Oncology Summit Breakout Sessions

Philadelphia Department of Public Health | Knowing When to Quit: The Impact of Public Health Campaigns on Smoking Cessation

Philadelphia Department of Public Health Slides

Philadelphia Department of Public Health shared about the impact that tobacco and vaping products have on a city like Philadelphia as well as the impact smoking has on employers. With Philadelphia currently ranking as having the highest smoking prevalance among the 10 largest U.S. cities, tobacco claims over 3,500 deaths each year. Bridget Marley of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health emphasized that public health campaigns help provide facts, share resources, reduce stigma, and consistent exposure to quitting options and support. With tobacco use impacting productivity, healthcare costs, absenteeism, and employee wellbeing, it is both an important business strategy for employers as well as a key public health goal.

Namida Lab | Transforming Breast Cancer Screening via Tears

Namida Slides

Namida is a biotechnology company specializing in early cancer detection. They provide non-invasive, affordable, and accessible early detection methods. Their at-home test, called Auria, detects specific protein markers (namely S100A8 and S100A9) found in tear fluid. These tests are particularly relevant for women with dense breasts, those under 40, or those seeking additional screening options. Using Auria as a tool of screening for managed care means that more women can be screened, priority can be assigned, greater access provided and cancer can be found earlier. Namida’s goal is to establish a distributed model of screening, where inexpensive testing is done at home or work and the more expensive time-consuming testing is prioritized for those who truly need them.

SkinIO | Catching It Early: Novel Ways to Test Yourself at Home for Cancer Risks

SkinIO Slides

Today, 33 million Americans are walking around with undiagnosed skin cancer – that is roughly 10% of the population. SkinIO is an AI-driven, non-invasive skin-imaging and mole-mapping platform designed for early skin cancer detection. It uses a smartphone or tablet app to take full-body images, which are analyzed by AI and reviewed by board-certified dermatologists to identify suspicious lesions, track changes, and create a secure, digital skin health record. If a report comes back with an “urgent flag” (roughly 6–7% of participants), their Connection to Care team helps them find a local, in-network dermatologist and utilizes partnerships to get an appointment within 2–3 weeks, rather than months. SkinIO can also provide on-site events for employers. These events are frequently held at workplaces, health fairs, and with partner organizations to provide easy access to screenings, particularly for high-risk, outdoor, or remote workers.

Pfizer and Genomic Life | Being Proactive: Early-Stage Genetic Testing and Preventative Vaccines

This session brought together Dr. Nicole Schaefer and Dr. Eden Haverfield to explore how employers can strengthen preventive health, early detection, and shared decision making for their workforce. They highlighted significant gaps in preventive care and emphasized that these shortcomings create a clear opportunity for employers to expand access, improve education, and increase convenience. The doctors noted that preventive care is most effective when people understand why tests and vaccines matter, know their options, and can act on the results. Because online misinformation remains a major barrier, they stressed that education must be continuous, accessible, and personalized — making employer‑driven communication essential. Dr. Schaefer and Dr. Haverfield advocated proactive, personalized care, including early genomic detection, targeted therapies, and risk‑based prevention, and emphasized that meaningful improvement depends on a culture where prevention is easy and encouraged.

By prioritizing preventive care and early intervention, offering clear and repeated education, enabling shared decision making, and reducing friction through convenient on‑site or low‑barrier services, employers can empower their workforce to take charge of their health. Ultimately, empowerment, convenience, and proactive care translate into healthier employees and stronger organizational outcomes.

Lantern | Advancing Cancer Care with COEs and Digital Innovation

Lantern Slides

Lantern focuses on specialty care, such as surgery, cancer, and infusions, connecting their 6 million members to high-quality physicians, generating over $1 billion in savings to date. Their goals are to improve member outcomes, enhance their experience and access, and reduce their cost of care. The Lantern Program provides a virtual care program anchored by an oncology nurse navigator who maintains a one-to-one relationship with the patient throughout their entire journey. Lantern reviews every treatment plan against national guidelines to ensure there are no unnecessary deviations. Their social workers and nurses provide the emotional support that patients need. Lantern’s care advocates find the right high-quality medical support, both locally and on a wider scale, as well as providing financial support for everything from daily expenses to co-payments for wigs. Their app enables patients to connect with care advocates, find top-rated providers, manage appointments, and handle medical documentation. In addition, members have easy access to expert second opinions for cancer and major surgeries. Lantern also offers home kits for colon, prostate, and HPV screening based on American Cancer Society guidelines. To learn more about what Lantern can offer, visit their website.

Unite for Her | Integrative Therapies that Complement Medical Treatment

Unite for Her Slides

Unite for HER is a national nonprofit that improves the lives of those affected by breast and ovarian cancers by providing free integrative therapies (like nutrition, counseling, and yoga), education, and support. Their wraparound approach helps patients become self-advocates. Unite for HER currently serves over 10,000 individuals across the country through two primary programs: The Wellness Passport Program and The Empowered Living Program. Their model can go anywhere – it is virtual, can be recorded, and can be delivered to the home with food, deliveries and gift cards. All of this helps individuals gain independence and confidence so that they can have an emotionally and physically balanced life, and a better quality of life. In addition, Unite for Her and TOUCH: The Black Breast Cancer Alliance run a joint campaign called Care for HER. It is an innovative campaign that educates about the impact of integrative care and culturally-tailored nurse navigation while directly supporting Black Breast Cancer patients in the United States. All net proceeds provide free integrative therapies, services, and personal 24/7 nurse navigational support directly to US patients at no personal cost.

