News | Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Conquer Cancer®, the ASCO Foundation, is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2025 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium Merit Awards.

These distinguished awards recognize first authors on top-ranking abstracts selected for presentation at the ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, January 23–25, 2025, in San Francisco, Calif.  

These 35 oncology professionals are recognized for their respective field and research advancements within the cancer care community:

Cancer touches everyone in some way. If and when it touches your life—whether as a patient, loved one, advocate, or caregiver—it helps to know there are people out there who not only understand what you’re going through, but whose stories inspire courage, compassion, and hope, whether for treatments, cures, or the promise of better days ahead.

For centuries, physician-scientists have been studying and treating cancer, yet the question persists: Why haven’t we cured it yet?

Misunderstandings about what it means to cure cancer are driven by a variety of historical and sociocultural factors that have shaped public perception over time. However, there’s an important difference between curing cancer and eradicating it—one that can reshape the idea of what conquering cancer truly means.