Message from the President
Dr. Kunihiko Ishitani
President of The International Reserch Society of the SCPSC
President, Higashi Sapporo Hospital
Announcement regarding the 5th Sapporo Conference for Palliative and Supportive Care in Cance
Toward a New Era in Palliative Care in Cancer
The Sapporo Conference for Palliative and Supportive Care in Cancer (SCPSC), regarded as the “Olympics of Palliative Care in Cancer,” is pleased to announce that the program for the 5th SCPSC, to be held in July 2026, has been finalized.
Over the past few years, I have spoken in various forums about the fact that research on and practice of palliative care is reaching a turning point. One reason for this is the establishment of facilities and researchers providing specialized palliative care specific to various diseases, such as cancer, intractable neurological diseases, chronic heart failure, and the recent COVID-19 infection, as well as undertaking original scientific research on these diseases. The other is the existence of facilities and medical professionals who consciously provide non-specific palliative care for all illnesses, in accordance with the existing conditions in the country or region and the philosophy of the facility. This latter fact has great significance for both global health and medical administration.
The 5th SCPSC has attempted to provide innovative programs on palliative oncology and psycho-oncology, taking into consideration the current state of both. Further, as expected, we have been able to attract innovative researchers from each field. In other words, we have now passed the turning point and have entered a new era of research and practice in palliative care. We asked the following associates to plan the four basic symposiums:
1) The symposium on opioids was planned by Dr. Russell Portenoy and Dr. David Hui, 2) that covering palliative cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and including immunotherapy was designed by Dr. Areej El-Jawahri and Dr. Shunichi Nakagawa, 3) the symposium on psycho-oncology was designed by Dr. Friedrich Stiefel, Dr. Sarah Dauchy and Dr. Camilla Zimmermann, and 4) the symposium on euthanasia was planned by Dr. Luc Deliens and Dr. David Currow, with each symposium expected to provide novel content. Please visit the SCPSC website for details.
http://www.sapporoconference.com/en/general_info/schedule.html
As stated in the IRS-SCPSC News Letter published on December 22, 2023. IRS-News Letter,presentations for general topics will be organized into two parts: oral sessions and poster sessions, with plans for an educational event involving experts. We look forward to receiving many presentations.We have also scheduled an educational lecture on "Comparative Cultural Studies of Spirituality and Spiritual Care" by Dr. Karen Steinhauser. And an educational lecture by Dr. Mark Taubert on “ Future Care Planning-European perspective on better planning for palliative care patients “is planned. Moreover, a special lecture will also be given by Dr. Herwig Czech on "The Lancet Commission on medicine, Nazism, and the Holocaust: historical evidence, implications for today, teaching for tomorrow." I believe this theme will provide important insights not only into palliative care, medicine, and healthcare, but also into the chaos of the modern world.
Every three years, the SCPSC brings together the world's leading experts in palliative care in cancer to discuss important issues in a non-competitive manner. For this reason, it is affectionately referred to as the "Olympics of Palliative Care in Cancer." We look forward to the participation of many people involved in palliative oncology and psycho-oncology, as well as those involved in the provision of palliative care for diseases other than cancer.
Topics
Introducing interesting medical research papers, for your reference
Impacts of Immunotherapy on Patients With Aggressive Thyroid Carcinomas
Alfred king-yin Lam
JAMA Oncol. Published online Oct 24, 2024.
doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2024.4202
Focus on the blind spots of clinician-patient interactions:A critical narrative review of collusion in medical setting
Sophia Deliyanidis, Friedrich Carl Stiefel et al
Journal of Health Psychology 1–17, 2024
DOI: 10.1177/13591053241284197
Improving our understanding of the complex relationship between cancer-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease
Mackenzie E Fowler, Michael Crowe
J Natl Cancer Inst. 2024 Sep 1;116(9):1414-1416.
doi: 10.1093/jnci/djae146.
AAP Issues First Opioid Prescribing Guideline for Children
Samantha Anderer
JAMA. Published online Oct 25, 2024.
doi:10.1001/jama.2024.21821
Is Histopathology Deep Learning Artificial Intelligence the Future of Precision Oncology?
Vincent M Wagner
Journal of Clinical. Oncology. Vol 42, No 30, 2024
doi.org/10.1200/JCO-24-01271
Member's News
Welcoming our latest addition to the Board Directors
Dr. Koichi Takada
Professor, Department of Medical Oncology, Sapporo Medical Unversity of School of Medicine
Director of the Cancer Center, Sapporo Medical University Hospital
Thrilling News: A Joyous Announcement!
July 27,2024. The Summer issue of the SCPSC Newsletter was published on the BMJSPCare Forum.
BMJ SPCare (Please click)
History
Dr. Robert Twycross - A Tribute to His Great Lagacy
Dr. Robert Twycross has unexpectedly passed away and has been embraced by eternal peace. This sad news quickly spread through Twitter, LinkedIn, and other news outlets, bringing renewed recognition to his remarkable contributions to the field of palliative care and his esteemed character. Here, we present a tribute from Dr. Mark Taubert, a close friend of his.
