Fall 2021 SWOG Virtual Group Meeting

The group meeting site for accessing all meeting agendas and call-in details can be found here:  https://webcast.imsts.com/SWOG-Group-Meeting-Fall-2021.  The site will continue to be updated as information is finalized.  

For open meetings, Zoom details will be available on the microsite and is also included in the new "Add to Calendar" feature.  For closed meetings, call-in details will not be available on the site but emailed to participants separately.

Group Meeting Event Information

Committee Support for Group Meetings
SWOG disease, research, and administrative committee chairs are provided the opportunity to request up to $15,000 annually from The Hope Foundation to support committee efforts at Group Meetings that are not currently funded by the NCTN or NCORP grants.  Funds may be used for invited speakers, special A/V needs, and more.

Deadline to apply:  September 10
https://www.thehopefoundation.org/group-meetings/committee-group-meeting-funds/

Questions? Contact Morgan Cox at The Hope Foundation. (morgan@thehopefoundation.org)

Exhibitors: We look forward to your participation at the Fall 2021 SWOG Virtual Group Meeting! Please view the Exhibitor Prospectus here.  Questions can be directed to Morgan Cox morgan@thehopefoundation.org // (734) 998-6887.

Speaker/Planner Disclosures (available early October)

SWOG Videoconferencing Backgrounds

SWOG videoconferencing backgrounds for group meeting use with Zoom or WebEx are available on the SWOG website.

 

Group Meeting Sessions

Plenary I (Translational Medicine)

The fall meeting's Translational Medicine Plenary will take place Wednesday, October 13, 2021, 2:30 - 4:00 pm CT. Speakers include:

• Introductory comments
  Lee M. Ellis, MD, FASCO, Vice-Chair for Translational Medicine

• Hope Impact Award Progress Update
  George Thomas, MD
  Oregon Health & Science University
   
• Translational Medicine in GI Cancers: We have the guts!
  Heinz-Josef Lenz, MD
  USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
  
  Christopher Lieu, MD
  University of Colorado Hospital
   
• Incorporating Biomarkers in SWOG IO Trials: Perspectives from the SWOG Immunotherapeutics Committee
  Katerina Politi, PhD
  Yale Cancer Center

Plenary II (General)

The theme for the fall general plenary session is "Integrity and Ethical Behavior in Cancer Research."  Plenary II will be held on Thursday, October 14, 2021, 1:00 - 2:30 pm CT. Speakers and panelists include:

• Chair’s Welcome and Update
  Charles D. Blanke, MD, FASCO, FAWM, SWOG Group Chair
   
• "An Evidence-Based Approach to Fulfilling Our Duty to Promote Gender Equity in Oncology”
  Reshma Jagsi, MD, DPhil
  University of Michigan
   
• Sexual Harassment in the Oncology Research Community
  Ishwaria M. Subbiah, MD, MS
  University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
   
• “Ensuring Integrity, Accountability, and Ethical Behavior in SWOG’s Research Activities”
  Paul Hesketh, MD
  Lahey Hospital & Medical Center
     and
  Tufts University School of Medicine

Presentations will be followed by a panel discussion with the above presenters and

• Lisa Kachnic, MD
  Columbia University Irving Medical Center Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center

SWOG Group Chair Dr. Charles D. Blanke will moderate the panel.

Robert B. Livingston Lecture

This fall's Robert B. Livingston Lecture will be presented within the lung committee session, Friday, October 15, 2021, 12:30 pm CT:

• "Advances in Lung Cancer Care: Perspectives from a Surgeon"
  Valerie W. Rusch, MD, FACS, FRCSI (Hon)
  Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center 

Dr. Robert Boyd Livingston was a superb clinician and clinical trialist who greatly impacted the field of cancer research. Within the SWOG Cancer Research Network, he served as chair of both the lung cancer committee (1974-1997) and the breast cancer committee (2000-2008).

In his honor and with the support of his wife Shirley, SWOG established the Dr. Robert B. Livingston Translational Breast and Lung Cancer Lectureship. The lectureship brings a special guest speaker to SWOG group meetings, alternating between a focus on lung and breast cancer advances in translational medicine.

NCORP Pilot Grants Office Hours

This session is provided as a means for NCORP Pilot Grant Program applicants to meet with Hope Foundation and SWOG representatives – as well as other interested members – to discuss project feasibility, ask questions about budgeting or team planning, or explore DEI actions as they relate to SWOG and/or the NCTN/NCORP more broadly.

For grant information, visit the program page here: https://www.thehopefoundation.org/funding-opportunities/ncorp-pilot-grant-program/

Nursing Research Subcommittee

The Nursing Research Subcommittee meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 13, 12:00 - 1:45 pm CT.  The meeting is open to Nurse Scientists interested in advancing collaborative research within the clinical trials network as principal and co-investigators and to Nurses interested in serving as Coordinators for studies involving unique or unfamiliar assessments and/or behavioral interventions. Additionally, we are seeking to increase the representation and involvement of Advanced Practice Nurses within SWOG serving as site investigators for DCP studies. If you are interested in attending (and are not on our email distribution list), please contact Jamie Myers, Chair, at jmyers@kumc.edu.

Site Operations

The Site Operations meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 12, 3:30 - 5:00 pm CT.  SWOG values the research personnel who work with Investigators to “make research happen.” We all know it "takes a village" to get participants on trials, and this special perspective is the focus of the Site Operations Committee Meeting. The committee is a subcommittee of the Oncology Research Professionals (ORP) Committee, and this meeting covers a variety of practical and operational topics including:

• SWOG statistical and operations updates
• NCI changes and new information
• SWOG quality assurance topics and questions

This meeting is open to everyone and provides an opportunity to hear updates and ask questions.  Please join us!

NCORP Research Base Clinical Trials Workshop 

The NCORP Research Base Workshop is set for Tuesday, October 12, 12:00 - 2:00 pm. In the past several years, SWOG has expanded its research portfolio to include more studies in Cancer Control and Prevention and Cancer Care Delivery Research under the NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) umbrella. This workshop will address SWOG studies specific to NCORP research areas in:

• Cancer Survivorship
• Palliative and End of Life Care
• Prevention and Epidemiology
• Cancer Care Delivery Research
• Symptom Control and Quality of Life

The workshop is for Oncology Research Professionals and Investigators at NCORP and NCTN institutions. The agenda and topics at each workshop are different each fall and consist of didactic presentations.

Questions? Contact cancercontrolquestion@crab.org.

Jeri and Noboru Oishi Symposium & Open Forum

For the fall 2021 meeting, the Jeri and Noboru Oishi Symposium will be combined with the Oncology Research Professionals Open Forum.  The session will be held on Wednesday, October 13, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm CT.  In honor of Dr. Noboru Oishi, who was a great supporter of Oncology Research, the Oishi symposium focuses on key issues related to Oncology Research Professionals. The Open Forum offers a great opportunity to get answers to your clinical trial questions and to address the science and technical research issues that challenge us today!

Everyone is welcome to join!