Call for Abstracts

General information

• The deadline for late-breaking abstracts submission is March 24, 2019 (23:59 CET).
• Once you have submitted your abstract, you will receive an automatic email confirmation. If you do not receive an email, please email the Conference Secretariat (icsn2019@marktwo.nl).
• All late-breaking abstracts will be reviewed, scored and accepted or rejected by the Scientific Committee. Late-breaking abstracts will only be considered for oral presentation. The decision of the Committee is final.
• You will be notified of your submission’s acceptance status via e-mail by April 15, 2019.
• If a late-breaking abstract is accepted for presentation, the presenting author must attend the Conference to present the abstract. The presenting author will be required to register for the Conference by May 8, 2019 in order to have the abstract acceptance confirmed. If a presenting author is not registered by that date, the Scientific Committee will remove the abstract from the program.
• Abstract presenters will be required to fund in full their own attendance at the conference (including conference registration and travel expenses) and should not accept to present an abstract if this is not possible. Scholarship funding will not be available for late-breaking abstracts.
• Accepted abstracts will be made available through the ICSN 2019 conference website.

Abstract preparation guidelines

• Abstracts should be submitted under a designated research theme (see below).
• Abstracts should contain new information and should not have been presented before.
• All abstracts must be submitted in English.
• Maximum word count is 300 words (or 250 words including one table or figure).
• Use the following structured headings: Background, Methods, Results, Conclusions.
• Preferably do not use abbreviations. If you must use abbreviations, specify in full at the first mention, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses. Use the abbreviation thereafter.
• Check abstract thoroughly for spelling and grammar.
• Do not include references.

Research Themes

1. Novel strategies in screening & BIG DATA

This topic covers both new and renewed screening programs, such as primary HPV screening for cervical cancer or Tomosynthesis in breast cancer screening. Newly developed screening tests and clinical trials that potentially can result into new or renewed screening programs are also of interest, as well as the use of deep learning technologies and other use of BIG DATA in screening programs.

2. Cancer screening in low- and middle income countries

This topic covers all issues related to screening in low- and middle income countries, from setting up trials, implementation of programs or evaluation of current situations or strategies how to reach specific populations. We encourage submissions of studies of the effect of alternative screening delivery models.

3. Lung cancer screening

This topic covers the relatively new field of lung cancer screening, in all its facets.

4. Controversial issues in screening

This topic covers a broad spectrum of issues that are often heavily debated in screening, such as the relative effect of screening versus treatment (e.g., in breast cancer), impact of false positives, quality of life, overtreatment.

5. Impact of screening policies and strategies

Evaluation of screening policies before and after implementation and the societal impact of screening strategies will be the focus of this topic. Studies that use modelling techniques to evaluate potential screening strategy changes or population-based evaluation of established programs will be covered in this topic.

6. Individualized screening

One size does not fit all anymore. This topic focusses on risk-based approaches, such as tailoring the breast cancer screening protocol to breast density. Research on risk identification like genetics, lifestyle, demographics as well as its potential translation to personalized screening approaches is covered in this topic.

7. Communicating screening in balance

Two aspects related to communication will be covered in this topic. The first aspect focusses on the target group, with a strong focus on informed and shared decision making, patient-centered approaches, communicating screening results and engaging non-attenders or hard-to-reach populations. The second aspect focusses more on the communication with professionals, and engaging policymakers and the media.

8. Reaching the hard-to-reach populations

Hard-to-reach populations are sub-groups whose geographic, economic or social conditions represent a challenge to service delivery or program implementation inside a target population. They include a vast range of people, with very diverse characteristics and backgrounds: low-income families living in rural United States; newly immigrant populations in European countries; indigenous people in Australia, the Andes, or the Amazon; or, tribal populations in the Himalayas are only a few examples. This session will include studies of barriers, models, and tests of interventions to offer screening to people who have never been screened or face challenges like cost, time constraints, cultural resistance or other factors making them less likely to be screened.

9. Pitches

We also invite pitches on failures and practical perspectives, and pitches on bright ideas or QA sessions, and hands-on teaching on overdiagnosis in breast cancer screening.

Implementation and management of screening programs can throw up practical challenges. This topic covers issues such as development and implementation of guidelines, logistical issues with implementing or managing program as well as solutions tried, tested and/or failed in (established) screening programs. If you have a bright idea, or questions you have always wanted to ask the experts, please write. We anticipate to have a hands-on workshop with (your) data on breast cancer screening and overdiagnosis.