Show Notes
In the latest ASCO in Action Podcast, American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) CEO Dr. Clifford A. Hudis is joined by ASCO Chief Medical Officer Dr. Richard Schilsky to discuss the recently released 2020 Clinical Cancer Advances report, which named the refinement of surgical treatments for cancer as the Advance of the Year.
"A lot of the advances we're seeing in surgical approaches now are driven by better systemic therapies for cancer. These systemic treatments have improved survival outcomes and quality of life for our patients, and have now begun to transform the role of surgery in cancer management by reducing the amount of surgery in some cases, eliminating the need for it in others, or, conversely, increasing the number of patients who could undergo surgery when it's needed for treatment of their cancer," says Dr. Schilsky.
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Transcript Disclaimer: The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement. Dr. Clifford Hudis: Welcome to this ASCO in Action podcast brought to you by the ASCO Podcast Network. This is a collection of nine programs covering a wide range of educational and scientific content and offering enriching insights into the world of cancer care. You can find all of ASCO's podcasts, including this one, at podcast.asco.org. The ASCO in Action podcast is ASCO's podcast series that explores policy and practice issues that impact oncologists, the entire cancer care delivery team, and the individuals we care for--people with cancer.
My name is Clifford Hudis, and I'm the CEO of ASCO, as well as the host of this series, and I'm delighted today to have as my guest the Society's Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President, Dr. Richard Schilsky. He's also an executive editor for the recently released 2020 Clinical Cancer Advances Report. In this report, ASCO identifies the most important clinical research advances of the past year across the full trajectory of the disease, from prevention and screening, to treatment and survivorship. The report also announces ASCO's Advance of the Year and updates our list of research priorities that have great potential to accelerate progress against cancer. Rich, welcome, and thank you for joining me today.
Dr. Richard Schilsky: Thanks a lot, Cliff.
Dr. Clifford Hudis: Now, starting at the beginning, this year ASCO has recognized refinement of surgical treatment of cancer as the Advance of the Year, and this is an area of clinical cancer research that has demonstrated the most significant progress in a year's time. I have to say, before we get into that, it seems almost poetic to me that this has happened this year because, one, we lost a leading surgical investigator in our field, Bernie Fisher, this year, and two, as I think about it, it came as a little bit of a surprise to me only because the mid 19th century was really the beginning of the century of surgery, and surgery for cancer dates back to Roman and Greek times, actually. So, can you tell us, in light of all of that, what was it that brought this back to the fore this year?
Dr. Richard Schilsky: Over the years, we've seen a great deal of progress in developing the new systemic therapies for cancer, and this really, I think, illustrates the prescient work of Bernie Fisher in his seminal research on adjuvant therapy for breast cancer, because a lot of the advances that we're seeing in surgical approaches now are driven by better systemic therapies for cancer. These treatments have improved survival outcomes and quality of life for our patients, and they've now begun to transform the
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Retiring ASCO Chief Medical Officer Dr. Richard L Schilsky gives a far-reaching interview with ASCO in Action podcast host ASCO CEO Dr. Clifford A. Hudis, who examines Dr. Schilsky's trailblazing medical career, his leadership in ASCO and indelible mark on its research enterprise, and what he sees for the future of oncology. ASCO's first-ever Chief Medical Officer even offers some friendly advice for Dr Julie Gralow, who starts as ASCO's next CMO on February 15, 2021. In a touching tribute, Dr. Hudis also shares what Dr. Schilsky's friendship and mentorship has meant to him personally, and suggests that Rich will still be supporting ASCO on critical priorities moving forward. Don't miss this exchange with one of oncology's greats! Transcript DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this podcast is to educate and to inform. This is not a substitute for professional medical care and is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of individual conditions. Guests on this podcast express their own opinions, experience, and conclusions. The mention of any product, service, organization, activity, or therapy should not be construed as an ASCO endorsement.
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