ASCO has implemented a new abstract distribution model for its 2012 Annual Meeting to ensure simultaneous electronic and print release of important scientific information to attendees and the public. Plenary, Late-Breaking, and Clinical Review Abstracts (or Newly Released Abstracts, as they will ...

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“For 10 years, Cancer.Net has reflected the voice of the physician and given people with cancer and their loved ones the tools they need to actively participate in their cancer care. ASCO has used all the technological advances of the past decade to make information more accessible, interactive, ...

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ASCO’s Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) can be used to assess the quality of care in a statewide consortium of oncology practices and ultimately can lead to better care for patients with cancer, said ASCO Past President Douglas W. Blayney, MD, at a recent briefing on cancer care valu...

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So much health services research is underway in oncology that, rather than relegating it to just a portion of the Annual Meeting, ASCO has decided to launch a meeting devoted entirely to the emerging discipline. The first annual Quality Care Symposium will take place November 30 through December ...

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Despite a number of new drug approvals in 2011, there are still major challenges in developing effective oncology therapeutics and drug combinations that demonstrate significant survival advantages. Mechanisms are needed to ensure that the next generation of oncology researchers has the necessary...

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Cancer.Net has collaborated with LIVESTRONG to launch Moving Forward: Perspectives from Survivors and Doctors, a series of 13 videos focused on issues facing young adults with cancer. Topics covered include managing bills and expenses, dealing with the fear of recurrence, navigating the dating w...

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Thomas G. Roberts, MD, dedicates a shelf in his home to memories of patients—photographs, notes, expressions of gratitude, traces of lives linked with his through cancer treatment. He looks at it every day, he says, and the memories inform his mission. “In oncology, you become part of people’s li...

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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,” whic...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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As this year’s ASCO Annual Meeting was being planned, the NCI was developing and releasing its “Provocative Questions” project—an effort to stimulate the cancer community to ask itself 24 key questions in order to advance the treatment of cancer and provide better care. It quickly became clear to...

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Studies led by Nathan Sheets, MD, and Mark Jesus Magbanua, PhD, were recently featured in the Genitourinary Cancers Symposium press program. Both researchers are 2012 Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Merit Award recipients, and each has made noteworthy discoveries in prostate cancer.  Radiothera...

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ASCO continues to call for three specific actions by Congress to help avert shortages of essential treatments for children and adults living with cancer. ASCO President Michael P. Link, MD, outlined the priorities in February at an FDA news briefing on the recent methotrexate and liposomal doxoru...

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Encourage your patients to review ASCO's newly updatedManaging the Cost of Cancer Care booklet, which can help them make informed treatment decisions. This resource explains the various costs associated with cancer treatment, key provisions in the 2010 health-care reform law that are now b...

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The days of attending the Breast Cancer Symposium, just quietly listening to useful lectures, and then going home are over. In recent years, the meeting’s sponsors and planners have worked to make the 3-day gathering far more interactive and as intimate as a meeting with 1,500 attendees can be. “...

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Direct your patients to Cancer.Net/podcasts, where they can listen to a podcast about staying organized during cancer treatment, getting financial information in order, preparing questions ahead of appointments, and setting up a filing system for important documents. ■ © 2012. American Society ...

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The House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee recently held a hearing on programs and initiatives that reward physicians who deliver high-quality, efficient care. ASCO submitted written testimony from CEO Allen S. Lichter, MD, on many aspects of quality care, including how the Quality Oncology Pra...

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This year, ASCO is cosponsoring a new series of intimate, discussion-based seminars to be held just before the start of the Annual Meeting in June. The three seminars, which start at 1:00 PM on Thursday, May 31, and continue through noon on Friday, June 1, the first day of the Annual Meeting, are...

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A study led by James C. Yao, MD, Assistant Professor and Deputy Chair of Gastrointestinal Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, was presented at the 2012 Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancers Symposium in San Francisco and highlighted in the meeting’s press program. In t...

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Just how many research-focused staff members is it optimal to have when conducting clinical trials in a community-practice setting? To properly gauge that, should the practice look closely at how many studies it’s working on? The complexity of those studies? The number of patients enrolled? Some ...

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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 determine...

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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 pat...

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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 navigat...

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The 2012 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium takes place February 2–4 in San Francisco. Direct your patients to www.cancer.net/GUsymposium to find written summaries for patients and a podcast that highlights the research presented at the meeting, on prostate, bladder, kidney, testicular, and other ge...

