FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 17, 2009

CONTACT:
Dan Sweet
571-483-1355
dan.sweet@asco.org

– May 14: Online Presscast –
– May 29 - June 2: Onsite Press Program in Orlando –

Alexandria, VA— Approximately 30,000 cancer specialists from around the world are expected to gather at the end of May in Orlando, FL, for the 45th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), to discuss the latest advances in cancer care, treatment, prevention and survivorship. The meeting will be held at the Orange County Convention Center from Friday, May 29 through Tuesday, June 2, 2009. More than 4,000 abstracts have been accepted to the meeting, which will focus on the theme of “Personalizing Cancer Care”, a practice focusing on caring for the individual – not just treating the disease – through the entire spectrum of care from prevention, diagnosis, and treatment to survivorship and end of life care.

This year’s press program features a number of Phase III studies that will likely change the standard of care for those living with cancer, preliminary studies which will lead to promising new research, and other advances that have the potential to change the daily interactions of physicians and people living with a cancer diagnosis. ASCO’s press program, which begins with an embargoed presscast on May 14, and continues on-site on Friday, May 29, will highlight research on advances in gastrointestinal cancers, lung cancer, women’s cancers, personalized medicine, the quality of cancer care as well as clinical challenges in oncology.

The vast majority of the abstracts being presented at the Annual Meeting will be posted publicly on www.abstract.asco.org May 14, at 6:00 PM (EDT), and the embargoes on these abstracts – including abstracts highlighted during the presscast earlier that day – will lift at this time. Abstracts selected as Plenary, Late-breaking and Clinical Review – the most significant research of the Meeting – are embargoed for release at various times on-site (see specific details below). General information about these additional abstracts will be announced in the coming weeks.

PRESS PROGRAM

Press Program Schedule (Subject to change)

• Thursday, May 14, 12:00 PM (EDT): Presscast highlighting noteworthy abstracts (among nearly 4,000 to post publicly at 6:00 PM)
• Friday, May 29, 1:00 PM (EDT): Opening Press Conference
• Saturday, May 30, 9:00 AM (EDT): Gastrointestinal Cancers
• Saturday, May 30, 11:00 AM (EDT): Lung Cancer
• Sunday, May 31, 8:30 AM (EDT): Women’s Cancers – Frosted Pink with a Twist
• Sunday, May 31, 10:30 AM (EDT): Personalized Medicine
• Monday, June 1, 9:00 AM (EDT): Quality of Care
• Monday, June 1, 11:00 AM (EDT): Clinical Challenges in Oncology

May 14 – Presscast (12:00 PM EDT): Noteworthy studies will be featured in an embargoed presscast that allows reporters to participate by phone and online. Embargoes will lift at 6:00 PM (EDT) that day, when these abstracts (and approximately 4,000 others to be presented at the Annual Meeting) will be posted publicly on www.abstract.asco.org. Featured studies will include:

• Large, randomized trial to test whether ginger supplements, combined with anti-nausea drugs, can reduce chemotherapy-related nausea
• A study to determine the ability of a multi-gene RT-PCR assay to predict the risk of recurrence and chemotherapy response in stage II colon cancer patients
• Randomized Phase III study evaluating the effect of a therapeutic cancer vaccine (chimeric anti-GD2 antibody ch14.18) in patients with high-risk neuroblastoma
• A Phase III study evaluating the survival benefit associated with cisplatin in patients with advanced inoperable biliary tract cancer, a disease which has been challenging to treat
• The largest study to date to examine the influence of HPV infection on survival in patients with certain head and neck cancers
• Research examining EGFR mutation status and response to first-line gefitinib (Iressa) treatment in Asian patients with non-small cell lung cancer
• A study examining how patients enrolled in clinical trials cope with prescription drug costs and the anxiety brought on by these costs

May 29 – Opening Press Conference: This press briefing will preview the major news, sessions and events of the 2009 Annual Meeting. ASCO President Richard Schilsky, MD, will speak about the theme of the meeting – “Personalizing Cancer Care.” John Niederhuber, MD, Director of the National Cancer Institute, will discuss recent federal investment in cancer research and NCI’s goals over the next five years.

Note: On-site press conferences will also include Plenary, Late-Breaking and Clinical Review abstracts that are not listed below. More information on these studies will be announced at a later date.

