Binaytara Expands Oncology Education in Underserved and Community-Based Settings Across the U.S.

As summer 2025 rolls by, Binaytara is heating up efforts to bring cutting-edge cancer education to non-metro and historically underserved communities through its nationwide Best of ASCO conferences.

Our Best of ASCO conference highlights the most important research and treatment updates from the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting. These conferences bring together healthcare providers, community oncologists, and faculty members to deliver timely, practice-changing information.

Dr. Binay Shah, President of Binaytara, emphasized that innovations in cancer care should not be confined to large academic centers, they should be accessible to healthcare professionals everywhere, including those in smaller practices and rural communities. Sharing his vision for Best of ASCO, he noted:

“We want to empower healthcare professionals in every community—whether urban or rural, academic centers or community practices—with the latest advancements in cancer care, so that all patients, regardless of where they live, can receive optimal treatment and achieve better outcomes.”

This year, Binaytara is proud to host the most officially licensed Best of ASCO events nationwide. We have organized eight conferences in the following cities: Seattle, Portland, Albuquerque, Shreveport, Boise, El Paso, Omaha, and Milwaukee. So far, we have seen a record number of non-faculty healthcare professional attendees.

Founded in 1964, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting is widely recognized as one of the world’s largest and most influential gatherings in clinical oncology. With over 40,000 oncology professionals from more than 100 countries, the ASCO meeting serves as a premier platform for major cancer treatment breakthroughs, clinical trial results, new guidelines, and other cutting-edge developments across the field.

Since its inception, ASCO meetings have traditionally been held in major U.S. cities, with Chicago serving as the regular host. This is due to the meeting’s large-scale nature, which requires strong infrastructure and accessibility for both domestic and international attendees. To expand access, Best of ASCO was created to deliver the most impactful educational content from the annual meeting to healthcare professionals unable to attend the main event.

As part of our mission to advance equity in cancer care and education, Binaytara hosts Best of ASCO conferences not only in metropolitan hubs but also in regional and smaller cities. We actively encourage community oncologists and non-academic healthcare professionals to attend in our efforts to close the gap in the clinical adoption of new and more effective cancer treatments.

Reflecting on the recent Best of ASCO in Shreveport, Dr. Shah spoke about the deeper value of bringing healthcare providers together in regional communities, something that goes beyond simply sharing cancer care updates. He shared,

“One moment that stood out to me during our Best of ASCO conference series was in Shreveport, where Dr. Sindhu Devarashetty, a breast cancer doctor at Louisiana State University Health, spoke about her interest in establishing a high-risk breast cancer clinic. Within minutes, colleagues from other institutions stepped up to support her. That shows the real power of Binaytara conferences in creating genuine collaborations with real-world impact.”

Hear from some of our conference chairs about their vision for bringing this invaluable hematology-oncology education to their communities:

Dr. Julie Graff on Inclusive Education for Best of ASCO Portland

Dr. Graff is a faculty member at the Knight Cancer Institute at OHSU and serves as Chief of Hematology/Oncology at the VA Portland Health Care System. In addition to providing clarity around the latest research findings, which can often be difficult to grasp at the main ASCO conference, Dr. Graff aims to foster meaningful connections among healthcare providers. She is committed to creating opportunities for oncologists, community physicians, and other healthcare professionals to network and collaborate.

When asked about her interest in reducing cancer health disparities through regional conferences, Dr. Graff shared:

“It is very important, for patients and for doctors, to have access to these conferences. And it’s not necessarily that they don’t have the means to attend, but maybe they don’t have the time. Maybe they are the main caregiver in the family. So we bring the information to them, and we also learn from each other in the process.”

Dr. Andrew Pierson on Rural Outreach for Best of ASCO Boise

Dr. Pierson is a board-certified medical oncologist and hematologist at St. Alphonsus Health Alliance in Boise, Idaho. As chair of Best of ASCO Boise, his goal is to bridge the gap between cutting-edge oncology care and geographically isolated healthcare providers. Over the course of his practice, Dr. Pierson has observed the unique challenges faced by rural communities, particularly limited access to specialized care and continuing education.

To help address this, he is committed to providing high-quality CME opportunities for healthcare professionals such as nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and nurses, especially those who may not have the funding to attend major national conferences. By fostering professional connections and shared learning, Dr. Pierson aims to improve support for complex cases and enhance patient care in rural settings.

Speaking about the importance of local access to education, Dr. Pierson shared:

“These conferences are a great way to interact with faculty. You get a great education, and the underlying mission is to make oncology care better. Binaytara’s goals are also excellent, so everything aligns. It has been a privilege to participate.”He also emphasized accessibility, stating “The fact that it is local and that Binaytara makes it affordable, sometimes even free for providers, is a big deal.”

Dr. Pierson's vision reflects his commitment to ensuring that rural healthcare providers have access to the same level of continuing education and professional development as their urban counterparts, ultimately improving cancer care for patients in underserved geographic areas.

Dr. Apar Kishor Ganti on Improving Patient Outcomes Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration for Best of ASCO, Omaha

Dr. Ganti is the Associate Director of Clinical Research at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center. He chairs the Best of ASCO conference to bring the latest scientific findings and practice-changing advances presented at ASCO to Omaha healthcare professionals.

Dr. Ganti's primary goals for chairing the conference include fostering collaboration among oncologists in the region and improving patient care. He aims to bring together oncologists from various practices, not just from his university, to facilitate discussions and knowledge sharing. This interaction is intended to enhance future collaborations and ultimately improve the lives of patients.

Regarding cancer disparities in Nebraska, Dr. Ganti highlighted the challenges posed by the state's rural nature, which creates "access deserts" where specialized care is limited. He emphasized the importance of partnering with local oncologists to provide high-quality care closer to patients' homes. Speaking of UNMC efforts to enhance access, Dr. Ganti explains, "We are in the process of setting up alliances, collaborations with local practices to allow them access to national clinical trials sponsored by the NCI."

Dr. Ganti envisions this conference as the beginning of a long-term initiative to enhance cancer care throughout the region. He hopes it will serve as the first of many gatherings that bring together oncologists from all specialties, creating a collaborative environment focused on delivering the best possible care to patients, regardless of their location.

Learn with Us and Drive Meaningful Impact

As a leader in global oncology, Binaytara organizes over 50 CME/ACPE-accredited conferences annually to share the latest updates in hematology and oncology while addressing critical issues in cancer health disparities. All our CME conferences are multidisciplinary and are designed for physicians, advanced practice providers, pharmacists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals committed to advancing cancer care. We strongly believe that targeted CME and cross-institutional collaboration are essential to expanding the reach and impact of novel cancer treatments.

Attendees of our Best of ASCO events can earn up to 10.50 continuing education credits across several categories: ABIM MOC II, ACPE Pharmacy, AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, and Nursing Contact Hours. Learn more about upcoming regional and national hematology/oncology conferences and initiatives at the Binaytara Education Academy.