This April, we recognize several often-overlooked cancers: oral, head and neck, esophageal,and testicular. Each of these cancers carries unique challenges,yet all benefit from greater awareness, early detection, and equitable access to care. This month also overlaps with Alcohol Awareness Month, an important reminder of the link between alcohol use and increased cancer risk.In fact, alcohol has been associated with cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus, as well as the liver, breast, stomach, and colon.
The Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) is committed to developing talented young investigators in integrative oncology with its Dr. Barrie Cassileth New Investigator Forum on integrative oncology research methods. This award is open to advanced doctoral students, postdoctoral trainees, and junior faculty members. Research submitted may be a trial in its planning stages or a trial that has been opened but not yet completed. A group of scholars will be selected to become an SIO Dr. Barrie Cassileth New Investigator Scholar. During the New Investigator Forum, scholars will present their research and receive guidance from expert integrative oncology clinician scientists in SIO. The forum is a three-hour event and will include a snack break.
Call for Applications
The Society for Integrative Oncology (SIO) is committed to developing talented young investigators in integrative oncology with its New Investigator Forum on Integrative Oncology Research Methods. We are accepting New Investigator Forum applications for the 22nd International Conference that will be held in Boston, MA, U.S.A. from October 27-29. Open to advanced doctoral students, postdoctoral trainees and junior faculty, a selected group of scholars will be chosen to meet with internationally recognized leaders in the field and present their research for discussion and constructive feedback. The research may be in its planning stages or work in progress that is not yet completed.
Purpose
Provide students, trainees and junior faculty with an opportunity to have planned research or research in progress reviewed, discussed and critiqued in a supportive environment by experienced and highly regarded integrative oncology experts who have varied clinical and scientific expertise.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants may be: 1) doctoral students who are working on any phase of their dissertation, or 2) postdoctoral trainees or faculty who are within the first three years of their first academic appointment, or who are new to integrative oncology research and working on any phase of their research project from design to analysis. Participants’ research designs may be correlative or interventional.
Description of Forum
Participants will attend a 2-hour forum in a small group setting consisting of experts and trainees/junior faculty in integrative oncology where ideas, information, feedback and guidance will be exchanged. The forum will be held the day before the SIO International Conference on 10/26/2025.
Scholarship Details
Investigator participants will receive a waiver of the conference fee and reimbursement up to $1,500 for related travel and accommodation expenses. All expenses are subject the SIO Travel Policy and must be submitted with the SIO reimbursement form and accompanied by receipts.
Applications are due by May 15, 2025, and the decision announced by June 15.
March is an important month for cancer awareness, spotlighting colorectal, multiple myeloma, and kidney cancers. These efforts encourage early detection, preventive measures, and continued research. Certain behaviors and environmental exposures can elevate the risk for these three cancers, underscoring the value of health education, early screening, and a healthy lifestyle in reducing risk and preventing disease.
Colorectal Cancer: Early-onset colorectal cancer has been rising by about 2% annually since 1994, with risk factors including an unhealthy diet, an imbalanced microbiome, obesity, and sedentary habits¹. The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) highlights current research on using the gut microbiome to predict early-onset colorectal cancer, employing fasting-mimicking diets to combat tumors, and introducing dietary supplements to fortify the gut barrier and reduce disease progression². The American Cancer Society recommends that people at average risk of colorectal cancer start regular screening at age 45¹. Routine screening may lower lifetime incidence rates and increase total years of life saved, with even greater benefit for Black and African American populations¹.
Multiple Myeloma: Multiple studies (Shah et al., 2024; Paredes et al., 2024; Liu et al., 2024) presented at the 2024 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition point to a connection between hematologic malignancies and dietary components3-5.
Kidney Cancer: Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC), which constitutes 90% of adult kidney cancers, is primarily linked to smoking, excess weight, and high blood pressure, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS)⁶. Research by Tahbez et al. (2018) further confirms that maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding smoking can effectively reduce the risk of kidney cancer⁷.
Seed and Soil: A recent large-scale UK Biobank study (Argentieri et al., 2025) featured in Nature Medicine shows that environmental and lifestyle factors have a stronger influence than genetics on both aging and mortality, underscoring the importance of modifiable behaviors—such as smoking cessation and increased physical activity—for disease prevention⁸.
Shah UA, Cogrossi LL, Derkach A, et al: A high-fiber dietary intervention (NUTRIVENTION) in precursor plasma cell disorders improves biomarkers of disease and may delay progression to myeloma. 2024 ASH Annual Meeting & Exposition. Abstract 671. Presented December 8, 2024.
Paredes J, Fei T, Dai A, et al: Increased fiber intake results in better overall survival and lower GI-aGVHD in allo-HCT recipients and pre-clinical GVHD models. 2024 ASH Annual Meeting & Exposition. Abstract 259. Presented December 7, 2024.
Liu S, Guruprasad P, Han K, et al: Ketogenic diet boosts CAR T-cell function via b-hydroxybutyrate. 2024 ASH Annual Meeting & Exposition. Abstract 4. Presented December 8, 2024.
Tahbaz R, Schmid M, Merseburger AS. Prevention of kidney cancer incidence and recurrence: lifestyle, medication and nutrition. Curr Opin Urol. 2018 Jan;28(1):62-79. doi: 10.1097/MOU.0000000000000454. PMID: 29059103.
Argentieri, M.A., Amin, N., Nevado-Holgado, A.J. et al.Integrating the environmental and genetic architectures of aging and mortality. Nat Med (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-03483-9
This April, we recognize several often-overlooked cancers: oral, head and neck, esophageal,and testicular. Each of these cancers carries unique challenges,yet all benefit from greater awareness, early detection, and equitable access to care. This month also overlaps with Alcohol Awareness Month, an important reminder of the link between alcohol use and increased cancer risk.In fact, alcohol has been associated with cancers of the mouth, throat, and esophagus, as well as the liver, breast, stomach, and colon.