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If your work touches those who have cancer, you have a place within ASCO. That’s the message that the organization, during its 48 years, has gotten across in many ways, not the least of which is its membership categories, which have expanded right along with the field of cancer care. “ASCO is uni...

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Less than 2 years since launching the first national program to help oncology practices deliver the highest quality of cancer care, ASCO and its affiliate, the Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) Certification Program, announced that more than 100 practices have achieved QOPI certificati...

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Journal of Oncology Practice (JOP) recently began publishing the majority of its articles online ahead of print. This exciting initiative benefits both JOP’s authors and readers by making practice-changing content readily available online in a timely manner. With the launch of the publish-ahead-o...

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Each year, the Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO funds Young Investigator Awards (YIAs) and Career Development Awards (CDAs). These research grants provide start-up funding for young physician-scientists as they embark on cancer research careers. Clearly, the programs are working: Six of the top ...

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On January 19, direct your patients to www.cancer.net/gisymposium, where they can get up-to-the-minute research highlights from the 3-day 2012 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium. Also, your patients can listen to a podcast of the symposium highlights online or download it free of charge at www.ca...

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Congress passed a resolution in December recognizing the 40th anniversary of the National Cancer Act of 1971 and the more than 12 million cancer survivors who are alive as a result of the nation’s commitment to cancer research and advances in cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment...

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Are you looking for ways to discuss the issues that impact the oncology community with members of Congress? Doing so is easier than you think. ASCO’s ACT Network provides many different opportunities to contact your policymakers, including the ability to draft your own message to your member of C...

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ASCO has announced the designation of Fellow of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, otherwise known as FASCO. Formerly called the ASCO Statesman Award and launched in 2007, the distinction is designed to honor ASCO’s most active volunteer members. “The FASCO status represents recognition f...

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The beginning of a new year is an opportunity for a fresh start for many, including people with cancer. To help your patients set and achieve their health and wellness goals, direct them to Cancer.Net (www.cancer.net), ASCO’s patient website, where they can learn about seven steps for a healthier...

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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 ini...

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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, a...

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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 topi...

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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 clinica...

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A recent issue of the Journal of Oncology Practice features a special series of articles on palliative care and end-of-life issues in the oncology practice setting. Articles explore the integration of palliative care services in ambulatory settings, unique delivery mechanisms for palliative care,...

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This year marks the 40th anniversary ofthe National Cancer Act and places a more prominent focus on how much progress against cancer has been made over the past 4 decades. In the past year alone, significant advances have been made in cancer prevention and screening, hard-to-treat cancers, and re...

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Direct your patients to www.cancer.net/podcasts to learn about the 2011 Clinical Cancer Advances. In a special podcast, patients can hear about this year’s most important advances in clinical cancer research and what these advances mean for their treatment and care. ■ © 2011. American Society of...

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The 2012 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, to be held in San Francisco February 2–4, will feature some exciting advancements in the field that center on personalized cancer care. “The major cancer discussed at the meeting tends to be prostate cancer, and there hasn’t yet been a lot of specific tar...

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On November 3, ASCO issued a new report that lays out ASCO’s vision for transforming clinical and translational research to deliver more effective and personalized cancer therapies faster. The report, Accelerating Progress Against Cancer: ASCO’s Blueprint for Transforming Clinical and Translation...

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Progress against cancer has helped save or extend the lives of millions of patients. Thanks to advances in medical research, there are about 12 million cancer survivors today in the United States. For patients transitioning back into everyday life after surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, o...

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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, h...

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A new booklet from Cancer.Net explains survivorship and gives an overview of the challenges faced by cancer survivors. It provides the next steps cancer survivors can take after treatment, including the importance of follow-up care, rehabilitation, managing long-term side effects, and main...

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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. "Th...

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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 Gastrointestin...

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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 ...

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In an effort to support the practice-changing or time-dependent results of select articles submitted to the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the publication has introduced a new Rapid Review program. This fast-paced track gives authors an opportunity to have their important findings accelerat...

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When patients need to find an oncologist, Cancer.Net is there to help with the Find an Oncologist database, at www.cancer.net/findanoncologist. This database is made up of ASCO members who have made their contact information public. In addition to location and specialty, patients can now s...

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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 gui...

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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 though...

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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 ofthe s...

