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Found in Translation: #ASCO26 Showcases the Power of Science to Improve Cancer Outcomes Worldwide
May 29, 2026
On Friday, oncologists from around the globe will gather in Chicago for the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, which is taking place May 29 – June 2. While the #ASCO26 meeting theme, “The science and practice of translation: Improving cancer outcomes worldwide,” refers to translational medicine, it is equally applicable to how scientific communicators turn data into compelling narratives that inform and inspire.
In a changing landscape, science innovators and science communicators face a shared challenge: the growing difficulty of effectively positioning the clinical and business value of breakthrough advances in a crowded, increasingly fragmented information ecosystem.
30 Years of Progress and Science Communication
The oncology landscape has changed since I first attended ASCO nearly 30 years ago. At that time, the first monoclonal antibody for cancer (Rituxan®) had not yet been approved, molecular diagnostics for cancer were in their earliest stages, the first paper supporting the use of CAR T-cells in animals had just been published, and high-end desktop computers had exponentially less computing power than today’s smartphones. The times have changed – dramatically.
Hot topics at #ASCO26 include next-generation antibody-drug conjugates, the use of circulating tumor DNA as a surrogate endpoint to speed drug approvals and detect early relapse, and generative AI-based tools for trial selection and predictive biomarker identification. The transformation in oncology science in the past three decades parallels a dramatic evolution of the scientific communications landscape.
At my first ASCO, we issued press releases via blast fax and were excited about the potential for using email to reach targeted media and investors. Today, multiple channels and media formats allow hyper-specific targeting with the touch of an app. At the same time, newsrooms have been shrinking as the landscape is awash with information, misinformation, and disinformation. Changes in technology and staffing can make it easy for scientific messages to get lost in translation from data to press releases and across YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Data Lost in Translation
In the age of generative search engines, many information seekers read only the AI-generated summary at the top of their search results, making inclusion in this GenAI age critical. Optimizing content for detection by the large language models (LLMs) that drive these searches ensures that scientific narratives are found and valued by the audiences that matter most.
Tips for Scientific Communicators in the AI Era
Whether presenting pivotal clinical trial data at ASCO or sharing scientific information for a new technology or start-up company, these seven steps help ensure that your information is found by the people you need to engage:
1. Develop omni-channel, multi-media strategies to broaden reach and create a consistent footprint across platforms (e.g., YouTube, LinkedIn, X, Instagram, TikTok, corporate website).
2. Package key scientific messages into “bitable” headlines and subheads of written content (i.e., press releases, backgrounders, etc.)
3. Include a short executive summary at the start of your content that reinforces what is new and why it matters.
4. Include specific detail about trial data – trial name, NCT number, patient population/indication, endpoints, p-values, and the conference abstract number.
5. Prioritize content through the “LLM filter” and add known subject matter experts, so that incorporating quotes, videos, and social posts from respected clinicians into your communications plan can boost visibility of your content.
6. Elevate questions and answers in natural language so that AI-based engines prioritize them; FAQs are a highly effective tool for increased visibility of your data.
7. Consider a microsite for significant data announcements to house multi-media content in a single location (press release, backgrounders, FAQs, video clips, data figures, mechanism of action illustrations, etc.); leverage social media platforms to drive users to the site.
Tap Communication Experts to Reduce Friction Toward Success
In a market where scientific breakthroughs compete with algorithm-driven discovery, the companies that win will not simply generate data. They will translate data into compelling science-based narratives that are readily discoverable by their key constituencies and drive these audiences toward desired actions.
With industry-leading Strategic Scientific Communications and Integrated Marketing teams, FINN Partners combines decades of expertise with cutting-edge technologies to develop tailored solutions that help our clients be found, understood, and valued for their innovative potential. With professionals who have worked in the field of science communication for decades, have witnessed and reported on the transformation changes in the oncology sector, there is a sensitivity to what media, analysts and investors need to reflect and engage. As ASCO26 reminds us, effective translation leads to clear outcomes.
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