FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2009

CONTACT: Danielle Potuto
(571)-483-1375
danielle.potuto@asco.org

Alexandria, Va. –The ASCO Cancer Foundation will honor over 100 oncologists and oncology fellows with the International Development and Education Award (IDEA) and Merit Awards at the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s 45th Annual Meeting in Orlando. Both awards promote medical education, career development and clinical research to improve cancer care. All award recipients will receive funding to help with travel expenses to attend the ASCO Annual Meeting.

The ASCO Cancer Foundation IDEA program is designed to improve global oncology by providing support to 20 early career oncologists from outside the United States who wish to attend the Meeting. IDEA recipients are paired with ASCO members from the United States and Canada based on shared sub-specialties or research interests. These ASCO volunteer mentors help the awardees navigate the ASCO Annual Meeting, which attracts more than 30,000 attendees worldwide. Following the meeting, the mentors host the IDEA award recipients at their clinical institutions for several days to facilitate further hands-on learning opportunities. In prior years, these mentorship opportunities have blossomed into long-term collaborations between oncologists practicing thousands of miles apart.

“It is important to recognize the contributions of clinical investigators from all nations,” said Professor Clement Adebamowo, MD, SCD, 2008-2009 IDEA Working Group Chair. “The IDEA Awards provide a unique opportunity for oncologists in developing countries to further their knowledge and careers, and continue the progress against cancer around the world.”

IDEA recipients participate in a comprehensive program at the ASCO meeting; including educational and scientific sessions and specialized training on strategies to disseminate information they have learned upon returning home. New for 2009, the IDEA recipients will participate in a unique workshop facilitated by the American Cancer Society University (ACSU) program, focusing on cancer control, patient advocacy, and working with NGOs. Recipients also receive three years of complimentary membership to ASCO, which includes a subscription to the Journal of Clinical Oncology, ASCO’s flagship publication.

The ASCO Cancer Foundation Merit Award program was established to encourage more fellows to attend the Annual Meeting and to further promote clinical research in young investigators. The awards are presented to 100 oncology fellows annually in recognition of outstanding abstracts submitted to the Program Committee for the upcoming Annual Meeting. An additional three fellows have further distinguished themselves by receiving special Merit Awards for submitting top-ranking abstracts to the Meeting:

Jeanne Tie, MBBS, FRACP
Bradley Stuart Beller Merit Award Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research Selecting subjects for a therapeutic target in colorectal cancer (CRC): using a clinical database to enrich for patients

Denah Taggart, MD
Brigid Leventhal Merit Award
University of California San Francisco
Significance of tumor biology compared to metastatic pattern (INSS 4 vs. 4s) and age for prognosis of neuroblastoma

Lei Sima, MD
Pain Management Award
National Pain Management and Research Center
Efficacy of electroacupuncture for bone metastatic cancer patients with neuropathic pain: a randomized controlled trial

“The ASCO Annual Meeting is a wonderful opportunity for our members to cultivate positive relationships with these young, talented oncologists,” said Everett E. Vokes MD, 2008 – 2009 Chair of the Scientific Program Committee. “It is a privilege to work directly with these oncologists to foster their interest and education in the field of oncology, as well as invest in their career development.”

ASCO Cancer Foundation IDEA Recipients:

Raafat Abdel Malek, FRCR
Cairo University
Cairo, Egypt

Dauren Adilbay, MD
N.N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center
Almaty, Kazakhstan

Leticia Arruda, MD
ONCOVIDA - Instituto Especializado de Oncologia Clínica
Brasília, Brazil

Hua-Jun Chen, MD, PhD
Guangdong Lung Cancer Institute, Guangdong General Hospital
Guangzhou, China

Timucin Cil, MD
Dicle University
Diyarbakir, Turkey

Cynthia Villarreal-Garza, MD
Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán
Mexico City, Mexico

Bijesh Ghimire, MD
Om Hospital and Research Centre
Kathmandu, Nepal

Kashif Iqbal, MBBS, MS
Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Radiotherapy Institute
Islamabad, Pakistan

Parisa Karimi, MD
Immunology, Asthma & Allergy Research Institute
Tehran, Iran

Andréia Melo, MD
Brazilian National Cancer Institute
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Ilham Merad-Lahfa, MD
Hospitalo-University Center of Tlemcen
Tlemcen, Algeria

Susan Msadabwe, MBCHB, FC Rad Onc
Cancer Diseases Hospital
Lusaka, Zambia

Catherine Naliaka Nyongesa, MBchB(Nbi), MMED Rad Onc, FC Rad Onc
Kenyatta National Hospital
Nairobi, Kenya

Ritwik Pandey, MBBS, MD, DM
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Cancer Research Institute
Kolkata, India

Naiyarat Prasongsook, MD
Phramongkutklao Hospital
Bangkok, Thailand

Roxana Ioana Scheusan, MD
City Hospital Timisoara
Timisoara, Romania

Roman Shyyan, MD
Lviv Regional Cancer Center
Lviv, Ukraine

Luis Ubillos, MD
Instituto Nacional del Cáncer
Montevideo, Uruguay

Tabassum Wadasadawala, MD, DNB
Tata Memorial Hospital
Mumbai, India

Yang Xu, MD, PhD
Liver Cancer Institute Shanghai, China

The 2009 ASCO Cancer Foundation Merit Awards are supported through grants from Amgen, Aptium Oncology, Celgene Corporation, Novartis Oncology, Aptium Oncology, Lilly USA, LLC, GE Healthcare, OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc., sanofi-aventis U.S., Wyeth and The ASCO Cancer Foundation.

About The ASCO Cancer Foundation
As the charitable arm of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), The ASCO Cancer Foundation funds research, education and cancer care programs both in the U.S. and abroad. By harnessing the knowledge of ASCO’s 27,000 oncology professionals, we help deliver physician-approved information directly to those in need. Through these efforts, we improve the lives of those affected by cancer.

About ASCO
ASCO is the world's leading professional organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer. With more than 27,000 members, ASCO is committed to improving cancer care through scientific meetings, educational programs and peer-reviewed journals. For ASCO information and resources, visit www.asco.org/presscenter. Patient-oriented cancer information is available at www.cancer.net.