2014 Breast Cancer Symposium to Focus on Collaborative Learning

ASCO’s educational symposia have historically provided attendees with a forum for learning and discussion, demonstrating ASCO’s commitment to promoting a network of global oncology expertise. The 2014 Breast Cancer Symposium, to be held in San Francisco from Thursday, September 4, to Saturday, September 6, will be no exception, as it brings together attendees from all disciplines of oncology practice and research to exchange ideas and learn from each other, with the ultimate goal of improving patient care.

The theme for this year’s Symposium—Enhancing Clinical Care Through Collaboration—highlights the importance of cross-disciplinary interaction and cooperation in making progress against breast cancer.

“To achieve evidence-based clinical care for breast cancer, the whole cancer community has to work together,” explained Banu Arun, MD, Associate Professor of Breast Medical Oncology and Clinical Cancer Prevention, and Co-Director of Clinical Cancer Genetics at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Co-Chair of this year’s Program Committee. “Only with collaboration will we be able to advance the field of multidisciplinary breast care.”

Truly Multidisciplinary

The Breast Cancer Symposium is open to all members of the oncology community interested in the prevention, screening, evaluation, and management of breast cancer, resulting in a diverse group of attendees and a vibrant setting for discussion. Medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgeons, and other members of the cancer care team will find ample opportunities to make connections with other breast cancer specialists and expand their professional networks.

With an educational program designed to be as multifaceted as its attendees, the Symposium will provide a comprehensive view of current best practices and explore the clinical impact of major scientific advancements. Sessions on topics ranging from risk assessment to survivorship care will feature presentations from a wide range of perspectives, and multidisciplinary panels of experts will discuss important advances and unresolved questions from their respective fields. This synthesis of viewpoints will ensure that each attendee is able to expand his or her breast cancer knowledge in every session.

Interactive Elements Expanded

In the past, Symposium attendees have been able to participate in select sessions through an audience response system and electronic Q&A. These systems have been expanded for 2014 to allow more attendees to participate in more sessions. Participants will be able to answer questions posed by speakers in real time from their mobile device and can similarly ask questions via text, tweet, or web submission.

A new feature of the 2014 program is the addition of framing case studies to each day’s program. These cases will synthesize content from the day’s presentations, placing key findings into clinical context and generating discussion of how the latest research will impact practice. “These case studies and discussions will bring together the topics covered that day and will make the meeting even more interactive,” said Dr. Arun. “It will be a two-way meeting, rather than just one-way.”

Another collaborative element will be included in this year’s Tumor Board sessions, which will be built around cases submitted by attendees. Attendees can help shape the discussion at the Symposium by submitting their cases for the Early Disease Tumor Board and the Metastatic Disease Tumor Board online before August 7, 2014.

Gianni Bonadonna Breast Cancer Award

The ASCO Gianni Bonadonna Breast Cancer Award and Lecture will also be presented at the Symposium. First given in 2007, it recognizes an active clinical and/or translational researcher with a distinguished record of accomplishments in advancing the field of breast cancer. The award provides $50,000 to a fellow in the institution of the award recipient.

This year’s recipient is Aron Goldhirsch, MD, Director of the Multidisciplinary Program of Senology and Deputy Scientific Director at the European Institute of Oncology in Milan, Italy, and Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Bern, Switzerland. An international leader in the field of breast cancer, Dr. Goldhirsch has dedicated his career to research focused on new adjuvant treatments, definition of biologic features that predict responsiveness or resistance to anticancer treatments, and quality-of-life–oriented approaches. His commitment to international cooperation and clinical trials led him to chair the Update committee of the Early Breast Cancer Trialists’ Collaborative Group, which conducts large-scale meta-analyses of breast cancer treatments. He is also Vice-Chair of the Breast International Group, a consortium of cooperative groups around the world for conducting clinical trials for breast cancer therapies.

The 2014 Breast Cancer Symposium hotel reservation and early registration deadline is July 30, 2014. For more information and to register, please visit breastcasym.org. ■