The AACR in 2025: A Look Ahead

EXPANDED STRATEGIC FOCUS ON HEMATOLOGIC MALIGNANCIES

Through programs and initiatives like the creation of the Hematologic Malignancies Task Force, the productive partnership with the International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma, the publication of the AACR journal Blood Cancer Discovery, and the launch of its Hematologic Malignancies Working Group, the AACR has established itself as the driving force to eradicate blood cancers. Through 2025 and beyond, the AACR will continue to expand its leadership in the area of hematologic malignancies by collaborating with three other organizations to propel progress against blood cancers:

• American Society of Hematology (ASH). The AACR has joined ASH and eight other organizations to form the CAR T-Cell Toxicities Consortium. This alliance of scientific and medical associations, government agencies, and registries will work to identify and catalog the adverse events related to CAR-T therapy, understand the molecular causes of these reactions, develop resources to help clinicians and patients manage these toxicities, and advocate for regulatory and policy changes to help eliminate them. The Consortium will convene its initial meetings in 2025.
• International Myeloma Society (IMS). The AACR and IMS—an organization dedicated to curing myeloma by fostering research, education, and excellence in clinical care worldwide—will collaborate to organize joint sessions focused on myeloma to be held during the annual meetings of each organization. The first session will be held at the AACR Annual Meeting 2025 in April.
• Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). FASEB has organized a biennial Science Research Series conference on Hematologic Malignancies since 1995. In July 2025, the AACR will work with FASEB to develop a special plenary session at the conference that will highlight emerging technologies in the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of hematologic malignancies.

ADVANCING THE STATE OF THE ART IN CANCER IMMUNOLOGY

In late February 2025, leaders from across the spectrum of cancer immunology will convene in Los Angeles for the inaugural AACR IO Conference on Discovery and Innovation in Cancer Immunology: Revolutionizing Treatment through Immunotherapy. Chaired by AACR Past President (2020–2021) Antoni Ribas, MD, PhD, FAACR, this new major conference will encompass the latest basic, translational, and clinical research in immunology, inflammation, and immunotherapies for cancer—including immuno-oncology (IO) drugs, inflammatory modulators, vaccines, and cellular therapies. With a broad slate of nine keynote speakers—including seven Fellows of the AACR Academy—this trailblazing conference will set the research agenda for the cancer immunology community.

CONTINUED LEADERSHIP IN PEDIATRIC CANCER

Since the establishment of its Pediatric Cancer Working Group in 2011, the AACR has been a leader in the field, hosting a think tank, two workshops, and an Innovation Summit to address the challenges of childhood cancers. In 2025, the AACR will take bold new steps to advance the frontiers of pediatric cancer science and medicine. In addition to hosting a Special Conference on Advances in Pediatric Cancer Research in September, the AACR will release its first-ever Pediatric Cancer Progress Report in October. Under the leadership of the Steering Committee—chaired by AACR Past President (2019–2020) Elaine R. Mardis, PhD, FAACR, and Kimberly Stegmaier, MD—this report will present the current trends in pediatric cancer incidence; highlight cutting-edge pediatric cancer science and medicine; identify the unique challenges that impact outcomes for childhood cancer patients; and discuss policy recommendations to address those challenges.