ASCO International Firsts

Dec 19, 2013

A timeline of member-led achievements to reduce the global burden of cancer

As the Society celebrates its 50th anniversary, ASCO looks at the numerous milestones that demonstrate organization’s longtime commitment to the global exchange of knowledge, to building bridges to improve the care of patients with cancer worldwide, and to reducing disparities in patient outcomes. This long history of inclusiveness and vision culminated in the establishment of ASCO International in 2013, and ASCO’s pledge to double the Society’s international programs over the next four years.

1965 - First International Members join ASCO. The members are from Canada (4), Japan (1), and Spain (1).

1996  -International Affairs Committee begins as a taskforce and, the following year, receives Committee status.

1997 - The Board of Directors designate a seat for an international oncologist.
          - ASCO holds the first international joint session at an Annual Meeting, a joint symposium with the European
    Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO).

1998 - The Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO) expands to include foreign language editions. To date, the JCO International
    edition has been translated into 12 different languages.

2002 - First International Travel Grant (ITG) is awarded to 11 recipients from eight countries. Award later renamed the
    International Development and Education Award (IDEA). More than 220 recipients from 45 countries have received an
    IDEA grant.

2003 - ASCO international membership reaches 5,000.

2004 - First edition of ESMO-ASCO Global Curriculum published. Adopted in 11 countries, the document played a role in having
    medical oncology recognized as a specialty in Europe; second edition published in 2010.
  - First Multidisciplinary Cancer Management Course (MCMC) was presented in the Dominican Republic. To date, 25
    MCMCs have been held in 17 countries, training more than 3,000 health care providers.

2005 - International Corresponding Membership category introduced.
  - First Best of ASCO® (BOA) International held in Japan and Mexico.

2009 - International Cancer Corps (ICC) program established in collaboration with Health Volunteers Overseas (HVO). To
    date, more than 100 volunteers have served in hospitals in Honduras, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Costa Rica, Paraguay, and
    Bhutan.
  - First International Clinical Trials Workshop (ICTW) held in Buenos Aires, Argentina. To date, eight ICTWs have been held
    in eight countries.
  - First Palliative Care Workshop (PCW) held in Cairo, Egypt.

2010 - First Long-Term International Fellowship (LIFe) awarded to Cesar Sanchez, MD, Pontificia Catholic University School of
    Medicine, in Santiago, Chile; mentor Matthew Ellis, PhD, MB, BCh, Washington University, in St. Louis. To date, seven
    awards have been granted to researchers from six countries.

2011 - First IDEA in Palliative Care awarded to four recipients. To date, 12 recipients from six countries have received the
    award.
  - ASCO DIRECT Program first established. In 2013, summaries of the science presented at the ASCO Annual
    Meeting were published in German and Japanese.

2013 - ASCO membership reaches 10,000 international members.
  - First member outside North America selected to participate in ASCO Leadership Development Program (LDP).
  - Launch of ASCO International. ASCO Board of Directors approves plan to significantly expand international programs by
    2016.

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