The ASCO Quality Care Symposium 2026 (ASCOQLTY26) brought together oncologists, researchers, healthcare professionals, and patient advocates to discuss advances in cancer care quality, patient safety, and healthcare delivery. The meeting focused on improving patient outcomes, addressing disparities in cancer care, and sharing research aimed at strengthening oncology practice.
Held on October 16–17, 2026, at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, Massachusetts, and online, the symposium featured discussions on improving cancer care delivery, advancing patient-centered approaches, and ensuring equitable access to high-quality oncology services.
Here are some of the key highlights from ASCOQLTY26.
20 Posts Not To Miss From ASCOQLTY26
“On the ASCOQLTY26 hot topic of AI use in oncology & whether it’s actually helpful yet, live simultaneous publication in JCO OP today on ambient scribes.
Huge range of use – some super-users, some not using at all. Overall, not reducing ‘pajama time’ but maybe helping some outliers.
Form your own opinion: https://lnkd.in/emvrdGA9”
“Looking forward to sharing our work on EMPOWER at ASCOQLTY26 (https://lnkd.in/gnd6gVtd)!”
Angela Geistkemper BSN, RN, OCN, ROCN:
“I’m proud to share that Blake Hoegger BSN, RN and I presented our work at ASCO Quality, highlighting the operational impact of scaling electronic patient-reported outcome (ePRO) monitoring across a statewide oncology program.
The impact? A 1,432% increase in weekly ePRO submissions, supported by a 19% increase in triage staffing.
Through implementation of the Canopy platform, we expanded our ability to identify patient symptoms and support proactive clinical intervention at scale.
The key takeaway: ePRO implementation is about more than technology. It requires intentional workforce planning, workflow redesign, and infrastructure alignment to translate digital innovation into meaningful, sustainable improvements in oncology care.
This work reinforces the importance of pairing innovation with operational strategy to improve how we deliver patient-centered care.
I’m grateful to collaborate with colleagues who are advancing the future of virtual oncology care!”
“At ASCOQLTY26, Dr. Niharika Dixit of UCSF and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital presented ‘Needs Assessment for Cancer Survivors and Implications for Cancer Survivorship Care Delivery and Research.’ Her team adapted the NCCN survivorship assessment into a questionnaire built into the electronic medical record and implemented it as a quality improvement project at an NCI-designated cancer center.
Key findings:
Women reported fatigue at higher rates than men
Breast cancer survivors reported more fatigue than colon cancer survivors while tingling and numbness were more common in colon cancer survivors
Priorities included exercise programs, fatigue, weight changes, sleep, tingling and numbness, sexual health, and memory difficulties
Work like this shows how a simple, EMR-embedded tool can help tailor survivorship visits, build services, and connect patients with community resources, while also pointing to research gaps in symptom management.”
“At ASCOQLTY26, Christina Boatwright of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School presented ‘A Retrospective Study of Biopsy Requirements in Phase I Trials of FDA-Approved Novel Therapeutics’ at Board B17. Pre- and on-treatment biopsies are common in phase 1 oncology trials, but they can exclude patients with comorbidities, poor performance status, or limited willingness to undergo extra procedures. This study examined 41 oncology drugs approved by the FDA between 2022 and 2026: Single-agent drugs were more likely to require a pre-treatment biopsy. Requiring a pre-treatment biopsy was not associated with a significant difference in time from phase 1 start to approval. As someone who works in early-phase drug development, I found this an important question. Every biopsy requirement should be weighed against its scientific value and the access barrier it creates for patients.”
“Disparities in cancer care evaluation exist even within rapid referral programs. Our poster analyzing data of 1,211 patients from Same Day/Next Day Program presented at ASCOQLTY26 highlights discrepancies in completing cancer evaluation.
Social determinants of health, such as geographic area of residence and neighborhood, are yet again proven to be crucial in cancer care.
Kudos to my colleagues for making this happen!”
“Congratulations to Soumya Somani, MD student at UT Southwestern Medical Center on receiving a Conquer Cancer Merit Award at ASCOQLTY26! Soumya presented work evaluating skin-related quality of life after oncology-trained aesthetician services in a diverse breast cancer population, in collaboration with the Ricardo Fisas Natura Bissé Foundation.
Dermatologic toxicities affect up to 85% of patients on cancer therapy, yet supportive skin care is rarely part of routine oncology care. In this study of 50 patients, a single session with patient education:
Reduced self-reported skin symptom severity by 36% (4.14 → 2.63, p < 0.001)
Improved Skindex-16 scores, driven mainly by reduced emotional burden
Led 73–85% of patients to report improvement across every psychosocial domain, including comfort, self-confidence, and feeling cared for
Skin toxicities are not merely cosmetic. They affect quality of life and can lead to dose reductions or treatment interruptions. It was great to see this question asked in a diverse, underserved population, where the toxicity burden is often greatest.
Exciting to see medical students leading patient-centered research like this. Well deserved!”
“A proud moment at ASCO Quality today. Abigail Baldwin Medsker MBA MSN RN is leading an oral presentation of the team’s work, coinciding with the simultaneous publication of the full study in JCO Oncology Practice. There is something especially rewarding about seeing talented colleagues take important work from a question, through rigorous evaluation, to a national stage, and ultimately into the literature where it can help inform how we deliver cancer care. I’m incredibly proud of Abi and the entire team at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for the thoughtfulness, rigor, and collaboration they brought to this work.
Congratulations to everyone who contributed. Read the paper here: https://lnkd.in/gPaegS5U”
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO):
“Breaking news from ASCOQLTY26: A recent analysis of more than 34,000 patients showed that receipt of a cancer survivorship care plan was strongly associated with improved survival across ages and cancer types.
‘The degree of reduction in mortality and the fact that it was seen across almost all age brackets and disease types was surprising,’ said Study Lead Dr. Anne Hudson Blaes. ‘It is possible that individuals who received survivorship care plans were more likely to return to the health care system, to get their follow-up cancer screenings, to engage in preventative care, [and] to be engaged in health prevention activities.’
Read more from ASCO Daily News: https://bit.ly/4rEn8pi”
“The ASCO Quality Care Symposium is taking place in Boston during the autumn break.
I will be presenting some of the barriers we experienced during the implementation of FRAME-PRO, a questionnaire focused on identifying late effects and patient needs, at the Oncology Department of Vejle Hospital.
Fortunately, we also had positive experiences, the most important of which, for me, were:
Patients found the questionnaire relevant.
More referrals were made to supportive care units.
Physicians reported improved quality of consultations.
FRAME-PRO is a conversation guide. The purpose of the questionnaire is to screen patients in advance so that consultations can focus on what matters most to them.
Thank you to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) for making my participation possible with another Conquer Cancer Merit Award.”
“What happens when the power goes out but cancer care must continue? Research at ASCOQLTY26 (Abstract 191) highlights risks to home-based cancer care. Emergency preparedness IS cancer care! Are we asking patients about backup power plans?”
“Our ASCO LDP mini reunion at ASCOQLTY26: Drs Minami, Ryan Nipp and Mina Sedrak.”
“‘Tolerated’ doesn’t much at all. itsnot_pink at ASCOQLTY26 on the importance of right sizing care for patients and the lived experience of cancer treatment and survivorship. ‘Right-sized care starts with a conversation about what matters, right now.'”
“Welcome home, Paulo Bergerot & Cris Bergerot! Before the legendary duo headed to the ASCO Quality Care Symposium this weekend, both came to City of Hope to deliver a stellar joint Grand Rounds – 14 years after they first set foot on the campus. Impressive to see all that they have accomplished in Brazil – Cris continues to trailblaze with novel metrics for HRQOL assessment & Paulo has created a sizeable program focused on exercise oncology.
Also, if you are at ASCOQLTY26, say hello to two of my newest research team members – Kaela Makins & G. Zhang!”
Ryan Nipp, MD, MPH, MBA, FASCO:
“Outstanding presentation by Mina Sedrak at ASCO Quality Care Symposium today! ‘Beyond the Guidelines: Caring for Older Adults With Cancer.’ asco.org/quality/program”
Cristiane D Bergerot, PhD, FASCO:
“What a wonderful ASCOQLTY26!
From PROs, AI & supportive care to health equity, implementation science & patient-centered care!
THANK YOU to all ASCO staff, speakers, presenters & attendees who made this meeting so special!
Congratulation Ryan Nipp on a record-breaking 1,000+ attendees!
Looking forward to ASCOQLTY27 with WhatsUrHari as Chair!”
“What will it take to make cancer clinical trials more accessible?
A survey of 260 patients and 80 oncologists identified major barriers: treatment concerns, financial burden, logistics, and trust.
Patients and physicians agreed on solutions: Financial support and culturally tailored information.
Equitable trial access requires more than opening trials. It requires removing barriers to participation.”
“Having a cool friend from medical school also pursuing an oncology career and getting to watch them shine presenting their work: priceless. So proud of you Maya Lubarsky!!!”
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