancer research and education. A campaign might: Honor a special person whose life has been touched by cancer; Celebrate a speci...
Daniel F. Hayes, MD, FASCO, Leader in Translational Research, Begins Term as ASCO President
In 1995, Daniel F. Hayes, MD, FASCO, gathered with several other oncologists at a conference center in San Francisco to begin writing the first-ever ASCO guidelines on cancer treatment. He and his colleagues felt like pioneers scouting uncharted frontier. “I’ll never forget, that first hour or so,...
ASCO Resolutions Supported by AMA House of Delegates
At the American Medical Association’s (AMA) annual House of Delegates meeting, delegates approved four resolutions submitted by ASCO, demonstrating the entire medical community’s commitment to key cancer care priorities. These resolutions have been incorporated into the AMA’s policy system and will ...
Conquer Cancer Foundation Honors 74 Oncologists for Contributions to Genitourinary Cancer, Cancer Survivorship, Gastrointestinal Cancer, and Quality Care Research
The Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2016 Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Merit Awards in Gastrointestinal Cancer, Genitourinary Cancer, Cancer Survivorship, and Quality Care. The following 74 young investigators, recognized for the scientific merit ...
Conquer Cancer Foundation Funds Research in Low- and Middle-Income Countries for the First Time
The Conquer Cancer Foundation of the American Society of Clinical Oncology has announced the four recipients of the inaugural 2014 International Innovation Grant, which is a new program that underscores the Foundation’s continued commitment to improving the care of patients worldwide. The 1-year gra...
New ASCO Workforce Studies Release Preliminary Data on Oncology Workforce Environment
ASCO has released the preliminary findings of a far-reaching research initiative to collect and analyze oncology workforce demographic and practice data. This initiative will help guide the Society’s response to the ever-changing business and political landscape in which oncologists care for people ...
Updated for 2012: Cancer in Older Adults
Tell your patients about Cancer in Older Adults, Cancer.Net’s newly updated booklet for older adults and their family and friends. The content of the booklet is adapted from the ASCO University Module, Cancer Care for Older Patients. It provides information on the physical and emotional changes that...
Starting Down the Path toward Electronic QOPI®: ASCO and US Oncology Collaborate in Quality Measurement
The Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®), ASCO’s quality measurement program, is entering its 6th successful year and continuing to grow, both in number of participants and in quality measures evaluated. In the truest spirit of quality improvement, ASCO’s oncologist leaders have determined t...
Young Investigator Award Renamed to Honor ASCO Founder Jane C. Wright, MD
At the 2011 Annual Meeting, the Conquer Cancer Foundation renamed one of its annual awards to honor the legacy of one of ASCO’s groundbreaking founders. The Jane C. Wright, MD, Young Investigator Award (YIA) recognizes Dr. Wright’s leadership at ASCO, her contributions to the field of oncology, and ...
ASCO Symposium Helps Practices Leverage Health IT, Understand EHR Policy Changes
To help community oncology practices and large institutions navigate recent health-care policy changes and leverage health information technology (HIT) to improve the quality of care, ASCO will hold the 2011 HIT/EHR Symposium at the Westin Peachtree Plaza in Atlanta on November 4–5. “This symposium...
Help Inform ASCO Policy with New Oncology Practice Survey
As part of ongoing efforts to respond to a rapidly evolving oncology practice environment, ASCO is conducting a groundbreaking national survey to better understand the challenges facing oncology practices brought on by the current economic, legislative, and regulatory changes. Under the guidance of ...
ASCO Examines Impact of Health-care Reform on Cancer Care Disparities
In a new policy statement, ASCO outlines specific provisions of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that have the potential to reduce cancer care disparities. ASCO’s statement makes recommendations to ensure that such provisions are carried out effectively, and urges additional steps...
Accelerating Progress vs Cancer
At the opening press briefing and throughout ASCO’s 47th Annual Meeting, presenters marked the 40th anniversary of the National Cancer Act by highlighting the significant progress made in cancer treatment over the past 4 decades, the major challenges ahead, and new research models to find better tre...
Charting the Future of Cancer Health Disparities Research
LEADING NATIONAL cancer organizations have released a joint position statement1 to guide the future of cancer health disparities research. The statement represents a unified strategy by ASCO, the American Association for Cancer Research, the American Cancer Society, and the National Cancer Institute...
Survivorship Resources for Providers and Patients
ASCO offers a product that combines provider and patient information about cancer survivorship. Providing High Quality Survivorship Care in Practice: An ASCO Guide aims to assist oncologists and other clinicians with implementing high-quality survivorship care programs within their practice. The top...
Leave a Legacy of Hope
By including a planned gift to the Conquer Cancer Foundation in your estate plans, you can help make a dramatic difference for cancer patients years—even decades—into the future. With just one small change to your will or trust, your planned gift of any size will deliver a big impact, and: Your ...
Diversity Training Key to Increasing Cultural Competence Among Oncology Surgeons
A study in the Journal of Oncology Practice (JOP)1 measured the level of cultural competence among surgeons from six hospitals in the Puget Sound region of Washington State, home to a large population of American Indians and Alaskan Natives. According to the study, “Assessing Cultural Competence Amo...
ASCO Cosponsors Inaugural Palliative Care in Oncology Symposium
In October, ASCO will cosponsor the inaugural Palliative Care in Oncology Symposium with the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM), the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), and the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC). The Symposium is desi...
Now in Spanish: Stopping Tobacco Use After a Cancer Diagnosis
Tell your patients about Stopping Tobacco Use After a Cancer Diagnosis, Cancer.Net’s newest Spanish language booklet designed to help patients understand the benefits of quitting in the context of a cancer diagnosis. This booklet explains how patients can talk with their doctor about their tobacco u...
ASCO’s CancerLinQ: Building a Transformation in Cancer Care
Cancer science and information technology are advancing rapidly, but the way we care for patients today cannot fully capitalize on those advances. The proliferation of scientific results and novel treatments is a growing challenge for all oncology professionals as we enter the era of highly persona...
ASCO President Michael P. Link, MD, Joins Colleagues in Honoring a Friend and Touching the Future through Philanthropy
As an active member of ASCO, and as a leader of the Society in recent years, ASCO President Michael P. Link, MD, has a long history of giving to the Society-affiliated Conquer Cancer Foundation. “Our family has always felt that it’s a good thing to support,” he said. “The Foundation supports initi...
Medical Students Can Now Be ASCO Members, Thanks to an Intern Who Pressed
ASCO has just added a membership category for medical students, spurred on by—you guessed it—a medical student. Daniel G. Stover, MD, knew he wanted to go into oncology from very early on. But when he contacted ASCO to join as an intern, having just graduated from Vanderbilt School of Medicine, he ...
