The annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) begins Friday, May 30, in Chicago, IL, running until Tuesday, June 3. With more than 45,000 oncology professionals from around the world attending, the meeting is one of the largest and most diverse audiences in global oncology. The American Cancer Society will have a strong presence at the meeting, with an exhibit booth, leaders in attendance, and ACS experts presenting important research.
New approaches and combinations of immunotherapies, alongside cutting-edge targeted therapies for rare and advanced cancers, will be highlighted at this year’s meeting. Featured studies will also explore how lifestyle changes can help reduce cancer risk and improve survival and will spotlight the exciting potential of AI and other technologies to revolutionize patient care.
The theme for the 2025 annual meeting is, Driving Knowledge to Action: Building a Better Future. This year, team members from Discovery, Patient Support, ACS CAN, Development, Marketing, and Communications will be attending and managing key aspects of ACS involvement at ASCO.
Discovery
This year's ASCO annual meeting will feature more than 6,000 abstracts and 200 sessions. ACS team members will give more than 30 poster presentations, oral abstracts, and other presentations. In addition, more than 100 posters and 26 presentations will be given by ACS grantees. Almost 50 ACS research professors will be presenting during the event as well.
Below are just a few of the ACS submissions shared before the conference. Watch the ACS newsroom for more details of the research presented by our team members during the conference.
Association of Medicaid expansion with five-year survival after cancer diagnosis
Presenter: Elizabeth Schafer
In this study, Medicaid expansion was associated with greater increases in 5-year observed and cause-specific survival for non-Hispanic Black individuals, individuals living in the most deprived areas, and rural communities. These findings reinforce the importance of Medicaid expansion in reducing disparities in cancer survival outcomes.
Association of court-documented major adverse financial events before cancer diagnosis and mortality risk in the U.S.
Presenter: Robin Yabroff
In this study, court-documented major adverse financial events (AFEs) of pre-diagnosis bankruptcy, lien, or eviction are associated with increased risk of all-cause and cancer-specific mortality for multiple cancer types. The findings underscore lasting adverse consequences of patient financial vulnerability prior to incurring high out-of-pocket costs of cancer treatment. The research is especially timely, with growing efforts by health care providers to screen and address patient health-related social needs as part of comprehensive oncology care.
Spillover effects of Medicaid expansion on insurance coverage, diagnosis, and survival among low-income elderly patients with cancer
Presenter: Kewei Sylvia Shi
Conquer Cancer Merit Award
In this study, Medicaid expansion was associated with an increase in Medicaid coverage, early-stage cancer diagnoses, and improved two-year survival among patients diagnosed with cancer 65 years or older. The findings underscore the spillover benefits of Medicaid expansion in supporting low-income elderly populations and the importance of indirect benefits when evaluating Medicaid expansion's broader impact.
Association of county-level medical debt and timely treatment initiation among individuals newly diagnosed with cancer
Presenter: Jingxuan Zhao
In this study, county-level medical debt in collections was associated with delays in treatment initiation among individuals newly diagnosed with cancer. Policies aimed at preventing and alleviating medical debt could be effective strategies for improving access to timely cancer treatment.
Medicare plan switching, hospice enrollment, and place of hospice services at the end-of-life among decedent patients diagnosed with distant stage cancers in 2010-2019
Presenter: Xin Hu
In this study, continuous Medicare Advantage (MA) coverage was associated with a greater likelihood of hospice utilization, particularly at home. In contrast, switching from MA to Traditional Medicare and gaining dual eligibility were associated with greater reliance on nursing homes for hospice care. Future research examining patient-centered outcomes across plan-switching patterns and addressing care coordination gaps to ensure equitable hospice care is warranted.
ACS Exhibit Booth
Cross-pillar representation will be at our booth at ASCO where we will be talking to health professionals about ACS and our high-value resources that support their career growth and further cancer research. Resources include:
American Cancer Society and ASCO cancer.org content
Curated cross-pillar professional educational offerings (ACS LION, CAPC)
Curated cross-pillar patient support (ACS CancerRisk360, ACS CARES) & research resources
Open access to trusted, evidence-based resources:
