Conquering Cancer at ASCO 2022

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting held June 3-7 in Chicago, Illinois, welcomed physicians and oncology professionals from around the world to share their latest findings with the cancer community. In addition to presenting new research at ASCO22, Exact Sciences hosted representatives from more than two dozen leading patient advocacy organizations to discuss ways to improve cancer care, access, and equity for all patients.

While many ASCO attendees were still in bed or firing up their in-room coffee maker, “The Exact Science Behind Conquering Cancer” event took place at 6:45 am on Sunday, June 5.  Patient advocates and Exact Sciences came together for the early morning discussion focused on creating better outcomes for patients. They recognize that a conversation like this is too important to wait.

What were the takeaways? Eradicating cancer will take greater equity, access, and collaboration within our industry. Ensuring patient care is a top priority.

• Collaboration is critical to achieving Cancer Moonshot, an initiative set forth by the Biden administration to end cancer as we know it. All sides: government, health care, and academia must work together to bring patients to the front and center of this conversation.
• Equity and access must be tenets, not talking points. They must be embedded in the core of how the industry thinks about, develops, and delivers new cancer tests, treatment guidance and therapies.
• Earlier cancer detection changes everything. ASCO brings the excitement of new medicines with advances in earlier stage detection, which is key to the mission of eradicating cancer.

Reflecting on the morning’s events, Jody Hoyos, President and Chief Operating Officer of Prevent Cancer Foundation, said: “It was positively energizing to start the day with a room full of people collectively dedicated to achieving the Cancer Moonshot goal of decreasing cancer deaths by 50%. With innovations underway and the thoughtfulness around a patient centered approach, it’s clear that together we can get there.”

The ASCO Annual Meeting allows patients, survivors, and healthcare professionals to stay up to date on progress in cancer research and patient care. Exact Sciences is committed to ensuring patient voices are at the forefront of our work as we continue to bring patients into broader conversations on what is next for cancer care.

To learn more about the ASCO Annual Meeting, visit: https://conferences.asco.org/am/attend