The ASCO Palliative and Supportive Care in Oncology Symposium was held November 16-17 in San Diego, California. This annual Symposium, co-sponsored by MASCC, provides information vital to the entire cancer care continuum, from research on biologic mechanisms of symptoms to caring for patients’ psychosocial and spiritual needs during cancer treatment and at the end of life.
In addition to numerous abstract presentations and poster walks, general sessions addressed the following topics: Training Oncology Clinicians in Palliative Care Skills; New Approaches to Addressing Old Symptoms; The Opioid Debate; Caregiver and Patient Narratives at the End; Immunotherapeutic Quandaries; Financial Toxicity During Treatment and Beyond. The meeting also included networking roundtables and a Death Café, a social forum for people to gather and discuss fears and concerns regarding human mortality.
Several MASCC members were among the speakers and moderators: Betty Ferrell, PhD, RN, FAAN; Allan Hovan, DMD, MSD; Rajesh V. Lalla, DDS, PhD; Melissa Kah Poh Loh, MBBCh; Charles L. Loprinzi, MD, FASCO; Maryam B. Lustberg, MD, MPH; Karen M. Mustian, PhD; Ian N. Olver, MD, PhD, FRACP; Petra A. Ortner, PhD, PharmD; Eric Roeland, MD; Sriram J. Yennu, MD. MASCC Executive Director Melissa Chin was on hand to greet attendees at the MASCC booth in the Exhibit Hall.
