The last 50 years have been marked by significant advances in cancer research and in more effective therapy for patients. Once viewed as a largely untreatable, fatal disease, today a number of cancers are being converted into chronic diseases that can be managed for long periods of time. The result is that there are now nearly 14 million cancer survivors in the United States, compared to just 3 million in 1971. The Cancer Progress Timeline at the bottom of these pages gives a quick chronology of the history of cancer care and includes the work of some of the pioneers who have made pivotal contributions to advancing the ultimate goal of curing cancer. To view an interactive version of the timeline, visit ASCO’s CancerProgress.Net.
As a Society, ASCO has also progressed from its original seven founding members in 1964 to 35,000 members today. As ASCO commemorates its 50-year history at this year’s Annual Meeting, The ASCO Post presents reflections from some of the Society’s past Presidents on the evolution of the Society and the progress they have seen in cancer care.
Building Bridges to Conquer Cancer
Sandra M. Swain, MD
ASCO President, 2012-2013
Collaborating to Conquer Cancer
Michael P. Link, MD
ASCO President, 2011-2012
The Promise of Genomics
George W. Sledge, Jr, MD
ASCO President, 2010-2011
Personalizing Cancer Care
Richard Schilsky, MD
ASCO President, 2008–2009
One Community
Nancy E. Davidson, MD
ASCO President, 2007–2008
Multidisciplinary Interactions
Gabriel N. Hortobagyi, MD, FACP
ASCO President, 2006–2007
Quality Cancer Care
Margaret A. Tempero, MD
ASCO President, 2003-2004
Cancer Prevention
Paul A. Bunn, Jr, MD
ASCO President, 2002–2003
Quality of Cancer Care
Joseph S. Bailes, MD
ASCO President, 1999–2000
AACR–ASCO Transition
George P. Canellos, MD
ASCO President, 1993–1994
Science vs Practice
Bernard Fisher, MD
ASCO President, 1992-1993
Journal of Clinical Oncology
Emil J. Freireich, MD
ASCO President, 1980–1981
The Consequence Is Cure
Vincent T. DeVita, Jr, MD
ASCO President, 1977–1978
The Camaraderie of ASCO
James F. Holland, MD
ASCO President, 1976–1977
On April 9, 1964, seven physicians—Jane Cooke Wright, MD, FASCO; Arnoldus Goudsmit, MD, PhD; Fred J. Ansfield, MD, FASCO; Harry F. Bisel, MD, FASCO; Herman H. Freckman, MD, FASCO; Robert W. Talley, MD, FASCO; and William Wilson, MD, FASCO—met for lunch at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago. They...
When Jane Cooke Wright, MD, met with six other oncologists at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago on April 9, 1964, to discuss the creation of American Society of Clinical Oncology,
the first medical society dedicated to bringing patient-oriented issues to clinical oncology, the Civil Rights Act...