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For the past 2 years, ASCO members and others who have looked to ASCO for insight on policy issues have turned to theASCO 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 ...

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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-Lanter...

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Stop by the ASCO booth in the Exhibit Hall at the Breast Cancer Symposium, September 8–10 in San Francisco, to pick up samples of some of the materials Cancer.Net has available for your patients. At the booth, you can learn about the Cancer.Net Guide to Breast Cancer and pick up fact sheets about...

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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 st...

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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 cau...

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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 G...

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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 wel...

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Because the cost of cancer care can be high, it is important for your patients to understand what to expect before starting treatment so that they can manage the financial effect of cancer in the most effective way possible. To that end, Cancer.Net, ASCO’s patient information website, offers a gu...

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ASCO’s Oncology Slide Library—which allows ASCO meeting attendees to upload and share their ASCO meeting presentation slides with slide-library subscribers—may only be a year old, but participation is already very high. This year’s Annual Meeting in June marked the first time ASCO gave each speak...

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ASCO and seven other oncology organizations held a Capitol Hill briefing in July and explained to nearly 200 members of Congress and their staffs how widespread cancer drug shortages are creating “a crisis in care.” According to the University of Utah Drug Information Service, the number of drug ...

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Imagine just four oncologists attempting to provide care for a population of 82 million people living in a country covering twice the territory of Texas. That’s the state of cancer care in Ethiopia. And imagine a country of more than 90 million people—more than twice the population of California—...

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In December 2010, ASCO announced the results of its 2011 Election for President-Elect and for members of the Board of Directors and the Nominating Committee. Sandra M. Swain, MD (Washington Hospital Center’s Washington Cancer Institute, Georgetown University, and Uniformed Services University of ...

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On June 5, National Cancer Survivors Day participants united to celebrate living beyond cancer and focus on the issues facing cancer survivors, an area in which ASCO is increasing its efforts. ASCO recently developed a new committee focused on survivorship to tackle issues related to cancer survi...

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Many breast cancer–focused meetings and conferences are held each year, but the Breast Cancer Symposium, which takes place this year in San Francisco, September 8–11, is one of the few that takes an interdisciplinary approach to delivering practical, how-to clinical information for attendees from...

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To demonstrate the value of the U.S. clinical cancer research system and the urgent need to strengthen and support clinical trials, a new ASCO website highlights the great progress made in clinical cancer research since the signing of the National Cancer Act in 1971. Over the past 40 years, major...

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A joint letter to the editor¹ to the Journal of Clinical Oncology provides an important reminder of the intent of the ASCO/College of American Pathologists (CAP) guideline panel on human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)² and a reconciliation of some pathology technical aspects. The topic...

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At the Annual Meeting in June, Daniel G. Haller, MD, will step down from his post as Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Clinical Oncology, a role he has held for the past 10 years. Over the course of that decade, Dr. Haller has helped guide JCO through some of its most significant changes since the jo...

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If you are attending ASCO’s Annual Meeting, visit the Cancer.Net section of ASCO Central, booth #7004, in the Exhibit Hall to learn more about Cancer.Net’s patient education resources. You will find free printed materials—including the ASCO Answers Fact Sheets, Guides to Cancer, and booklets on t...

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Through a new partnership, ASCO is working to provide its members with expanding technologic resources to help them deliver high-quality and personalized care. ASCO and CollabRx, an organization that leverages information technology to personalize cancer treatments, recently agreed to develop inn...

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For a private practice like six-physician New England Hematology Associates, garnering Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI®) Certification can really signal to patients that the care provided there is among the best available—not just in the local market, but nationwide, said Deborah Davis...

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To promote quality, value, and accountability in cancer care, ASCO recently formed a department focused solely on quality measurement, tools for practice improvement, and using information technology as a key to advancing quality. This new department is tasked with preparing ASCO’s clinical pract...

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On May 19, direct your patients to Cancer.Net, ASCO’s patient website, where they will find easy-to-read summaries of studies, released in advance of this year’s Annual Meeting (www.cancer.net/canceradvances). In addition, encourage them to listen to a panel discussion and Q&A session about t...

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To assist ASCO Annual Meeting attendees who use their smartphones and iPads to plan and enhance their Meeting experience, ASCO offers two free Meeting-related apps. iPlanner allows users to browse sessions, personalize a Meeting schedule, and locate session rooms and exhibits/booths on an interac...

