The abstract calendar
Most big oncology meetings follow the same rhythm every year. Plan projects backward from the deadline, not forward from the idea. Each ring runs from the abstract deadline to the meeting.
Abstract deadlineMeeting
| Meeting | Abstracts due | Meeting held |
|---|---|---|
| San Antonio Breast (SABCS) | Mid July | Early December, San Antonio |
| ASH Annual Meeting | Early August | December |
| ASCO GI Cancers Symposium | Mid to late September | January, San Francisco |
| ASCO GU Cancers Symposium | Mid to late October | February, San Francisco |
| ASCO Annual Meeting | Late January | Late May into early June, Chicago |
Patterns based on recent cycles. Dates move every year, so check our live conference calendar and the official meeting websites. Many meetings also accept late-breaking abstracts with a separate deadline. Others worth knowing: ESMO, AACR, ASTRO and disease-specific meetings like WCLC.
For years the ASCO Annual Meeting deadline landed in mid February, so a classic oncology Valentine’s Day was spent finalizing abstracts. ASCO moved the deadline into late January, but the tradition of a deadline-shaped winter lives on.