13 May UW Health | Carbone Cancer Center research shines on global stage
Innovation does not happen in a vacuum—the biggest breakthoughs in cancer treatment and prevention happen because of teamwork across disciplines and between multiple academic centers and research institutions.
“I daresay that nearly all of the really practice-changing studies are not done at a single institution,” said Dr. Randall Kimple, a radiation oncologist who co-leads UW Health | Carbone Cancer Center’s Imaging and Radiation Sciences program. “They’re done in cooperative groups and dozens or hundreds of institutions, including community practices coming together to enroll patients on clinical trials to help change how we care for people today.
To spark those collaborations, inspire new research ideas and share the latest research breakthroughs, Carbone Cancer Center’s researchers and clinicians attend multiple professional development conferences throughout the year. One of the largest such gatherings is the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, bringing together more than 40,000 scientists, clinicians, and other cancer-focused professionals to present research underway at their institutions, talk about evolving clinical best practices, and engage with peers both nationwide and globally.
“We go there, first and foremost, to make sure that we have the best and newest treatments for our patients, but I think we also go there because science is incremental and repetitive—there’s never really a scientific advance from a single study. It’s multiple studies showing similar findings,” said Dr. Noelle LoConte, a medical oncologist and Carbone’s Outreach Program leader.
This year, more than 35 of Carbone’s member scientists have co-authored abstracts and posters highlighting their research that will be featured at ASCO, including several members who will be presenting about their research work. Carbone’s featured research spans all major cancer types, as well as key survivorship and patient wellness topics.