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On February 22, 2011, the Journal of Clinical Oncologyreleased its first podcast online, making it possible for busy readers to now access important JCO content on the go at JCO.org. JCO Editor-in-Chief designate Stephen A. Cannistra, MD, expects the podcast program to enhance readers’ experience...

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Direct your patients to Cancer.Net, ASCO’s patient information website, where they will find the first two videos in a new series on clinical trials (www.cancer.net/videos). One describes the types of cancer clinical trials, and the other explains the process of informed consent. They can check b...

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If you are unable to attend the ASCO Annual Meeting, you can still have access to the most relevant science in oncology with Best of ASCO. Attendees of Best of ASCO meetings can view presentations and join discussions regarding 50 of the premier abstracts from the 2011 ASCO Annual ­Meeting.  Sele...

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The first edition of the ASCO Global Express was delivered in January to the more than 8,000 international ASCO members. This new electronic newsletter is designed to serve and inform these clinicians, who practice outside the United States and deliver cancer care in more than 100 countries world...

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In recent years, ASCO and Cancer.Net have joined television-driven, sports-related cancer campaigns under the Society’s Champions Against Cancer initiative. Millions of viewers tuned in to these events—Frosted Pink with a Twist, Skate America, and Kaleidoscope—and while being wowed by athletic fe...

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With the theme “Patients, Pathways, Progress,” the 2011 ASCO Annual Meeting, to be held June 3–7 in Chicago, offers a wide variety of educational opportunities for oncology professionals to discover and discuss clinical and translational research and innovations. The four sessions described here ...

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To complement ASCO's new policy statement, which recommends steps to ensure that physicians initiate candid discussions about the full range of treatment and palliative care options soon after patients' diagnosis with advanced cancer, Cancer.Net has developed a comprehensive educational booklet ...

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Journal of Oncology Practice (JOP) is facilitating innovation in oncology practices around the United States by initiating the annual publication of each year's National Practice Benchmark report, which will serve as the anchor for JOP's "State of Oncology" issue printed each September. The Nati...

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Last year, at ASCO's 46th Annual Meeting in Chicago, two research teams each received a Conquer Cancer Foundation of ASCO Improving Cancer Care Grant (ICCG), funded by Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. The ICCG was established to provide research funding that would address important issues regarding...

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Through the strong voice of its members, ASCO is working to bolster policymaker support for federal funding for biomedical research and draw attention to progress made in cancer research over the past 4 decades. A major priority of ASCO over the next few years is to increase public funding for c...

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The data reports generated by QOPI give the West Michigan Cancer Center (WMCC) in Kalamazoo valuable information to improve patient care, according to Terry ­McKay, President and CEO of the practice, which has seven medical oncologists. "If you give physicians data, they will change behavior," s...

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The ASCO Tumor Boards deliver just what every oncologist needs when recommending treatment for a specific carcinoma: information on the latest advances in that field, straight talk from experts about the controversies surrounding certain treatments, and relevant reports from the literature. ASCO...

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To Ensure Progress Against Cancer, ASCO Advocates for an Increase in NIH Funding ASCO, along with more than 270 medical research stakeholders, sent a letter to each member of Congress stressing that long-term flat funding or a reduction in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) "wi...

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Patient navigators in Georgia now have a statewide organization to turn to for education, resources, and networking. The society, Cancer Patient Navigators of Georgia (CPNG), began in 2009 after the Georgia Society of Clinical Oncology (GASCO) surveyed self-identified patient navigators about th...

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In 2004, the Dominican Republic was the site of ASCO's first Multidisciplinary Cancer Management Course (MCMC). ASCO teamed with the Dominican Society of Hematology and Oncology to present a 2-day program in Santo Domingo, designed specifically for local providers. Since then ASCO has worked wit...

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Direct your patients to Cancer.Net (www.cancer.net/olderadults), ASCO's patient website, to learn about the unique needs and concerns of older adults with cancer and their families. They will find practical tips for managing their cancer care, as well as information about health assessments, tre...

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During its 11-year existence, The ASCO Cancer Foundation has been vital to ASCO programs, providing support that would not be possible through member dues only-more than $10 million in 2009 alone. During that time, the Foundation has continued to evolve from the charitable arm of its parent...

