James O. Armitage, M.D., Assumes ASCO Presidency

The Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania
Last Modified: May 20, 1996

Philadelphia, PA, May 20, 1996 -- James O. Armitage, M.D., professor and chairman, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, today assumed the presidency of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) during the Society's Annual Meeting.

An internationally-recognized oncologist, Dr. Armitage's research focuses on bone marrow transplantation, and the management and classification of lymphoma.

"The health care system in the U.S. is changing, and the impact on cancer patients is substantial," noted Dr. Armitage. "The advent of managed care puts at risk our ability to do clinical research, and thereby, advance cancer treatment. That scenario blurs the relationship of patients and their oncologist. ASCO needs to continue to be a leader in protecting the health and rights of cancer patients, and I'm confident that we will."

A member of ASCO's Board of Directors from 1988-1990, Dr. Armitage currently serves on the Board of the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation and is chairman of its Clinical Affairs Committee. He is a past member of the board of the American Society of Hematology, and serves on numerous editorial boards including Annals of Oncology, Blood, and Leukemia and Lymphoma.

President-Elect

Robert J. Mayer, M.D., has been elected by ASCO membership as the Society's president-elect. Dr. Mayer is chief, Division of Clinical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School. He is also consultant in medical oncology, New England Deaconess Hospital. His research focuses on acute leukemia and gastrointestinal malignancies.

A member of ASCO's Board of Directors from 1989-1992, Dr. Mayer is also a member of the American Joint Committee on Cancer. He was a member of the American Board of Internal Medicine from 1985-1995. He serves on numerous editorial boards, including The New England Journal of Medicine, Harvard Medical School Health Letter, and Annals of Surgical Oncology.

Board of Directors

Results of the election for new members of the 1996-97 ASCO Board of Directors were also announced today. They include: Douglas W. Blayney, M.D., of the Wishire Oncology Group (Glendora, CA); Philip A. Pizzo, M.D., of the National Cancer Institute (Bethesda, MD); Nancy E. Davidson, M.D., of the Johns Hopkins Oncology Center (Baltimore, MD); and Larry Norton, M.D., of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (New York, NY).