Now we are 30: 10 more years of MASCC

Support Care Cancer. 2021 Apr;29(4):1713-1718. doi: 10.1007/s00520-021-05998-0. Epub 2021 Jan 23.

Abstract

This paper chronicles the third decade of MASCC from 2010. There was a generational change in this decade, building on the solid foundation of the founders. It included the first female President, and a new Executive Director with a background in strategy and business development and operations as applied to healthcare. The headquarters moved from Copenhagen to Toronto. The first meeting to be held outside of Europe or North America was held in Adelaide, Australia, and the membership in the Asia Pacific region expanded. A program of international affiliates saw national supportive care organisations formally link with MASCC. In cancer supportive care, there was a raft of new toxicities to manage as immunotherapies were added to conventional cytotoxic treatment. There was also a greater emphasis on the psychosocial needs of patients and families. New MASCC groups were formed to respond to this evolution in cancer management. The MASCC journal, Supportive Care in Cancer, continued to grow in impact, and MASCC published two editions of a textbook of supportive care and survivorship. The decade ended with the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that served to highlight the importance of good supportive care to patients with cancer.

Keywords: History; Multinational Association of Supportive Care in cancer (MASCC); Study groups; Third decade.

Publication types

  • Historical Article

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19 / epidemiology
  • Congresses as Topic / history
  • Congresses as Topic / trends
  • Governing Board / history
  • Governing Board / trends
  • History, 20th Century
  • History, 21st Century
  • Humans
  • International Agencies / history
  • International Agencies / organization & administration
  • International Agencies / standards
  • International Agencies / trends
  • International Cooperation / history
  • Neoplasms / history
  • Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Palliative Care / history*
  • Palliative Care / organization & administration
  • Palliative Care / trends*
  • Pandemics
  • Publications / history
  • Publications / trends
  • SARS-CoV-2 / physiology
  • Societies, Medical / history*
  • Societies, Medical / organization & administration
  • Societies, Medical / standards
  • Societies, Medical / trends