The Korean Society of Medical Oncology (KSMO) said it is preparing to organize its 16th annual meeting and 2023 International Conference (KSMO 2023) at the Grand Walker Hill Hotel in Seoul on Sept. 7-8.

The conference is expected to draw a larger crowd than previous ones because the KSMO is holding collaborative symposia with prestigious global cancer societies, said Professor Lee Sang-cheol of Hematology and Oncology at Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital. He is leading the Public Relations Comittee at KSMO.

At a press briefing session on Thursday, Lee said the event will welcome world-renowned oncology experts from two of the world's leading oncology societies -- Dr. Everett E. Vokes, President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and Dr. Andrés Cervantes, President of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO).

“It is the first time in Asia that the presidents of the world's two largest cancer societies, ASCO and ESMO, will be attending and holding joint symposia at the same time,"Lee said.

"This shows that the world recognizes Korea as a country with an outstanding research infrastructure and looks forward to its role as a clinical hub in Asia."

According to Lee, KSMO 2023 will be the fifth annual event, which was initiated in 2019.  

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the event continued to take place online and in hybrid formats, he noted.

"While the inaugural edition received approximately 440 abstracts and attracted over 1,000 attendees from 34 countries, KSMO 2023 has so far received over 700 abstracts and is expected to attract over 1,700 attendees from 45 countries around the world," he explained. 

Lee predicted that the chosen abstracts should be publicly revealed by the end of July or early August.

The theme for KSMO 2023 will be “Collaboration beyond borders, Cancer research beyond limits.” 

The conference will be held as a hybrid event to accommodate international participants but will be only available face-to-face for domestic participants. 

The conference will feature joint symposia with major overseas cancer societies such as ASCO, ESMO, JSMO, and FACO, as well as related societies in Korea, to provide sessions for collaboration across national boundaries and cancer fields. 

For example, Japan and Korea’s cancer society will deliver a joint session on emerging immuno-oncology strategies for solid tumors.

The event will provide 52 sessions, including keynote lectures. 

More than 130 international and domestic speakers will discuss the future of medical oncology, breaking down barriers to improve cancer care, and exchanging new and diverse ideas.

In particular, the keynote lectures will feature some of the world's leading experts in the fields of breast cancer, genetics, gastric cancer, and prostate cancer. 

Some confirmed keynote speakers include Dr. Carlos L. Arteaga, Professor, and Director of  UT Southwestern Medical Center, who will speak on the resistance mechanisms to endocrine therapy in ER+ breast cancer. 

Also, Dr. Charles Swanton, Chief Clinician at Cancer Research UK will present on genomic diversity and molecular mechanisms driving cancer evolution. 

Meanwhile, Dr. Takayuki Yoshino, Director of Gastroenterology and Gastrointestinal Oncology at Japan’s National Cancer Center Hospital East will introduce SCRUM-MONSTAR & CIRCULATE, a platform to accelerate precision oncology innovations. 

Lastly, Dr. Roy Herbst, Chief of Medical Oncology at Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital, will elaborate on cancer immunotherapy's past and future journey.

Additionally, as KSMO 2023 has been designated as an “Excellent K-Convention” by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Korea Tourism Organization, it will receive government support of 120 million won ($92,309), in recognition of the conference’s high growth potential among international conferences in Korea.

Further details on KSMO 2023 can be found by visiting the official website.