Each year, as the world turns to the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium^® to hear the latest in breast cancer science, SABCS^® is proud to amplify the voices of patients living with the disease. Weaving the patient perspective into all major sessions and seating knowledgeable advocates on discussion panels is a key part of what makes SABCS^® so special, said Carole Baas, PhD, a breast cancer survivor and member of the SABCS^® 2025 Program Planning Committee.

“The patient community — including not only those diagnosed with breast cancer but also their families and support networks — plays an essential role in prevention, detection, treatment, and survivorship,” Dr. Baas said. “Their inclusion is critical to advancing breast cancer research and keeping SABCS truly patient-centered.”

Topics focused on the patient experience, developed with input from advocates, will be featured throughout SABCS^® 2025, December 9-12 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas.

On Tuesday, December 9, one session that may be of interest to the patient community is Special Session 1: Open Bar and All You Can Eat? The Impact of Lifestyle in Breast Cancer Risk and Recurrence. The session, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., will examine the interplay of alcohol, genetics of alcohol metabolism, and breast cancer risk, as well as the molecular link between obesity and breast cancer. Patient advocate Stacey Tinianov, MPH, BCPA, from Advocates for Collaborative Education, will share her insight during a panel Q&A.

On Thursday, December 11, from 8:30 to 9 a.m., Plenary Lecture 1: Partnering with Progress will highlight the critical collaborative process between patients and the scientific community. Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA, of Texas Oncology, will moderate a discussion with Dennis Slamon, MD, of the University of California Los Angeles, and patient advocate Bárbara Segarra-Vázquez, DHSc, of the University of Puerto Rico.

“Advocates play a key role in breast cancer research, pushing for change and partnering with scientists,” explained Dr. Baas, who is the National Advocate for the Physical Sciences in Oncology Network and serves on the Cancer Imaging Steering Committee and the Patient Advocate Steering Committee at the National Cancer Institute. She is also a member of the Cancer Research Advocate, Breast Cancer, and the Experimental Imaging Sciences Committees at ECOG-ACRIN.

On Friday, December 12, from 1 to 2:50 p.m., Special Topic Focus: Beyond Cancer – Addressing Body Image, Hair Loss, and Skin Health After Treatment will facilitate conversation about the psychological and physical impact of cancer treatments on body image, including strategies for self-acceptance and empowerment. Another presentation will explore treatment-related hair loss, emerging alopecia therapies, and access to care. Discussion will also center around managing skin toxicities in cancer care, including recognition, treatment, and prevention. Patient advocate Marissa Thomas, with For the Breast of Us, will be a panelist for the session.

Patient advocate attendees will likely be drawn to many other sessions throughout the week, Dr. Baas said. Breast cancer in young women, metastatic breast cancer, liquid biopsy, de-escalation in low-risk HR+ early-stage breast cancer, and artificial intelligence are just a few high-interest topics that will be featured along with popular program mainstays like the Year in Review and View from the Trenches sessions, she said.

Registration for SABCS^® 2025 is ongoing, and significant discounts are available for patient advocates who wish to attend either in person or virtually. Visit SABCS.org today to view all registration options, as well as details for other patient advocacy programming, including the new SABCS^® Salutes Survivors event, which will be held Monday, December 8, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter on the River Walk.