A Message from the President

 

Dear Colleagues,

Earlier this month, the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) held its 32nd Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs, the society's most highly attended event in its history.

More than 3,500 delegates converged on National Harbor, MD, Nov. 8-12, a 30 percent increase over last year's meeting (which had broken previous records). The large increase in abstracts submitted (up 21 percent) necessitated additional concurrent sessions to allow for the important new data to be highlighted. All of the meeting organizers, chairs, speakers and attendees ensured that the meeting had the highest level of scientific exchange of the latest advances in cancer immunotherapy research.

I'd like to personally thank the program organizers who created the vision, the faculty members who presented, the abstract presenters who brought the latest data, and particularly to the SITC staff who worked tirelessly to ensure each participant had a positive experience – making this meeting our society's most successful yet. From the industry program on biomarkers that kicked off the Pre-Conference Programs through this year's exciting Hot Topic Symposium on how physics and mathematics can impact progress in our field's research, I was proud of the caliber of programming SITC 2017 offered to delegates. Lastly, I was really pleased with the networking opportunities for researchers involved in the Early Career Scientist Committee, the 2nd World Immunotherapy Council Young Investigator Symposium, the SITC Sparkathon, as well as the Women's Reception – opportunities that ensure SITC supports all of its members with scientific and career growth opportunities.

We already have big plans for the 2018 Annual Meeting – which include a venue change to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C., Nov. 7-11. Stay tuned in the months to come for more details on these programs.

I'd like to acknowledge the incredible response received in new and renewed memberships at the SITC Membership Resource Booth during the 32nd Annual Meeting. SITC continuously strives to ensure members are receiving the value they want and need from their membership. As a thank you to our members who seek to advance cancer immunotherapy research, SITC is pleased to waive article processing charges for members on manuscripts accepted through 2018 to the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC), the society's official open access journal covering all aspects of tumor immunology and cancer immunotherapy – from basic science to clinical application. Now through March 2, JITC welcomes submissions for a special series on the topics of Emerging Immunotherapeutic Agents, New Regulatory Approvals in Cancer Immunotherapy, and Challenges in Clinical Management.

Learn more about the many benefits of becoming a SITC member today.
 

Lisa H. Butterfield, PhD
SITC President

 

Education

SITC 2017 – ANOTHER RECORD-BREAKING YEAR!

The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer's 32nd Annual Meeting and Pre-Conference Programs provided premier educational sessions, a robust poster and exhibit hall, and many networking opportunities to more than 3,500 attendees!

Providing Feedback and Claiming CME/CNE/CPE Credits
Help SITC improve your experience at next year's Annual Meeting by providing feedback on SITC 2017 through the meeting app. Navigate to the "Surveys" menu, select the session you would like to evaluate, then click the "Take Survey" link to complete the selected survey.

Please note: to claim CME/CNE/CPE credits, attendees must submit the appropriate program evaluations. For those who did not submit the evaluations onsite but would like to claim credits, please click here. Three to five weeks after your evaluations are submitted, please watch for an email from CEcertificate@pimed.com with a copy of your certificate or instructions for claiming credit.

Enduring Materials
Presentation slides and synchronized video recordings will be made available on SITC CONNECT approximately three to five weeks after the conference, provided faculty permission was granted.


IMMUNOTHERAPY EDUCATION NEAR YOU

Attend a live, regional introductory immunotherapy education program in your area and earn CME, CNE, and CPE credits. Find an Advances in Cancer Immunotherapy™ program location near you and visit our site for details and how to register.

