Spring Group Meeting Registration is Open

We’ll be back in San Francisco for the first time since 2019. As in our last two semiannual meetings, most open sessions will also be accessible virtually. 

If you’re planning to be in San Francisco, we strongly encourage you to be up to date on vaccines against COVID-19 and to avoid attending in person if you’re experiencing symptoms consistent with the virus.

Here are a few of the sessions that look particularly interesting:

Plenary II: Going global
For this spring’s general plenary, we thought big. In fact, we thought global, with a theme of Global Oncology Research: Transcending Borders. Walking the walk, we transcend not only borders but oceans -- we’re planning our first transatlantic plenary talk, delivered live! Plenary speaker Dr. Julie Gralow will be in Malawi for a conference, but with a theme of global oncology, how could we let an ocean stop us? Other speakers will address our SWOG Latin America Initiative, enhancing diversity through global research, and applying lessons learned from global oncology research. Friday, May 12, 12 – 2 pm PT. 

S2114: Kickoff
The S2114 trial activated in February (it has been a busy season for SWOG trial activations – five so far in 2023, and we’re still in Q1). The study compares three consolidation treatments to observation after CD19 CAR T-cell therapy for patients with diffuse large B-cell or grade 3B follicular lymphoma. Our San Francisco meeting will include a proper kickoff session for this important trial. Friday, May 12, 9:30 – 10:30 am PT.

Vogelzang Symposium: The microbiome frontier
The second Nicholas J. Vogelzang, MD, GU Symposium, which honors the many contributions of Dr. Vogelzang in support of his colleagues and patients, will explore the microbiome as a new frontier in SWOG clinical trials. Dr. Monty Pal has planned a fascinating event, and he invites  all who have a concept involving the microbiome to attend, regardless of disease area or discipline. It’s Friday, May 12, 8:30 – 11:30 am PT. 

Genomic platform theater
Which omics does your clinical trial need? See a round robin of presentations on some of the most widely used genomic testing platforms in oncology. Thursday, May 11, 8 – 10 am PT

TAKE ACTION Symposium: Ensuring equity
The theme of the spring installment of this recruitment and retention committee symposium is “Reducing Structural Barriers, Ensuring Equity in Clinical Research,” and it will cover novel approaches to trial design, patient stipends, and improving representativeness. Wednesday, May 10, 3 – 5 pm PT.

The meeting will also feature the first gathering of our new DEI Leadership Council, and former SWOG lung committee chair Dr. Karen Kelly will deliver this spring’s Livingston Lecture.

Finally, this year marks the 30th year in which The Hope Foundation for Cancer Research has been providing mission-critical support to SWOG’s work. While the big celebratory bash is planned for the fall group meeting, early evidence of the celebration will be visible in San Francisco.

And I believe we have a group chair election near the end of the meeting.

Register now, and we’ll see you in San Francisco!