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ASCO is calling upon the oncology community to help improve the quality of life of patients with advanced cancer.  In a policy statement issued last month, ASCO outlined four priorities for advanced cancer care planning as well as steps to ensure care is individualized to address patients' ...

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QOPI is a free quality assessment and improvement program, developed by ASCO, which allows an oncology practice to compare the performance of its providers in more than 90 areas to the performance in other practices across the country. What Is Measured? QOPI collects data on measures adapted f...

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A new ASCO University® program, Focus Under Forty, addresses the challenges of treating adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with cancer. In contrast to the progress in cancer survival rates overall, the survival rates for patients aged 15 through 39 years who have cancer have not impr...

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Oncologists already tell their patients about Cancer.Net-the ASCO website that offers reliable information about more than 120 types of cancer, plus helpful guides for aspects such as caregiving, survivorship, and coping. Now patients and survivors-and their families and caregivers-can have val...

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Last month, Congress voted to delay a potentially devastating 25% Medicare physician pay cut through 2011. ASCO is advocating that Congress use the 12-month reprieve to repeal the flawed sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula for a new system that pays physicians fairly for their services. An ASC...

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ASCO's Journal of Oncology Practice (JOP) now offers free podcasts to the general public on its website (http://jop.ascopubs.org/site/podcasts/index.xhtml), as well as to those who subscribe to the podcasts on iTunes. These insightful and informative podcasts focus on a wide variety of topics by...

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Many people-including those with cancer-see the beginning of a new year as an opportunity  for a fresh start, establishing resolutions to improve health and wellness. To help your patients set and achieve their goals, point them to Cancer.Net (www.cancer.net), ASCO's patient website, where ...

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"A funny thing about being a program director is that you feel isolated," says Thomas H. Davis, MD, Chair of ASCO's Oncology Training Programs Subcommittee. Dr. Davis ought to know. While the average program director tenure is 5 years, he has directed the hematology-oncology training program at ...

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Receiving a diagnosis of cancer can be overwhelming for your patients. To help them navigate the road ahead, Cancer.Net (www.cancer.net), ASCO's patient website, features the guidance for those who have been newly diagnosed. As a starting point, encourage your patients to read about first steps ...

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In July 2010, the American Society of Clinical Oncology launched its social networking site, ASCOconnection.org, along with its revamped member magazine of the same name. Since the launch, the number of bloggers featured on the site has climbed to 11, including such leaders in the field as ASCO ...

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The oncology community continues to experience shortages of many critical therapies, including but not limited to doxorubicin, leucovorin, cisplatin, etoposide, nitrogen mustard, vincristine, propofol and morphine. As ASCO continues to provide its members and oncology professionals with the most...

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As part of its mission to fight cancer around the world, ASCO collaborates in many activities with regional and international cancer societies. ASCO's International Affairs Committee takes the lead in recommending educational partnerships to benefit the global oncology community at large and pat...

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At the opening session of ASCO's 46th Annual Meeting, held in Chicago this past June, The ASCO Cancer Foundation® announced the recipients of the 2010 Brigid Leventhal Merit Award and the 2010 Bradley Stuart Beller Merit Award. These ASCO Cancer Foundation Merit Awards are designed to promote cl...

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Every year significant progress is made in the fight against cancer. Although hundreds of cancer clinical trials are completed each year, identifying the most notable advances in cancer research in any given year can be challenging. Six years ago, ASCO stepped in to fill this information gap and...

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Can I bill for a port flush if I am also billing for drug administration?" That's a typical question received by ASCO's Coding & Reimbursement Service, the online assistance service offered free to members and their staff. It's User-Friendly Unlike those unhappy online experiences you may...

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ASCO's State Affiliate Grant Program helps jump-start exciting local projects undertaken by state oncology societies. Established in 2005, the program has so far awarded 38 grants to its state affiliates for projects ranging from creating a statewide clinical trial network to providing career pl...

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ASCO is now accepting abstracts to be considered for presentation or publication at the 2011 Annual Meeting in Chicago. The submission deadline is 11:59 PM on February 2, 2011. ASCO encourages abstracts of studies on all types of cancer as well as investigations focusing on the following areas:...

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Direct your patients to Cancer.Net (www.cancer.net), ASCO's patient information website, to learn about the purpose, design, and funding of clinical trials; how patient safety is upheld in the process; what is involved in the different phases of clinical trials; how to decide whether to particip...

