Burnout is a stress-induced, occupational-related syndrome characterized by emotional exhaustion (EE), feelings of cynicism (depersonalization, DEP) and a loss of purpose and meaning in work (personal accomplishment, PA). It is listed in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision (ICD-10) under the category ‘Problems related to life-management difficulty’.

Burnout has been recognized as an issue amongst healthcare professionals across specialties for several decades [1–3]. Physician burnout rates have been shown to vary across medical specialities [4, 5]. However, despite initial reports since the 1990s of burnout as a potential, serious risk for individual oncologists [1], it remains a neglected problem for the oncology profession. In addition to working in an environment of increasing workload, administrative tasks and facing medico-legal issues in an era of reduced resources, there are occupational factors integral to cancer care that put oncologists at risk of burnout. These include constantly communicating with patients about life-changing treatment decisions, delivering bad news and supervising toxic therapies where often there is limited ability to prolong life substantially for many patients.

Dr Bernado Rapoport presenting his poster on “Prevention of chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV), efficacy and safety of Rolapitant over multiple cycles of highly or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy."

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Smoking cessation among patients enrolled in a low-dose computed tomography screening program is associated with a three- to five-time reduction in mortality, according to research (Abstract PLEN04.07) presented at the 16th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) in Denver, Colorado. The Conference was hosted by the International Association of the Study of Lung Cancer.

In two phase III trials reported in The Lancet Oncology, Rapoport et al found that the addition of rolapitant to serotonin (5-HT3) receptor antagonist and dexamethasone treatment significantly improved complete response rates in prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in patients receiving highly emetogenic cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

Vienna, Austria - 25 Sep - 29 Sep 2015

The European Cancer Congress (ECC 2015) is a biennial congress which combines the efforts of the most important European oncology professionals with the aim of improving the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care of cancer patients.

At our extra ordinary AGM in 2014 a change in the Constitution of SASMO now has 2 stratifications for members either a Full Member with full voting rights (people qualifying for this need to be Registered Medical Oncologists) and Associate Members who are Allied/Interested Parties who will not have voting rights.

Your membership fees for SASMO have now become due. This letter serves to inform you that the Membership fees will increase to R1000-00 for a period of 4 years membership as of 2015 for Full Members with full voting rights (Registered Medical Oncologists) and for Associated members the fee will be R500-00 for a 4 year period.