COA Driving Impact at ASCO

Chromophobe RCC at ASCO's Annual Meeting

The ASCO Annual Meeting is a significant event for the oncology community, bringing together ~44,000 oncologists, researchers, advocates, and industry partners to discuss the latest advancements in cancer treatment and care. This year, COA had the honor of attending and the privilege of contributing to the discussions.

Key Themes and COA's Perspective

ASCO 2025 offered valuable insights into several key areas:

Biomarkers: The session on biomarkers in kidney cancer sparked important conversations about the search for biomarkers in RCC to help identify those who are most likely to have their cancer come back, and to track response to therapy. While there aren't any biomarkers for chromophobe RCC yet, there are efforts underway! There was an abstract submitted to ASCO this year looking at mitochondrial proteins in the blood in those with chRCC in search of a biomarker. These efforts are currently being explored and we look forward to hearing more as the technology and research develops.

We at COA see biomarkers as an important area of research for chromophobe and we even have a campaign on our donation page to support the exploration of biomarkers for chRCC if you’d like to help contribute to the efforts to discover one.

AI in Cancer Care: There were several sessions and discussions about artificial intelligence highlighted at the conference - including its potential to improve clinical trials and early detection. We will be following these developments closely in case there are areas we can apply for chRCC.

Early-Onset Cancers: The "Beyond the Headlines" session addressed the unique challenges faced by younger patients, a cause deeply important to COA as chromophobe can be seen in a younger demographic compared to the other subtypes of RCC.

COA's Representatives at ASCO

We were fortunate to have three board members and a volunteer attending ASCO this year to drive impact:

Katie Coleman, our founder, had the opportunity to participate as a speaker in two sessions, amplifying our presence and impact at the conference.

Annamaria, our board member who was the recipient of a travel grant award provided by ASCO to attend! We are incredibly proud of the strides Annamaria is making to help translate the science and takeaways from these conferences to bring them to a wider audience—an initiative she will be developing further in the coming months.

Laura, one of our founding board members who has attended ASCO each year and helps amplify the patient voice in research and facilitates collaborations with key researchers.

Catherine, a pioneering member of our community who started the first-ever patient-led chromophobe RCC grant 5 years ago—the foundational effort from which all other chromophobe research initiatives have branched off.

Katie's Speaking Engagements

Beyond the Headlines: The Real Impact of Early-Onset Cancers: In this session, Katie shared a patient perspective, emphasizing practical solutions for better healthcare interactions as part of a collaborative effort in addressing the challenges of early-onset cancers

ASCO Voices: Katie was also selected for ASCO Voices this year—the "TED Talk of ASCO," featuring a story, a message, and a stage. Through her talk, she shared her experience and diagnosis to help frame and advocate for patient-centered care.

In her talk, Katie highlighted, "I'm not here despite my interactions with the healthcare system—I'm here because of them," aiming to bring to light the importance of positive patient-provider relationships and the community impact that serve as catalysts for change. Through this talk, she was also able to bring chromophobe RCC to center stage, highlighting our community and the impact that has been driven over the past few years. This includes 7 grants, awards, and initiatives dedicated to chromophobe in the past 4 years, supported by our community and several foundations, including COA. This is an effort our community should be incredibly proud of, as just 5 years ago, there wasn't a single funded foundation grant or initiative dedicated specifically for chRCC—an impact you all help drive!

The Bigger Picture: COA's Commitment

We are grateful for the opportunity to share experiences and amplify the patient voice, as this draw awareness, focus, and collaborations for chromophobe RCC that would be outside of our reach alone. This includes:

Supporting Research: We are committed to supporting research that addresses the unique challenges of chRCC. Our representatives met with oncologists, researchers, and other nonprofit organizations at the conference to discuss the greatest unmet needs and ensure we are positioned to make the biggest impact together.

Raising Awareness: We strive to increase understanding of chRCC among patients, providers, and the broader community. We will be kicking off a patient stories blog series in just a few weeks and are looking forward to hearing from you! Stay tuned to hear from Catherine, whose story and impact will be highlighted in our first post.

Empowering Patients: We aim to provide resources and support that enable patients to actively participate in their care and research.

Gratitude and Moving Forward

Thank you to ASCO for providing a platform for these important discussions. COA remains dedicated to making a difference in the lives of those affected by chromophobe RCC.

Stay Connected

Website: coakidney.org