SNO Subject Matter Tracks

SNO’s subject matter Tracks serve to support the Society’s educational and scientific efforts by providing an additional layer of subject matter expertise in the planning of our conferences and events. Please use the following guidelines when selecting a Subject Matter Track.

NOTE: Upon review, the SNO Annual Meeting Planning Committee reserves the right to change the subject matter track and category originally selected by the abstract submitter.

Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA): The AYA track focuses on basic science, translational research, epidemiology and population-based science as well as clinical trials focused on adolescent and young adult patients (age 15-39) with primary brain and spinal cord tumors. Tumor biology, treatment, psychosocial and survivorship needs, and long-term medical needs unique to this population are of particular interest.  

Basic Science of Primary Brain Tumors: The Basic Science track includes research investigating mechanisms that drive primary brain tumor initiation, progression, and therapeutic resistance. This includes genetic and epigenetic regulation, cellular metabolism, signaling. Basic science of pediatric tumors is best submitted in the Pediatric track; Basic science of CNS metastases is best submitted in the CNS metastases track.   

Cancer Neuroscience: The Cancer Neuroscience track focuses on tumors in the context of the microenvironment of the nervous system. This includes basic science addressing cancer cell-neuron, -glial, and -immune interactions, as well as the role of neural circuits in tumor biology. 

Clinical Trials of Primary Brain Tumors: The Clinical Trials track includes interventional research studies of primary brain tumors involving human participants and designed to evaluate the effects of assigned interventions or exposures on biomedical, behavioral, or health-related outcomes. Clinical trials focused on Pediatric tumors are best submitted to Pediatric Tumor track; those focused on CNS metastases to the CNS metastases track.   

CNS Metastases: The CNS Metastases track focuses on secondary tumors of the brain, spine, and leptomeninges. This includes basic science, translational research, epidemiology and population based science, as well as clinical trials.    

CNS Rare Tumors in Adults: The CNS Rare Tumors in Adults Track encompasses investigations focused on central nervous system tumors with an incidence below the threshold defining rare disease. This track focuses on basic, translational, epidemiological, and clinical research of uncommon CNS tumors across the lifespan.

Health Disparities and Quality Improvement: The Health Disparities and Quality Improvement track includes research examining differences in disease burden, access to care, treatment, and outcomes across populations attributable to social, economic, racial, ethnic, gender, geographic, and environmental factors. This track also welcomes descriptive, mixed-methods, quality improvement, and implementation studies that examine system-level processes and interventions aimed at improving care delivery, reducing inequities, and achieving meaningful, measurable improvements in quality of care and outcomes.

Neuropathology: The Neuropathology track includes research studies involving the use of histopathological assessments, molecular diagnostics, AI and other investigative approaches on tissue specimens to diagnose, classify, measure and predict tumor response, identify biomarkers, and understand mechanisms driving tumor progression.

Neurogenetic Tumor Syndromes: The Neurogenetic Tumor Syndromes track includes basic and clinical research studies focused on mechanisms of development, preclinical evaluations, treatments and outcomes of nervous system tumors associated with genetic tumor predisposition syndromes. Population-based epidemiology research focused on neurogenetic tumor syndromes is also appropriate for this track. 

Neurohematology: The Neurohematology track investigations focused on hematolymphoid malignancies of the nervous system and their neurologic sequelae, including immune-mediated and treatment-related effects. This also includes neurologic manifestations of other hematologic conditions including coagulation disorders and hypercoagulability. Population-based epidemiology research focused on hematolymphoid malignancies of the CNS is appropriate for this track. Similarly, basic science focused on the biology of these tumors is appropriate for this track. 

Neuroimaging and PET/Theranostics: The Neuroimaging and PET/Theranostics in Neuro-Oncology track welcomes abstracts that leverage neuroimaging to make advances in neuro-oncology, including conventional MRI, diffusion, perfusion, and functional MRI; MR spectroscopy; PET and hybrid imaging; theranostics; radiomics/radiogenomics; AI/ML methods; imaging based biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and response assessment; image-guided therapy and treatment planning; quantitative pipelines, harmonization, and reproducibility; and imaging endpoints in clinical trials across adult and pediatric CNS tumors. Studies may be technical, translational, or clinical, including multi-center datasets. Note: submissions focused solely on basic biology, surgical techniques, or therapeutics without imaging methodology or outcome measures are better aligned to other tracks.

Neurology of Cancer: The Neurology of Cancer track includes investigations focused on effects of cancer and cancer therapy on all aspects of neurologic function. Population-based and epidemiological research focused on neurological complications of cancer is appropriate for this track. 

Neurosurgery: The Neurosurgery track includes preclinical and clinical research that uses neurosurgery as either a discovery or therapeutic platform for CNS oncology. This includes novel surgical techniques, intraoperative imaging and molecular diagnostics, electrophysiologic brain mapping, and translational studies linking operative specimens to tumor biology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, immunology and immunotherapy, treatment response, or mechanisms of resistance.

Pediatrics: The Pediatric track includes research studies focused on basic, clinical, and translational sciences for children with tumors of the nervous system. Population-based epidemiology research focused on pediatric brain tumors is appropriate for this track. Note: abstracts focused on patients age 15-39 with primary brain and spine tumors should be considered for submission to the new AYA track. 

Radiation Sciences: The Radiation Sciences track includes investigations focused on clinical radiotherapy and radiobiology for the treatment of central nervous system malignancies. Population-based epidemiology research focused on radiobiology is appropriate for this track.  

Survivorship: The Survivorship track includes research studies focused on innovations in patient care, quality of life, patient reported and cognitive outcomes, palliative care, and end of life care for patients and their caregivers with central nervous system malignancies.