The Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) and its members are dedicated to advancing and promoting the science and treatment of cancer worldwide. The SSO provides leadership to US and international health professionals on the importance of surgery in multidisciplinary cancer care, with a commitment to foster the research careers of young investigators and clinicians to propel discovery and ultimately improve patient outcomes. SSO and its annual educational symposium focus on current scientific advances in basic and translational science, controversies, clinical trials, and novel techniques in the following specific disease and tumor types: breast cancer, melanoma, sarcoma, pancreas and hepatobiliary malignancies, esophageal cancer, thyroid and adrenal cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, neuroendocrine tumors, and peritoneal surface malignancies. The meeting convenes more than 1900 surgical oncologists, general surgeons, and oncology health professionals from 45 countries to engage in peer-to-peer and mentor-to-trainee dialogue, debate, and didactic learning through a variety of mediums for an educational offering that has no clear parallel. The symposium offers more than 500 scientific abstracts covering novel science and clinical trials, video sessions and over 400 poster presentations. The Scientific Program Committee (SPC) collaborates with SSO?s seven Disease Site Work Groups, panels of experts who ensure faculty selection and content development is by those with nationally recognized expertise in the tumor area, peer-reviewed publications in the educational topic area, and skill and experience in speaking and teaching. Meeting attendance is diverse. Two-thirds of physician attendees are US-based from academic and community-practice settings and represent all stages of a surgical oncology career. The SSO Annual Cancer Symposium provides networking opportunities to help augment careers and to cultivate clinical collaborations. As time passes, the line between what is considered a community hospital and an academic setting continues to be blurred in the US. As many academic centers become more clinically focused, community hospitals are becoming larger and increasing their own focus on research infrastructure and clinical trials. As such, both ?traditional? academic and community surgical oncologists have more and more in common. The conference presents an opportunity not only for community surgeons to gain access to research being conducted in academic medical centers and engage with senior faculty, but also for academic physicians to learn how community hospitals currently deliver care. Younger surgical oncologists and surgeons gain experience presenting on a national level and interacting with esteemed senior experts and faculty. This opportunity for engagement between renowned experts and junior faculty is uniquely availalble at this meeting.
New discoveries continually emerge in multidisciplinary cancer care, and the global surgical oncology community comes together to learn at the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) Annual Cancer Symposium. Young trainees/Fellows and Senior Faculty/Investigators interact through abstract presentations and symposia to ensure that controversies, advances, and techniques are discussed in one singular forum. It is the responsibility of oncology scientists and surgeons to stay abreast of new science, contributing to extended survival and reduced cancer burden for their patients.
