Abstract Submission Information

The Abstract Submitter is now closed.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: September 20, 2011, by 11:59 PM (EDT)

Abstracts must be submitted online using the official 2012 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium Abstract Submitter. E-mails and word processing files submitted outside this program will not be accepted. Each First Author will receive an e-mail to verify the abstract has been received.

Download the 2012 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium Submission Guidelines

Essential Elements for Submission
Essential Steps in Submitting a Late-breaking Abstract
Responsibilities of the First Author
Topic Category Selection
Instructions for Abstract Submission
Presentation Types

Essential Elements for Submission

• Abstracts presented prior to the Symposium (but not published as a manuscript subsequent to presentation) are allowed for presentation at the Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium.
• Summaries of new, ongoing, and updated research in the area of Gastrointestinal Cancer will be acceptable for submission and presentation.
•  Individuals may serve as a First Author of more than one abstract submitted to the Symposium.
• First authors must agree at the time of submission to present the abstract if it is selected for presentation at the Symposium. (This includes being present during the scheduled time of a Poster Session.)
• The body, title, and table of the abstract can be no longer than 2,000 characters, not including spaces.
• Author disclosure for the first author and all co-authors must be declared at the time of abstract submission. If the first author is employed by a commercial interest as defined by the ACCME, an alternate presenter who does not have a relevant employment relationship must be named if the abstract is selected for presentation in an oral abstract session.
• First Authors must select a topic category that best fits the subject area of their abstract.  Final categorization is at the discretion of the Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium Program Committee.
• The abstract must be organized according to four sections, identified by the following headers (in bold):  Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusions.
• A nonrefundable $60 administrative fee, payable at the time of submission, will be associated with all submissions.

Essential Steps in Submitting a Late-Breaking Abstract

In order for an abstract to be considered for late-breaking status, the First Author must:

• Submit an abstract by the abstract submission deadline (September 20, 2011)
• Describe the type of data that will be submitted by the late-breaking abstract deadline
• Indicate whether the abstract should be withdrawn (by selecting “yes” or “no” on the drop-down menu in the Abstract Submitter program) in the event that the late-breaking abstract is not accepted for presentation (publication only in the 2012 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium Meeting Program/Proceedings)
• The deadline to submit your final data is December 5, 2011 by 11:59 PM (EST).

Responsibilities of the First Author

Individuals may serve as First Author of more than one abstract.

 First Authors must:

•  Verify that, if necessary for the work reported, the clinical research represented in the abstract was approved by an appropriate ethics committee or institutional review board and, if appropriate to this research, informed consent was obtained for all subjects.
• Verify that all coauthors are aware of the contents of the abstract and support its data.
• Agree, on behalf of all authors, to transfer copyright to ASCO.
• Agree to present the abstract if it is selected for presentation at the Symposium. (This includes being present during the scheduled time of a Poster Session.)
• Complete the process to submit the abstract through the online submitter program, including obtaining and providing author disclosure information for the First Author and all coauthors.

Download a Co-author Disclosure Form

Topic Category Selection

Authors must select one topic category that best fits the subject of their abstract.  The Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium Program Committee reserves the right to recategorize an abstract.

Esophagus and Stomach
Prevention, Screening, and Diagnosis
Multidisciplinary Treatment
Translational Research

Pancreas, Small Bowel, and Hepatobiliary Tract
Prevention, Screening, and Diagnosis
Multidisciplinary Treatment
Translational Research

Colon and Rectum
Prevention, Screening, and Diagnosis
Multidisciplinary Treatment
Translational Research


 Instructions for Abstract Submission

Please make special note of the following when preparing your abstract.

• Describe the objectives and results of the research in the abstract so that the Program Committee can evaluate the quality and completeness of the abstract.
• Do not use proprietary names in the title or body of the abstract.  If necessary, you may include the proprietary name in parentheses directly after the generic name on first use in the body of the abstract.
• Organize the abstract according to four sections, identified by the following headers (in bold): Background, Methods, Results, and Conclusions.
• You may include one data table with the abstract. Do not include illustrations.
• You may use abbreviations if they are spelled out or defined after their first mention. Take particular care to identify complex chemotherapeutic regimens.
• Do not exceed 2,000 characters (approximately 300-350 words), not including spaces, for the total of your abstract title, body, and table.  
• List no more than 20 individual authors for each abstract.  In addition to the 20 authors, an authoring group may also be listed to indicate the remaining authors.  

In order to successfully complete an online submission, authors will need to provide the following information.

• First Author (Presenter): The name, institution, address, telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address of the First Author. The First Author (Presenter) will receive all future correspondence from ASCO.
• Coauthor(s): The name and institution of each coauthor. Academic degrees of coauthors are not needed.
• Topic Category:  The most appropriate topic category for the abstract, according to the list of topics online (which also appears above). Please note that the Program Committee has the authority to recategorize an abstract.
• Disclosure Declaration: Disclosure information for the First Author as well as for all coauthors. If the first author is employed by a commercial interest as defined by the ACCME, an alternate presenter who does not have a relevant employment relationship must be named if the abstract is selected for presentation in an oral abstract session.

Presentation Types

Oral Abstract Sessions
These sessions includes several 10-15 minute presentations of abstracts representing important clinical and translational research findings by topic category. Presenting authors may use PowerPoint slides to accompany their oral presentation. Experts in the field (Discussants) may be chosen to provide comprehensive themed discussions of the findings from predetermined abstracts.

General Poster Session
Selected abstracts will be presented in poster sessions that are one to two hours long.  First Authors should be available throughout the poster session to informally answer questions from attendees regarding the information presented.

Merit Awards
A limited number of Merit Awards will be given to fellows and residents who submit high-quality abstracts. Merit Award winners will receive a monetary award, as well as complimentary registration for the 2012 Gastroinestinal Cancers Symposium and access to Symposium housing reserved for ASCO.  Fellows and residents who wish to apply for a Merit Award should check the box located in the “Additional Information” section of the submitter, indicating they wish to apply for a Merit Award.  Applicants will be required to upload a letter of support from his or her Training Program Director and a two-page curriculum vitae. Individuals who are selected for a Merit Award will be notified of their award in early November.

For more information on eligiblity and criteria, please click here.

Correspondence
Each First Author/Presenter will receive an e-mail acknowledging receipt of the abstract after initiating a submission and after completing a submission. The First Author (Presenter) will receive a letter of notification from the Program Committee regarding its decision by early November.