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The ASCO Cancer Foundation® (TACF) is committed to supporting high-quality, clinically relevant research throughout an oncologist's career. TACF supports both the Young Investigator Award (YIA), which is intended specifically for investigators at the beginning of their careers, and the Career De...

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ASCO is constantly working for its members in the areas of public policy and clinical affairs to ensure patient access to high-quality cancer care. In an effort to better communicate ASCO's work in these arenas, ASCO has developed the ASCO in Action Web page (www.asco.org/ascoaction). From resea...

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At the 2010 Annual Meeting in June, ASCO presented its 2010 Clinical Trials Participation Awards (CTPAs) to 10 community oncology practices for their commitment to improving the care of patients with cancer through increased participation in clinical trials. The CTPAs are designed to recognize ...

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Attending the upcoming meeting on genitourinary (GU) cancers is likely to change your practice. And that's the point. Clinicians from around the world and from multiple disciplines come to the 3-day Genitourinary Cancers Symposium to learn, and they take home new awareness and strategies that th...

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The improved site design and layout, combined with new Web 2.0 features and functionality, make for greater readability and easier navigation around the sites. In addition, the new color palette and three-column layout clearly and cleanly order the information provided into main text, associa...

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Fourteen candidates have been nominated for seven open positions on the ASCO Board of Directors and Nominating Committee. Active, Active-Junior, and Emeritus (formerly Active) members are eligible to vote for new Society leadership. Online voting began October 13, 2010 (https://www.directvote.ne...

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The ASCO Cancer Foundation®, with support of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), has awarded the Comparative Effectiveness Research Professorship (CERP) in Breast Cancer to ­Patricia A. Ganz, MD, Professor of Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA...

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Multidisciplinary, international, the latest clinical and translational research. These are terms used by Program Committee Chair Mitchell Posner, MD, to describe the Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium to take place January 20-22 at the Moscone West building in San Francisco. Asked to name the m...

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Direct your patients to Cancer.Net (www.cancer.net), ASCO's patient information website, to learn what the research highlighted at the 2010 Breast Cancer Symposium means for patients. Also, encourage them to read Cancer.Net's Guide to Breast Cancer (www.cancer.net/breast), which provides compr...

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As part of ASCO's Leadership Development Program, the 10 early-career oncologists selected for the inaugural class of 2009-2010 split into three teams to work on assigned projects designed to address specific challenges facing ASCO. The teams presented preliminary reports to the ASCO Board of Di...

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The ASCO Cancer Foundation® recently announced three recipients of the 2010 Advanced Clinical Research Award (ACRA). Each award provides a 3-year, $450,000 grant to fund investigators who are committed to clinical cancer research and who wish to conduct original research not currently funded. Gr...

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The ASCO Cancer Foundation will soon begin accepting applications for three types of awards created by the ASCO Diversity in Oncology Initiative and funded by Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. The awards support the program's goals of addressing the lack of diversity in the oncology workforce and ob...

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What strategies work effectively in reaching full enrollment in clinical trials? That was the question addressed at a 1½-day symposium held in Bethesda, Maryland, last April. With a limit of 300 participants, many who wanted to attend had to be turned away. "There was tremendous enthusiasm for t...

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Medicare reimbursement. Medical liability reform. Stem cell research. Insurance coverage for investigative drugs. These are but a few examples of the hundreds of areas in which legislation and regulations affect medical practice and patient care. Marilyn Heine, MD, a member of Regional Hematolo...

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ASCO and ASCO members work hand-in-hand with patient advocates to address a wide array of issues affecting people with cancer, including the advancement of cancer research, legislative and regulatory matters related to cancer care and research, improving the quality of cancer care, raising publi...

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As an exclusive member benefit, ASCO members have advance access to secure housing for the 2011 Annual Meeting 2 months prior to the general public. Members are encouraged to take advantage of this benefit, as experience from previous meetings shows that highly sought-after hotels fill up within...

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ASCO is now accepting applications for three types of awards created by the ASCO Diversity in Oncology Initiative and funded by Susan G. Komen for the Cure®. The awards support the program's goals of addressing the lack of diversity in the oncology workforce and obstacles to oncology care in und...

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ASCO has released a revised edition of the ASCO Self-Evaluation Program (ASCO-SEP®), designed to help oncologists assess their knowledge of the field. The 22 chapters of the comprehensive publication review the latest evidence covering the complete range of oncology topics. Updated by experts i...