(Dr. Robert Twycross)
Dr. Robert Twycross's contributions are widely respected and can be particularly found in resources such as the widely used Palliative Care Formulary. For more details, please refer to the following URL.
https://www.pharmaceuticalpress.com/resources/article/a-tribute-to-robert-twycross-honouring-a-50-year-career-in-hospice-and-palliative-care/
We sincerely pray for his soul's eternal peace.
Dr. Mark Taubert's Tribute
Dr.Mark Taubert
Professor, Cardiff University School Of Medicine,UK
Vice-President of the European Association for Palliative Care
Dr Robert Twycross, a pioneer and visionary in palliative medicine, died on Sunday 20 October 2024. The news came as a shock to me; I had, only recently, in July of that year, exchanged emails with him, where I learned that his whilst health had been poor, he felt things were improving. In turn, he was at pains at wishing me a speedy recovery after a cycling accident I had; but then he had a long history of prioritising others!
He graduated from the University of Oxford Medical School in 1965. In 1971, he worked under Dame Cicely Saunders at St Christopher’s Hospice. His research questioned the usefulness of something referred to as the ‘Brompton Cocktail’, the standard in cancer pain management at that time in the United Kingdom (it contained, in some formulations, cocaine, heroin, alcohol and chloroform). That research led to the subsequent abandonment of the Brompton Cocktail in favour of more evidence-based therapies. He was Consultant Physician-in-Charge of Sir Michael Sobell House from 1976 to 1987. In 1988, Sobell House was designated the World Health Organisation (WHO) Collaborating Centre for Palliative Cancer Care, and Robert served as its Director from 1988 to 2005.
He also conducted an annual International School for Cancer Care palliative care course at Oxford University, making possible world-leading education for palliative care practitioners around the world. In 2001, he was elected to an Emeritus Fellowship.
Robert was founding member of multiple societies that were important for what palliative care is today. They include the European Association for Palliative Care, the UK Association for Palliative Medicine, the International Association for the Study of Pain and the Palliative Care Research Society. He was also a founding author of the Palliative Care Formulary. In 2001, he co-founded palliativedrugs.com to provide independent drug information for health professionals around the world. He had numerous publications to his name, including what became the standard introductory palliative medicine text, Introducing Palliative Care. One of the key messages in it, for me, was communicating uncertainty to patients and family, especially around prognosis, and I regularly pass on his advice to my own medical students, when they rotate through our palliative care department. Robert will be remembered as a foundational and inspirational figure in the field of palliative medicine and the hospice movement. His books are on my work desk and remind me of him every day. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
Report
Report on the Paris Visit: Basilica of the Sacred Heart and the French National Center for Palliative Care and End-of-Life (CNSPFV)
For this issue's frontispiece, we selected a photo of the Sacré-Cœur Basilica (Basilique du Sacré-Cœur) in Paris, France. This photo was taken during President Ishitani's visit to the French National Center for Palliative Care and End-of-Life (CNSPFV) this May, when he stopped by Montmartre Hill. This white basilica stands proudly atop Montmartre and symbolizes faith and healing, as suggested by its name, the "Sacred Heart." In front of the basilica, equestrian statues of Saint Louis IX on the left and Joan of Arc on the right beautifully blend France's history and faith.
The Sacré-Cœur Basilica was built to honor the citizens who lost their lives during the "Paris Commune" of 1871. This Commune emerged when, after France's defeat in the Franco-Prussian War, Parisians established an autonomous government advocating for workers' rights and the formation of a republic. Although it was suppressed in only two months, many involved lost their lives. The basilica was built as a tribute to these tragic events, embodying a prayer for peace and healing that continues to offer solace to visitors to this day.
This frontispiece also resonates with President Ishitani’s message, "Toward a New Era in Palliative Care in Cancer." Reflecting on the pain and sacrifices of the past, the philosophy of palliative care—alleviating suffering, providing comfort, and enhancing quality of life as we build a new future—aligns closely with the spirit of the Sacré-Cœur Basilica.
Additionally, the group photo was taken during President Ishitani’s visit to the National Center for Palliative and End-of-Life Care (CNSPFV) in France. CNSPFV is a specialized institution focused on research, support, and education related to palliative and end-of-life care in France. During the visit, an overview of SCPSC2026 was presented, with the staff at CNSPFV expressing their intention to participate. We extend our gratitude to the CNSPFV team for their enthusiasm in aligning with the President’s vision and their commitment to deepening international collaboration.
Announcement from the SCPSC Team
Greetings from the Editorial Team
Thank you very much for your continued interest in the IRS-SCPSC Newsletter. We are pleased to announce that, thanks to your support, we have reached our first anniversary. Over the past year, we have messages from President Ishitani at the beginning of each issue to share his thoughts on the SCPSC. We also believe that the establishment of the History section has been a valuable initiative for helping deepen our readers’ understanding of the SCPSC. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the many esteemed contributors who have shared their valuable insights with us.
Furthermore, we are delighted to announce that, from our previous issue, we have begun co-publishing with BMJSPCare. Our sincere thanks go to Dr. Declan Walsh and Dr. Mark Taubert for making this collaboration possible. We look forward to continuing this journey with all of you in the coming year. Lastly, we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our translation team and programming instructor for their invaluable guidance. With our warmest regards.