Every woman’s journey with us starts with a Care Box. It is designed to be culturally aligned and thoughtfully curated to provide immediate relief.

Kadance | Supporting the Team Through Precision Testing 

Kadance Slides

Kadance is a precision health management program that integrates DNA-based testing, pharmacogenomics (PGx), and hereditary cancer risk assessments to provide personalized, proactive health insights. With this knowledge, users can take proactive steps and make positive lifestyle adjustments. If cancer is diagnosed, a personal Kadance Oncology Nurse Navigator assists with the resources needed to navigate the healthcare system. Kadance offers support and access to a team of experts to help guide users and their family through the cancer journey on a path tailored specifically to their needs. With cancer, there’s always a risk of recurrence and DNA-based recurrence monitoring gives individuals additional clarity into their health status.

Kadance simplifies the complexities of healthcare, providing clarity and confidence for members and their doctors.

Patient Agent | The AI Clinical Companion for Cancer Care

Patient Agent Slides

Patient Agent’s mission is to give every cancer patient and their loved ones tireless, high-quality emotionally attuned support. A high-acuity cancer patient will see roughly 32 different providers over the course of their journey. Research suggests patients forget 40-80% of what is told to them during an appointment, and of the information they do retain, about half is often misunderstood or incorrect. Patient Agent has created a personal AI-powered assistant, known as Sam, designed to support cancer patients and caregivers throughout their treatment journey. It empowers users to navigate the complexities of cancer care with confidence by tracking symptoms, understanding treatment options, and managing and preparing for appointments. Sam can provide personalized guidance tailored to the user’s unique needs.

Patient Agent are building a solution that improves adherence and outcomes without increasing the burden on clinicians. They are making navigation accessible to anyone at any point, while knowing exactly when to pass the person back to a human professional for intervention.

Jasper Health | Navigating Cancer: Support for Patients and Caregivers

Jasper Health Slides

Supportive care has a huge impact on outcomes, end-of-life care, and the member experience. Jasper Health offers a full-service platform that blends human-centered guidance with digital support to help navigate every step of the cancer journey. It provides a highly accessible, expert and tailored service to meet the specific and individual needs of their users. Jasper pairs each patient with a dedicated oncology-trained supportive care guide for step-by-step care navigation. This 1-on-1 trusted relationship reduces patient anxiety and improves clinical outcomes. They support users through the entire continuum – from the moment there is a “suspicious finding” on a mammogram or colonoscopy, they assist them through diagnosis, surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, into survivorship or end-of-life care.

Through flexible and complementary partnerships, Jasper health improves patient outcomes while lowering cancer costs. You can learn more by visiting their website.

Osara Health | Navigating Cancer: Support for Patients and Caregivers

Osara Health Slides

Osara Health empowers individuals affected by cancer to thrive through clinical expertise, empathy, and human connection. They bridge the gap between clinical care and the human experience when someone is diagnosed with cancer. Osara’s foundation is in science. Their program is telephonic-based, or via their app, and utilizes five core, evidence-based modules: physical activity, symptom tracking, oncology-validated nutrition, sleep and mindfulness. It is also vital to support caregivers, and Osara’s Cancer Caregivers program works to improve the mental and physical health of these caregivers, while also training them to get better clinical outcomes for their loved ones. They give cancer caregivers the confidence, empowerment and resources to ensure everyone’s own needs are met.

To learn more about Osara Health, please visit their website.

Penn Medicine | Pain Management: Palliative Care in Oncology

Penn Medicine Pain Management Slides

While we often discuss costs, prevention, and early detection in cancer, we must remind ourselves that there is a real-life person involved. Palliative care runs in parallel with the oncology team to support them. It addresses the nausea, pain, anxiety, and stressors of treatment while the oncologist focuses on treating the disease. There is often confusion among patients, providers, and insurers regarding hospice and palliative care. Palliative Care is “extra support” provided at any stage of a serious illness; you can continue treatments like chemotherapy or surgery while receiving specialized help for pain, stress, and symptoms. Palliative care significantly decreases symptom burden, depression, and anxiety. When symptoms are managed, patients rest better, tolerate their primary treatments more effectively, and have a better quality of life.

If employers are looking at palliative care programs for their members, they should include the following interdisciplinary essentials: a comprehensive assessment by addressing the physical, psychological, spiritual, and social needs of the whole person; early communication; symptom management; and unloading the system by coordination with other services. Additional palliative care information can be found on the Center to Advance Palliative Care website.

For Pete’s Sake | Time Out: Taking a Break with Respite Experiences

For Pete’s Sake Slides

For Pete’s Sake (FPS) Cancer Respite Foundation’s mission is to help cancer patients and their loved ones take a break from the emotional and physical toll of cancer, offering a space for rest and renewal. The foundation is dedicated to providing transformative respite experiences for cancer patients, their caregivers, and their children. They aim to strengthen and unify relationships by offering unforgettable and lasting experiences. They work with oncology professionals and cancer centers to deliver emotional support that assists families as they navigate their cancer journey.

Their campaign, Respite Transformed, aims to transform cancer care, and their Health Pillars focus on treating the person, the caregiver, and the family unit. FPS are partnering with Woodloch Resort in the Poconos and together are building the nation’s first Cancer Respite Center. Respite has therapeutic benefits that span from emotional to physical to psychosocial. These benefits are not just for the patient, but also the caregiver and children of the patient.