Guest Editor’s Note: The Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) held its 21st International Conference in Costa Mesa, California. The conference theme was “Full Circle Translational Integrative Oncology: From Bedside to Bench and Back.” The Southern California vibe fostered collegiality and engagement during, before, and after the sessions, as attendees enjoyed the misty fog, ocean breezes, and amazing food while engaging in cutting-edge science and learning. In this article, Drs. Lopez and Lee, the conference Co-Chairs, highlight the proceedings.
Ana Maria Lopez, Md, Mph, Macp, Fasco
Richard T. Lee, Md
This year’s SIO conference was held October 25 to 27 and was hosted and managed by City of Hope in Duarte, California. More than 520 attendees from 27 countries around the world gathered at the Westin South Coast Plaza joined by more than 80 participants virtually, making this conference one of the most highly attended in over a decade. More than a dozen travel scholarships were awarded to students, trainees, and patient advocates. Conference sponsors included the Cherng Family Center for Integrative Oncology at City of Hope, the National Cancer Institute, the Dr. Rogers Prize, and the Scheidel Foundation.
The sessions kept the patient at the core of the discussion by often including a patient panelist who shared a unique perspective on the science presented as a person with a cancer diagnosis.
Preconference Activities
Three workshops were held concurrently before the conference formally began: “Building Bridges: A Workshop on Establishing a Thriving Integrative Oncology Program,” which provided practical information to help program leaders succeed; “Getting Your Integrative Oncology Proposals Funded: Practical Advice From Experts and Funders,” which featured presenters who have successfully obtained extramural funding; and “Exploring the Growing Potential of Cannabis in Cancer Care,” which highlighted the authors of the recently published “ASCO Cannabis and Cannabinoids in Adults with Cancer: ASCO Guideline.”
On Well-Being and Education
The conference days started with wellness sessions on the beach. Options included a beach sunrise run, tai chi on the sand, yoga, and sound healing. The first day closed with a robust poster session with nearly 90 abstracts, and day 2 closed with a beautiful and delicious outdoor gala dinner sponsored by the Cherng Family Center for Integrative Oncology at City of Hope.
The educational sessions consistently reinforced the conference theme of bringing research findings to the bedside and back again. The opening keynote speech was delivered by Elizabeth Budde, MD, PhD, who presented on T-cell immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer. On day 2, Barry O’Keefe, PhD, discussed natural product drug discovery in oncology, and on day 3, Betty Ferrell, PhD, MSN, CHPN, delivered an inspiring presentation on spirituality and integrative oncology.
The plenary sessions focused on hot topics in clinical care and highlighted advances in metabolomics and nutrition, natural products and immunotherapy, and clinical models of integrative oncology: current trends and future opportunities. The conference closed with a rousing talk on artificial intelligence and machine learning in integrative oncology.
Members of the panel that authored the ASCO-SIO Clinical Practice Guideline on Cancer Fatigue shared details of the newly published joint SIO-ASCO cancer fatigue guideline update.1 Guideline recommendations included exercise, cognitive behavioral therapy, and mindfulness interventions both during and after cancer treatment and low- to moderate-intensity tai chi or qigong during cancer therapy. The guidelines do not recommend wakefulness agents (ie, modafinil or armodafinil) for cancer-related fatigue during cancer therapy.
Workshops and Other Sessions
Workshops were embedded into the conference schedule and included an overview of global educational opportunities in integrative oncology in “Seize the Moment in Education: Pioneering Educational Pathways for the Future.” In addition, “How to Make Traditional Chinese Medicine Herbs Available in a Cancer Center: Step by Step” presented practical approaches from centers that offer such resources for clinical care, and “Case-Based Integrative Oncology with a Focus on Underserved Populations” offered real-world scenarios and real-world responses.
Concurrent sessions addressed state-of-the-art advances in supplements and herbal therapies; lifestyle; implementation; technology, and training; traditional medicine systems; bench science; and mind-body interventions.
The first lunch session discussed “Food as Medicine—at the Intersection of Culinary Cuisine and Medicine” and included restaurateur Yassmin Sarmadi and Chef Tony Esnault (both from Knife Pleat, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Orange County), as well as nutritionist Preeti Soni, MS, RD, CDCES, who shared their passion for food, the healing power of food, and cannabidiol in food. The Dr. Rogers Prize Keynote Lecture was delivered by Linda Carlson, PhD, SIO Past-President, who discussed “Integrative Oncology: Reflection on 25 Years of Progress and Views to the Future.” Her powerful reflections mesmerized and inspired the audience to a standing ovation. The lunch presenter on day 3, Wendy Law, PhD, outlined the National Cancer Institute’s guidance on plans to enhance diversity that prompted and invigorated SIO reflections, discussion, and priority-setting.
Joint Session on Supportive Care
Following the success of the first joint session between SIO and the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) during the 2023 SIO Annual International Conference, the MASCC-SIO joint session at this year’s conference focused on integrative modalities to mitigate gastrointestinal side effects. The session addressed microbial biotherapeutics for oral and gastrointestinal mucositis; holistic relief combating chemotherapy-induced nausea with integrative therapies; and minding the gut-brain axis: mitigation of treatment-associated diarrhea. This session grounded integrative medicine interventions in the scientific understanding of symptom mechanisms.
Guest Editor
Jun J. Mao, MD, MSCE
Best of SIO
The scientific program included three abstracts judged by the Scientific Committee to be the “Best of SIO.” They included a presentation by Kathrin Wode, MD, on mistletoe extract in advanced pancreatic cancer (and the double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled MISTRAL trial); a talk by Shanshan Gu, PhD, on a randomized clinical trial exploring the mechanisms of the patented traditional Chinese medicine Fufang E’jiao Jiang syrup for cancer-related fatigue in patients with advanced cancer; and a report by Jun Mao, MD, MSCE, on secondary analyses of a randomized controlled trial of acupuncture vs CTB-I for anxiety among cancer survivors with insomnia. These presentations showcased rigorous scientific studies that are advancing the science of integrative oncology.
We left southern California energized by the rich program that delivered evidence-based leading-edge data to support comprehensive integrative health care that aims to improve the lives of people affected by cancer. We ended the conference with awards for the best student oral and poster presentations.
Having read this article, you may be curious about #SIO2025. The 22nd International SIO Conference will be held in Boston, October 27 to 29, 2025, and will be hosted by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies. Join us!
DISCLOSURE: Dr. Lopez and Dr. Lee reported no conflicts of interest.
REFERENCE
1. Mustian K, Lacchetti C, Zick S, et al: Management of fatigue in adult survivors of cancer. JCO Oncol Pract. July 2, 2024 (early release online).
Dr. Lopez is Professor, Medical Oncology and Integrative Medicine, and Director, Integrative Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia. Dr. Lee is Clinical Professor, Cherng Family Director’s Chair for the Center for Integrative Oncology, and Medical Director, Supportive and Integrative Oncology Program, Orange County, Departments of Supportive Care Medicine and Medical Oncology, Cherng Family Center for Integrative Oncology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California.