May 30

Gastrointestinal Cancers – Featured studies include the following, along with several Late-breaking, Phase III studies (TBA):

• A study examining the up-front use of chemotherapy to help patients with stage IV colorectal cancer and intact primary tumors avoid surgery on their primary tumor, and related complications
• Phase III trial examining the addition of oxaliplatin (Eloxatin) to standard treatment for advanced rectal cancer, prior to surgery

Lung Cancer – Featured studies include the following, along with Late-breaking studies (TBA):

• Phase III trial assessing overall survival in patients receiving maintenance therapy with pemetrexed (Alimta) for advanced nonsquamous, non-small cell lung cancer
• Women’s Health Initiative study evaluating the effect of past hormone therapy (estrogen plus progestin) on risk of death from non-small cell lung cancer
• Phase III study examining the addition of the oral targeted therapy vandetanib (Zactima) in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer

May 31

Women’s Cancers – Featured studies include:

• Phase III study comparing the benefit of regularly testing CA125 levels to monitor for relapse in women whose ovarian cancer is in remission, versus watchful waiting for symptoms of recurrence before initiating treatment
• Two studies examining PARP1 inhibitors for breast cancer: A Phase II trial evaluating the PARP1 inhibitor BSI-201 in triple-negative metastatic breast cancer, and another Phase II trial evaluating the PARP1 inhibitor olaparib in BRCA-deficient, advanced breast cancer
• Phase III research examining the benefit of adding gemcitabine (Gemzar) to chemoradiation in women with locally advanced cervical cancer
• Study comparing sentinel lymph node biopsy with the more invasive, standard pelvic lymph node removal in women with early-stage cervical cancer

Personalized Cancer Care – Featured studies include:

• Phase III study evaluating a personalized, therapeutic cancer vaccine (BiovaxID) in patients with follicular lymphoma
• Phase III research examining the benefit of a therapeutic cancer vaccine (gp100:209-17 peptide) in patients with advanced melanoma
• Phase III study on the benefit of adding trastuzumab (Herceptin) to first-line treatment in patients with HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer, potentially expanding the use of the drug to a new cancer type
• Research examining whether MSH2 protein levels predict benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer

June 1

Quality of Care – Featured studies include:

• Findings from two studies on survivors of childhood cancers in the U.S., examining screening rates for secondary cancers (colon, breast and cervical), as well as prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder
• Results of a national survey examining barriers to physician-patient communication about fertility preservation
• Meta-analysis comparing outcomes in patients treated with whole-breast versus partial-breast radiation for early-stage breast cancer
• Findings from a randomized, Phase II trial evaluating preventive therapy for a common, severe skin rash associated with panitumumab (Vectibix) treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer
• Results from the implementation of ASCO’s Quality Oncology Practice Initiative at a comprehensive cancer center

Clinical Challenges in Oncology – Featured studies include:

• Study investigating false positive rates and follow-up procedures associated with lung cancer screening with CT scans
• Two studies examining breast cancer recurrence risk in women undergoing tamoxifen therapy who are taking CYP2D6 inhibitors (such as Paxil or Prozac) to reduce hot flashes
• Research examining the effect of clinical trial development time on patient accrual
• Study examining the benefit of additional surgery or radiation in women with breast cancer who have sentinel node micrometastases

ASCO’s Embargo Policy is as follows:

Abstracts that are not Plenary, Late-breaking or Clinical Review will be publicly released online at www.abstract.asco.org on Thursday, May 14, at 6:00 PM (EDT). The embargo lifts at that time.

Plenary, Late-breaking, and Clinical Review abstracts:

• Embargoes on Studies Included in the Press Program: The embargo for the abstracts included in the Press Program will lift at the beginning of the news briefing or the beginning of the scientific session containing the research, whichever comes first. Any embargoes on studies included in the press program that have not lifted by 12:00 PM (EDT) on Sunday, May 31, will automatically lift at that time, and the abstracts will be posted publicly on www.abstract.asco.org.
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• Embargoes on Studies Not Included in the Press Program: Embargoes for studies not included in the Press Program will lift at 8:00 AM (EDT) on Saturday, May 30, 2009.

MEDIA RESOURCES AND FACILITIES

Media Registration: To register for the embargoed May 14 presscast or for the ASCO Annual Meeting, please visit www.asco.org/AMpresskit09, or call +1-571-483-1365. Representatives from non-U.S.-based media are required to pre-register by Friday, May 1, 2009. On-site media registration is only available for U.S. media. Registration must be completed on or before May 13 to participate in the embargoed May 14 presscast.

Housing: A limited number of hotel rooms are available for media. The housing reservation deadline is Friday, April 17, 2009. After that date, ASCO will no longer be able to facilitate media housing requests. To reserve a hotel room, contact Claudine McElwain at 571-483-1370 or Claudine.McElwain@asco.org or Kelly Powell at 571-483-1365 or Kelly.Powell@asco.org.

On-site Resources: A full-service Press Room will provide a wireless network, telephones, faxes, printers, and computer workstations with Internet access. A limited number of private interview rooms will also be available.

Photos from the ASCO Annual Meeting and press briefings will be available through ASCO’s online Press Center each day of the Meeting. Specific photo requests are welcome and accommodated as possible.

Shuttle service between Annual Meeting hotels and the convention center will be available.

ASCO’s Virtual Meeting will provide online access to most major sessions following the meeting.

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About ASCO ASCO is the world's leading professional organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer. With more than 27,000 members, ASCO is committed to improving cancer care through scientific meetings, educational programs and peer-reviewed journals. For ASCO information and resources, visit www.asco.org/presscenter. Patient-oriented cancer information is available at www.Cancer.Net.

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