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Video and slides of educational sessions from the ASCO 2010 Annual Meeting are now available electronically using the Virtual Meeting, a product that allows users to watch and listen to the presentations over the Internet. The Virtual Meeting player provides access to all nonticketed sessions a...

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As the collective voice for professionals working to improve cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, ASCO offers membership to individuals in oncology-related professions, including physicians, oncology nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, practice management professionals, re...

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Designed to promote interaction among participants, the ASCO-NCI-EORTC Annual Meeting on Molecular Markers in Cancer, to be held October 18-20 in Hollywood, Florida, will bring together clinicians, pathologists, statisticians, researchers in basic and translational science, and industry represen...

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Although the West Virginia Oncology Society (WVOS) is barely 2 years old, its members have undertaken an ambitious plan to establish a statewide clinical trial network. In June the society received a $10,000 grant from ASCO's State Affiliate Grant Program to help lay the groundwork for the netwo...

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In his application for a 2008 Career Development Award (CDA), colorectal oncology surgeon George J. Chang, MD, MS, outlined a research project to develop a Markov decision model for optimizing rectal cancer therapy. Dr. Chang, an Assistant Professor at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson...

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Effective July 1, The ASCO Cancer Foundation (TACF) is accepting applications for Career Development Awards (CDAs) for the 3-year period July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2014. The $200,000 award will be paid in three annual increments to the awardee's institution. Since its inception in 1992, the CDA ...

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Each week, new feature articles and multimedia content on a variety of topics are added to ASCO's patient website, Cancer.Net (www.cancer.net). Review Research News from the Annual Meeting The latest news from the 2010 ASCO Annual Meeting is available at www.cancer.net/ascoannualmeeting. Here ...

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The American Society of Clinical Oncology has relaunched its quarterly membership magazine-formerly ASCO News & Forum-under a new name and banner: ASCO Connection. The inaugural edition launches hand-in-hand with a new member social networking site of the same name-ASCOconnection.org. Both t...

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ASCO invites all professionals interested in the prevention, evaluation, and management of breast cancer to attend this year's Breast Cancer Symposium at National Harbor in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. With presentations from experts in multiple disciplines, the educational sessions wi...

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Every day, ASCO's work involves advocating public policy that ensures patient access to high-quality cancer care and supports increased clinical cancer research.  The ASCO in Action page on ASCO.org highlights ASCO's efforts on research policy, practice management, clinical affairs, quality...

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ASCO President, 2010-2011: George W. Sledge, Jr, MD Ballve-Lantero Professor of Oncology and Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Indiana University Simon Cancer Center, George W. Sledge, Jr, MD, received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin and medical degree ...

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Journal of Oncology Practice (JOP) has opened a search for an Associate Editor after the departure of Therese M. Mulvey, MD, who held the position since the journal's inception in 2005. Dr. Mulvey will remain on JOP's editorial board. John V. Cox, DO, Editor-in-Chief noted that JOP is seeking a...

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Medicare pays physicians according to a fee schedule established by Congress. This year, Medicare will pay the nation's 850,000 physicians a total of $92 billion, or roughly $108,000 per physician. From this payment, physicians pay their nurses and office staff, office expenses, patient record a...

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While ASCO's commitment to advancing high-quality cancer care is well known in the cancer community, it is also important to convey this mission to the general public. Over the past several years, ASCO has worked with other organizations to raise awareness of issues in cancer and promote the com...

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Well-informed patients are their own best advocates and invaluable partners for physicians. As you help patients understand their diagnosis and treatment, remember that the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is here to help you. ASCO offers a comprehensive patient information program s...

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Journal of Oncology Practice (JOP) is now fully searchable online in PubMed Central, four months after each issue's publication date, thus having its material accessible by an even wider audience. PubMed Central is a free digital archive of journal literature developed and operated by the Natio...

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In the last two decades, Stephen A. Cannistra, MD, has become an increasingly integral member of Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO), serving as a reviewer, associate editor, consultant editor, and editorial board member. In May 2011, he will replace Daniel G. Haller, MD, as editor-in-Chief. The...

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Funding research. Raising awareness. Bringing hope. These activities are the cornerstone of The ASCO Cancer Foundation®. The Foundation harnesses the knowledge of ASCO's more than 28,000 oncologists and health-care providers to improve the treatment and survival of people living with cancer. Th...

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