Here, we summarise the event and publish the concluding statements of the 5th Sapporo Conference for Palliative and Supportive Care in Cancer which was held in Sapporo, Japan in July 2026.
The full summer newsletter can be found here
Held once every three years, the conference has earned a reputation as the “Olympics of Palliative Care” because of the high quality lectures delivered by top investigators in the field.
This year’s meeting featured over 20 presentations from leading international experts and over 100 scientific abstracts.
The conference brought together more than 1,200 clinicians, researchers, educators, administrators, industry representatives, patient partners and trainees from over 30 countries to discuss advances in supportive and palliative cancer care.
Here, we publish the concluding remarks of the conference and offer links to the Sapporo Conference Newsletter which includes reflections and photographs of the event.
“Dear Esteemed Colleagues,
The 5th Sapporo Conference for Palliative and Supportive Care in Cancer (SCPSC), held on July 10–11, 2026, at the Sapporo Park Hotel, concluded successfully and was met with an overwhelmingly positive response from participants. We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for your invaluable support and cooperation, which made this conference possible.
With each successive meeting, SCPSC has continued to evolve into one of the leading international forums for advancing palliative and supportive care in cancer. This year’s program featured 20 invited lectures presented across four symposia and three seminars, together with 100 general abstracts. We were also honored to welcome more than 1,200 participants from 30 countries around the world.
The lively, thoughtful, and scientifically rigorous discussions among internationally renowned experts and participants were a source of great inspiration for all of us on the organizing committee.
We extend our deepest gratitude to all the speakers, chairpersons, participants, sponsors, and conference staff whose dedication and contributions made the 5th SCPSC such an outstanding success.
The 6th SCPSC is scheduled to be held in 2029. The theme of the conference will be “Beyond the New Era – Reframing Cancer Care.” Preparations have already begun to develop an innovative scientific program that integrates cutting-edge molecular science with the principles of contextual care, aiming to further redefine the future of palliative and supportive cancer care.
We remain committed to advancing palliative and supportive care for patients with cancer and other serious illnesses, while meeting the expectations of healthcare professionals, social care providers, and all those dedicated to improving the lives of patients and their families.
Thank you once again for your generous support and collaboration.
We sincerely look forward to welcoming you to the 6th SCPSC in 2029.”
Toshiro Kusakabe
Chairperson of the Organizing Committee of the 5th Sapporo Conference for Palliative and Supportive Care in Cancer
Medical Director, Higashi Sapporo Hospital
Kunihiko Ishitani
President of The International Research Society of the Sapporo Conference for Palliative and Supportive Care in Cancer (SCPSC) President, Higashi Sapporo Hospital, Japan
The full newsletter can be found here
Photos from the event:
