The first physician-scientist to combine radiation oncology with medical oncology - forever impacting the effect and importance of radiation oncology in treating people living with cancer - is among the notable awardees set to be honored by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) at its 2010 Annual Meeting.

Each year through its Special Awards Program, ASCO recognizes quality researchers, patient advocates, and leaders of the global oncology community who through their work have made significant contributions to enhancing cancer care. These recipients of ASCO's highest, most prestigious awards collectively represent significant strides in cancer treatment and leadership in the oncology community.

"The work of this year's awardees collectively represents decades of commitment to improving the care and quality of life for people living with cancer," said Richard L. Schilsky, MD, ASCO's Immediate Past President and Chair of the Special Awards Selection Committee. "Our understanding of the biological basis of cancer and our ability to transform that knowledge into better treatments for patients have been enhanced by their contributions and it is an honor to present them ASCO's highest awards."

The 2010 ASCO Special Awards Honorees are:

David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award and Lecture
Daniel D. Von Hoff, MD, FACP,
is the recipient of the 2010 David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award and Lecture for his outstanding achievements in cancer research and for his impact on the treatment of patients with cancer. Dr. Von Hoff is an internationally recognized physician-scientist who has contributed to the development of numerous anticancer agents, including paclitaxel, docetaxel, irinotecan and gemcitabine. He currently serves as physician-in-chief for the Translational Genomics Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, chief scientific officer of Scottsdale Healthcare and US Oncology, and clinical professor of medicine at The University of Arizona College of Medicine.

Science of Oncology Award and Lecture
Frank McCormick, PhD,
director of the University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, is the recipient of the 2010 Science of Oncology Award and Lecture. Dr. McCormick is a pioneering molecular biologist and cancer researcher, whose contributions include the development of sorafenib, a small-molecule tyrosine protein kinase inhibitor used for the treatment of kidney cancer and advanced liver cancer. The Science of Oncology Award is in recognition of this advance and Dr. McCormick's other outstanding contributions to translational research in cancer.

ASCO-American Cancer Society Award and Lecture
Joseph V. Simone, MD,
is the recipient of the 2010 ASCO-American Cancer Society Award and Lecture for his contributions to the prevention and management of cancer and for his leadership in the field of oncology. Dr. Simone served as physician-in-chief of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and director of the University of Florida Shands Cancer Center, but spent the majority of his career at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, where he served as director from 1983 to 1992. In his years there, he played a leadership role in the development of curative treatments for childhood leukemia and lymphoma. Dr. Simone was also the founding medical director and chairman of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and was instrumental in the creation of the ASCO's Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI).He currently serves as senior advisor to the Shands Cancer Center and as president of Simone Consulting Company, which advises organizations on cancer program quality and development. Dr. Simone is a columnist for Oncology Times and clinical director emeritus of the Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor emeritus of pediatrics and medicine at the University of Utah School of Medicine.

Gianni Bonadonna Breast Cancer Award and Lecture
Nancy E. Davidson, MD,
is the recipient of the 2010 Gianni Bonadonna Award and Lecture for her distinguished record of accomplishments in advancing the field of breast cancer research. Dr. Davidson has published key findings on the role of hormones, particularly estrogen, on gene expression and cell growth in breast cancer. She also guided several important national clinical trials of potential new therapies, including chemoendocrine therapy for premenopausal breast cancer and antiangiogenesis therapy for advanced disease. Dr. Davidson is currently the director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute and professor of medicine in pharmacology and chemical biology and previously served as director of the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center's Breast Cancer Program. She was also president of ASCO in 2007-2008 and has served as a member of the scientific advisory boards of numerous foundations.

B. J. Kennedy Award and Lecture for Scientific Excellence in Geriatric Oncology
Harvey Jay Cohen, MD,
director of the Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development and Walter Kempner Professor of Medicine at Duke University Medical Center, is the recipient of the 2010 B. J. Kennedy Award and Lecture for Scientific Excellence in Geriatric Oncology. Dr. Cohen has written more than 300 articles and book chapters on topics in geriatrics and hematology/oncology, with special emphasis on aspects of cancer and immunologic disorders in the elderly. He is also past president of the American Geriatrics Society, the Gerontologic Society of America, and the International Society of Geriatric Oncology. This award is in recognition of this distinguished leadership and achievement in the field of geriatric oncology.

Pediatric Oncology Award and Lecture
Sharon B. Murphy, MD,
is the recipient of the 2010 Pediatric Oncology Award and Lecture for her outstanding contributions to pediatric oncology. Dr. Murphy has devoted the past thirty-five years to improving cure rates for childhood cancer, particularly childhood lymphomas and leukemias. She has authored more than 220 original articles, reviews, and book chapters, and has served as the inaugural director of the Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute and professor of pediatrics at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Dr. Murphy currently is a scholar-in-residence at the Institute of Medicine (IOM ) in Washington, D.C. She is also a recipient the 2005 Distinguished Service Award for Scientific Leadership from ASCO and the 2009 Distinguished Career Award from the American Society of Pediatric Hematology.

Partners in Progress Award
Ellen V. Sigal, PhD,
is the recipient of the 2010 Partners in Progress Award for her dedicated efforts to raise public awareness about cancer. Dr. Sigal is chairperson and founder of Friends of Cancer Research, a nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating the nation's progress toward prevention and treatment of cancer. For more than 12 years, Friends of Cancer Research has pioneered innovative public-private partnerships, organized critical policy forums, educated the public, and brought together key communities to develop collaborative strategies in the field of cancer research. Dr. Sigal also holds leadership positions with a broad range of cancer advocacy and public policy organizations, and leadership positions with academic health centers.

Distinguished Achievement Award
Eli Glatstein, MD,
professor, vice chair, and clinical director of the Department of Radiation Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, is the recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award. Throughout his career, Dr. Glatstein's research has made a significant impact on the way a number of cancers are diagnosed and treated, particularly Hodgkin's disease. In the early 1970s Dr. Glatstein was the first to combine radiation oncology with medical oncology, which has had a deep and lasting impact on the effect and importance of radiation oncology within the cancer care community. In addition to his numerous breakthroughs in research, Dr. Glatstein has also committed his career to teaching and training medical students. Twenty-one of his former trainees, fellows, or junior faculty have gone on to become chairs of academic radiation oncology departments. ASCO is proud to honor Dr. Glatstein's dedication to cancer research and education and his prominent leadership in the oncology community.

Special Recognition Award
Patrick J. Loehrer Sr., MD,
is the recipient of the 2010 Special Recognition Award for his outstanding contributions to clinical oncology and cancer research and for his dedicated service to the oncology community. He currently serves as Associate Dean for Cancer Research and H.H. Gregg Professor of Oncology at the Indiana University School of Medicine and director of the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center. Dr. Loehrer is an internationally recognized researcher and specialist in thymoma, genitourinary cancers, and gastrointestinal cancers. He is also a past member of the ASCO Board of Directors who was recognized with an ASCO Statesman Award in 2008 for his service and commitment to the Society.

ASCO Statesman Award
The ASCO Statesman Award recognizes ASCO members for their extraordinary volunteer service, dedication, and commitment to ASCO. Recipients of the 2010 Statesman Award have given 20 years of volunteer service and include:

Laurence H. Baker, DO, University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center/Southwest Oncology Group
Edward P. Balaban, DO, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sewickley Medical Oncology
C. D. Blanke, MD, The BC Cancer Agency and the University of British Columbia
Howard A. Burris, III, MD, Sarah Cannon Research Institute
John V. Cox, DO, Texas Oncology
Robert Dreicer, MD, Cleveland Clinic
Stephen B. Edge, MD, Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Alexander M. Eggermont, MD, PhD, Erasmus University Medical Center
Charles M. Haskell, MD, University of California-Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine
Maha Hussain, MD, University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Mark G. Kris, MD, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Theodore S. Lawrence, MD, PhD, University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Gary H. Lyman, MD, Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center
Gregory A. Masters, MD, FACP, Helen F. Graham Cancer Center
Therese M. Mulvey, MD, Commonwealth Hematology Oncology
Olufunmilayo I. Olopade, MBBS, FACP, The University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center
Bruce A. Peterson, MD, University of Minnesota Medical School
William T. Purcell, MD, Billings Clinic Cancer Center
Derek Raghavan, MD, PhD, Cleveland Clinic
Gregory H. Reaman, MD, Children's Oncology Group
Mack Roach, III, MD, University of California-San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
Bruce J. Roth, MD, Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center
Mace L. Rothenberg, MD, Pfizer Oncology
Charles A. Schiffer, MD, Wayne State University School of Medicine
Branimir I. Sikic, MD, Stanford University School of Medicine
Margaret A. Tempero, MD, University of California-San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
Linda T. Vahdat, MD, Weill Cornell Medical College
Antonio C. Wolff, MD, FACP, Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center

All of the above awards will be presented at the Society's 46th Annual Meeting taking place in Chicago, June 4 - 8 at the McCormick Place, with the exception of the Gianni Bonadonna Breast Cancer Award and Lecture, which will be presented at the 2010 Breast Cancer Symposium, taking place September 30 - October 2 in the Washington, DC, area.

Source
ASCO