CAPO 2025: 40th Annual Conference

Abstracts are due by 11:59 PST, November 29, 2024 

The Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology (CAPO) is now accepting abstracts for IN-PERSON posters, papers, and workshops for the 40^th Annual Conference to be held in Toronto, Ontario from April 23 to 25, 2025.

This conference brings together key stakeholders including people with lived experience as well as multidisciplinary professionals from nursing, psychology, psychiatry, social work, spiritual care, nutrition, medicine, rehabilitation medicine, occupational health and radiation therapy for both adult and pediatric populations. Together, we seek to explore, share, learn and discuss psychosocial and physical aspects of cancer. Participants include clinicians, researchers, educators in cancer care, patient advocacy organizations, community-based organizations and patient representatives. Patients, caregivers and family members are strongly encouraged to submit abstracts that speak to their role in managing cancer experiences and care. 

We invite abstracts focusing on the human experience of illness and the soul of medicine in this age of biomedicine. Through an interdisciplinary lens, we endeavor to illuminate the connection between mind, body, and spirit in cancer care. Submissions can be reports of observational studies and clinical trials, innovative programs and service delivery models, systematic reviews, study protocols, clinical guidelines and best practice and local, regional, national and international approaches to build capacity in research, education and clinical care. Patients as co-presenters are encouraged where funding is available to ensure their participation. Patient oriented content is also encouraged.

Abstract Regulations & Guidelines

With abstract submission, the first author (submitting author):

• Accepts responsibility for the accuracy of the submitted abstract.
• Confirms that all authors are aware of and agree to the content of the abstract and support the data presented.
• Confirms the abstract is not under review for presentation or publication elsewhere and has not been previously presented or published in its current format.
• Gives permission for the abstract, when selected for presentation, to be published in the Conference Proceedings.   
• Confirms that the primary presenter/senior author will register and attend the conference. Where patient partners have been engaged, funding for their participation is the responsibility of the primary presenter/senior author.

Presentation Types:

Poster Presentations – consist of 4’ x 4’ (1.2 M x 1.2M) display presentations for completed or in progress work. Submissions for poster presentations should follow the clinical or research format (see below). At least one author of an accepted poster abstract must be present during the assigned session. Poster sessions may run concurrently with other conference sessions.

10-minute rapid oral presentations consist of a 5-minute presentation followed by a 5-minute Question/Answer (Q&A) session. Grouped with other related presentations, this format is best suited for newly implemented/ongoing projects (clinical or research). This is a great option for attendees (researchers/clinicians/students) who would like to present and seek feedback on study protocols or preliminary results. These submissions should follow clinical or research format (see below). Abstracts should include 2 to 3 questions for which authors are seeking feedback.

20-minute individual oral presentations – Submitted abstracts for these presentations (clinical or research) are best suited for completed work.  Presenters should plan a 15-minute presentation and a 5-minute Q&A. Abstracts for consideration must follow the format specified below under “Abstract Type”. Submitting authors must specify the abstract theme under which the work is to be considered.

90-minute symposium – These 90-minute symposiums consist of three theme-focused oral presentations with discussion led by a moderator.  The symposium submission includes one Chairperson (submitting author) who will act as moderator, and three presenters. A summary abstract which presents the overall symposium theme and three individual abstracts are required - one for each proposed presentation.  Individual abstracts can follow “clinical” or “research” format.

Steps:

• The moderator submits the symposium abstract online which includes moderator information, symposium title and the summary. This is done by selecting the symposium link on the CAPO2025.ca website.
• Individual authors enter in their abstract by following the link in the email received from the moderator. Once entered, they follow the prompts to link the abstract to the relevant symposium. 

Symposium abstracts that appeal to cross-cultural and patient-oriented audiences will be given higher priority.

90-Minute workshops – Workshops should be interactive, include experiential components, and focus on skills or concepts uptake. Abstracts must include learning objectives and teaching methods to be used (e.g., vignettes, experiential components, role play, etc…).

Submission formats

To be considered, abstracts must follow these guidelines:

• Abstract titles should be brief (maximum of 30 words) and should reflect the content of the submission.
• Commercial entities/names may not be used in the abstract title.
• No more than 10 authors can be listed per submission.
• Each author’s professional title, institutional affiliation(s), city and country must be provided.
• An abstract is required for all symposium, oral and poster submissions.
• Abstract content should be submitted in structured paragraph format.
• Submissions must follow the clinical or research format and either can present patient-oriented content.
• Submissions may state measurement in clinical care and research in PSO

• For submissions, ensure that you provide the following:

• Abstract Title
• Name, City and Affiliation of all authors
• Presenting author
• Submission Type
• Theme
• Abstract content 

DO NOT ENTER IN ALL CAPS. Submissions that provide approval to publish will be published as they are submitted. Failure to follow the prescribed directions may impact inclusion in the publication.

Abstract submission is in text format only and the pre-defined topic and type must be indicated. Upon submission, a confirmation will be sent to the email of the account holder. Please note: This email is a confirmation of abstract submission and NOT a notice of acceptance.

Abstract Themes (Research and Clinical)

Abstracts will be accepted for the following themes: 

• A. Adapting PSO care in LMI countries
• B. Cancer care across the life span (children, adolescent & young adults, adults, and older adults)
• C. Community-based and volunteer cancer care services
• D. Complementary and integrative cancer care
• E. Exercise/pre-habilitation and rehabilitation in cancer
• F. Equity, diversity and inclusion (sociodemographic, culture, and sex/gender issues)
• G. Health care provider wellness
• H. High tech to high touch (digital health, value-based care, integrated PSO interventions)
• I. Implementation science, knowledge translation and synthesis
• J. Palliative and end-of-life care
• K. Pandemics and cancer care issues
• L. Patient oriented research approaches
• M. Primary, secondary and tertiary cancer prevention
• N. Novel interventions and clinical trials in PSO
• O. Survivorship
• P. Other

Abstract Selection Process

Abstracts will be judged on the following criteria:

• Significance and relevance
• Innovation
• Approach and findings
• Implications
• Rigor and clarity

The CAPO 2025 Scientific Committee will select abstract for oral, poster and symposium presentations by January 24, 2025. The submitting author will receive an email with the decision. If a primary author cannot attend the conference, that author should assign a replacement. The scientific committee reserves the right to reallocate abstracts as necessary. All presenting authors must register for the conference.

For abstract-related inquiries, please contact [email protected]

SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT HERE

SUBMIT A SYMPOSIUM ABSTRACT HERE