• Dec. 2, 2017 – Houston, TX
• Jan. 19, 2018 – Atlanta, GA
• Feb. 9, 2018 – Durham, NC
• Feb. 23, 2018 – Charleston, SC
• March 3, 2018 – Dallas, TX
• March 10, 2018 – Miami, FL
• March 24, 2018 – Buffalo, NY
  
  

SITC connectED IS THE SOURCE FOR ONLINE CANCER IMMUNOTHERAPY EDUCATION

SITC connectED, the society's cancer immunotherapy-focused online learning portal, features on-demand classes, live webinars, and other educational resources aimed at providing relevant, trusted and timely education. Newly added classes include:

• "Advances in Cancer Immunotherapy™ 2017 Video Series", highlighting featured presentations from the ACI regional programs. These online modules cover clinical applications of immunotherapy for disease states with FDA-approved treatments; strategies for overcoming operational and reimbursement barriers to implementing immunotherapy in a community setting; and the identification and management of immune-related adverse events.
  
  
• "Immunotherapy for Advanced Bladder Cancer: A Giant Step in the Right Direction?". In this 30-minute class, learners will gain insights on the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of advanced bladder cancer, adverse event management, recent clinical results as well as learn of ongoing trials. 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ are available for this activity.
  
  

Science, Research & Publications

SITC PUBLISHES CONSENSUS GUIDELINES ON MANAGING IMMUNE CHECKPOINT INHIBITOR TOXICITY

SITC's highly anticipated consensus recommendations on recognition and management of organ-specific immune-related toxicities in patients taking immune checkpoint inhibitors are out this month in JITC! "Managing toxicities associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: Consensus recommendations from the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Toxicity Management Working Group" draws on the expertise of more than 80 oncology researchers, clinical practitioners, disease area specialists and industry representatives who convened at a one-day workshop, organized by SITC, in spring 2017.

These guidelines, offering expert recommendations on how to recognize, report and manage common and rare toxicities across multiple organ systems, provide clinicians with guidance on management of this emerging and discrete group of adverse events until evidence-based data are available to inform clinical decision-making.


CALL FOR PAPERS: JITC NOW WELCOMING SUBMISSIONS ON THREE KEY TOPICS

Now through March 2, 2018, JITC welcomes submissions on the topics of Emerging Immunotherapeutic Agents, New Regulatory Approvals in Cancer Immunotherapy, and Challenges in Clinical Management. Articles submitted will be reviewed for publication within a dedicated thematic series, providing even greater opportunity for research to reach cancer immunotherapy leaders and administrators throughout the world.

Full details and submission guidelines may be found here.

 

 Society

SITC SEEKS MEMBER CONTRIBUTORS FOR NEW BLOG

SITC seeks member contributors of all experience levels and professional backgrounds who wish to contribute to the society’s new blog. Potential topics will vary from writing about disease-specific advances in cancer immunotherapy research to basic 101 explanatory posts for the patient community.

If you are a member of the society and have an interest in becoming a SITC blogger, or if you have specific recommendations for content areas the blog should focus on, please email us at communications@sitcancer.org

 

Policy

SITC ON THE HILL

SITC has been working diligently to enhance our presence on Capitol Hill. Recently, Executive Director, Tara Withington; Policy & Advocacy Manager, Jacqueline Smith; Policy Committee Chair and At-Large Director of the Board, Dr. Samir Khleif; and Erik Fatemi, Consultant with Cornerstone Government Affairs, LLC, visited the offices of the co-chairs of the Congressional Cancer Caucus and the Senate Cancer Council. Each of the offices were excited to learn about the advances in immuno-oncology; SITC looks forward to collaborating with the Congressional Cancer Caucus and Senate Cancer Council in the future. 

Dr. Thomas Gajewski, representing SITC, spoke on a panel at a Senate briefing sponsored by Act for NIH and the Senate NIH Caucus. The briefing, titled "Cancer Immunotherapy: Advanced in NIH-Funded Research" marks Dr. Ned Sharpless' (Director of the National Cancer Institute) first Hill briefing. Other panelists included Drs. Steven A. Rosenberg, Ray Dubois, Chrystal Paulos and Lindsay Condrey.

Pictured from left: Tara Withington, Dr. Ned Sharpless and Jacqueline Smith