News Release

ESMO 2012 Congress: Program preview

Meeting Announcement

European Society for Medical Oncology

The final program of the ESMO 2012 Congress –including all late-breaking abstract titles is online! http://www.esmo.org/events/vienna-2012-congress/program.html

The ESMO 2012 Congress looks to be one of the best in this year's oncology scenario, possibly a "practice-changing" congress: results from long awaited trials; new drug approvals or new indications for drugs already used in other settings; randomized phase III studies and trials in earlier phases of research, which indicate new signals of activity or bring new concepts for future research; also studies that seem disappointing if you simply look at numbers, but with beautiful scientific rationale, for which expert and lively discussions are expected on how to move on with research agenda priorities or in the practice arena –upon non-validation of the original hypothesis…

Watch out for thrilling results in the following areas and make sure you don't miss the expert discussions on the future of treatments for these diseases:

  • Lung cancer: crizotinib, a new ready-to-use targeted drug for a molecularly defined sub-set of patients based on the results of the first phase III study in such setting; study results offering for the first time directions on how to treat patients with a certain EGFR mutation; first-time positive results for sorafenib treatment based on biomarker analysis in heavily pre-treated patients
  • Renal cell carcinoma: new drug in the jungle of available treatments for RCC; different strategies to target the disease
  • Melanoma: combination of MEK and BRAF inhibitors proves clinically meaningful to delay resistance
  • Early and metastatic breast cancer: answers on standard duration of adjuvant treatment for HER2-positive early breast cancer; what's behind low breast conserving surgery in the context of clinical trials;
  • Gastrointestinal tumors: what could be the role of targeted treatments for esophageal cancer progressing after chemo; combination of therapies for gastric cancer in a specific ethnicity; new targets and results of clinical studies with targeted agents in hepatocellular carcinoma
  • CNS tumors: new predictive marker identified for anti-angiogenic treatment
  • Ovarian cancer: drug combination opportunity for platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer
  • Sarcoma: awaited results of a long-term academic study evaluating classical chemotherapy agents in a fashion of single versus combination first-line treatment for advanced soft tissue sarcoma

    Just to mention a few…

    Not to be missed are also presentations and discussions on:

  • The economic direct and indirect burden of cancer in Europe
  • Health economics and drug cost in austerity
  • Patient awareness and understanding of personalized medicine
  • General public and oncology professional poor knowledge of risk factors for cancer
  • The need for prophylaxis of thrombosis in cancer patients
  • Future models of independent clinical research
  • Accessibility of cancer pain killers
  • Hereditary cancers and screening protocols – Read the interview with Dr Judith Balmana, Chair of the ESMO 2012 Familial cancer track] http://www.esmo.org/fileadmin/media/pdf/2012/events/vienna/press/Balmana_FamilialCancers.pdf

    ESMO 2012 Press timetable

    These and other interesting topics will be presented during special sessions for the media. The full text of the abstracts will be published on Monday, September 17 at 9:00 (CEST). Late-breaking abstracts and abstracts included in the press program will remain embargoed until their presentation at the Congress session or at the Press briefing, whichever comes first.

    Wednesday, 26 September, 10:00-11:00, Presseclub Concordia
    German Press Conference: Congress program highlights with specific reference to topics for the Austrian media. Featuring a.o. the Austrian Minister of Health

    Friday, 28 September, 11:30-12:30, ESMO Press Conference Room, ACV
    Opening press conference: ESMO's President welcome; Congress program highlights; Appointments for journalists; The economic direct and indirect burden of cancer in Europe

    Saturday, 29 September, 8:15-9:00, ESMO Press Conference Room, ACV
    Press briefing Day 1: Melanoma; Lung cancer; Gastrointestinal tumors

    Saturday, 29 September, 11:00-12:00 (TBC), ESMO Press Conference Room, ACV
    Press conference: What personalized medicine practically means for patients

    Sunday, 30 September, 8:15-9:00, ESMO Press Conference Room, ACV
    Press briefing Day 2: Breast cancer; Lung cancer; Promising new weapons in the fight against cancer

    Sunday, 30 September, 12:00-13:00, ESMO Press Conference Room, ACV
    Press Conference: Prevention and screening – What people know about it

    Monday, 1 October, 8:15-9:00, ESMO Press Conference Room, ACV
    Press briefing Day 3: Breast cancer; Renal cell carcinoma; Gastrointestinal tumors

    Tuesday, 2 October, 9:30-10:30, ESMO Press Conference Room, ACV
    Closing press conference: Congress highlights; Top practice changes to make after ESMO 2012; Cancer care in austerity times: how to improve equal access to quality cancer care across Europe

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    Times subject to change - Pls visit http://www.esmo.org/events/vienna-2012-congress/press.html for updates

    Stay tuned at www.esmo.org where expert interviews (audio and video) will be posted regularly to discuss the hottest topics being presented at the ESMO 2012 Congress.

    Media registration

    ESMO welcomes media interested in obtaining information and reporting on cancer issues. Registration is free to bona fide journalists on presentation of a letter of assignment and a valid press card.

    Media representatives are required to observe and abide by the ESMO 2012 Media Policy http://www.esmo.org/fileadmin/media/pdf/2012/events/vienna/ESMO-media-policy-update-2012-06.pdf .

    To register for the event, please fill out the Complimentary Media Registration Form http://www.formstack.com/forms/esmo-media_registration_form

    Media registration in advance is strongly recommended (deadline: Monday, 24 September 2012).

    A fully equipped ESMO Press Center will be available to registered journalists, including a press room with technical facilities (computers, wi-fi internet, telephones, photocopier, etc.), private interview rooms, cabinets for your technical equipment. On-site staff will be permanently at your disposal for any question and to facilitate one-on-one interviews with researchers and key opinion leaders, both in presence and remotely.

    Meeting venue and accommodation

    The ESMO 2012 Congress will take place at the Austria Center Vienna, which is located 15 minutes from the city center, within walking distance from the underground station (U1 line) and just a 25 minutes' drive from the airport.

    ACV - AUSTRIA CENTER VIENNA http://www.acv.at/
    Bruno-Kreisky-Platz 1
    1220 Vienna

    Vienna hotels are filling up quickly: we advise you to book your hotel accommodation as soon as possible: http://www.esmo.org/events/vienna-2012-congress/accommodation.html

    The ESMO 2012 Congress will report the best scientific data in oncology today. We look forward to welcoming you to Vienna to share it with you!

    Your ESMO Press Office Team

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