As a nonprofit organization, ASCO is dedicated to achieving its charitable mission outlined by the organization’s founders in 1964. ASCO strongly supports all types of cancer research, but in particular, patient-oriented clinical research.

ASCO is committed to:

• IMPROVING cancer care and prevention;
  
  
• ADVANCING the education of physicians and other professionals in the care of patients with cancer and supporting research and the development of clinical cancer researchers;
  
  
• FOSTERING communication among cancer-related medical subspecialties and the exchange of a wide range of ideas related to cancer, including its biology, prevention, diagnosis, staging, treatment, and psychosocial impact;
  
  
• ADVOCATING public policy that ensures patient access to high-quality cancer care and that supports increased clinical cancer research; and
  
  
• ASSISTING oncologists in addressing the challenges of the modern-day practice of oncology.