Frequently Asked Abstract Questions

Frequently Asked Abstract Questions



Submitting an Abstract

When can I submit an abstract? 

The abstract submission period is April 1, 2020, through Aug. 25, 2020 at 5 p.m. PDT.

Do I need to be a SITC member to submit? 

You do not need to be a SITC member to submit a regular or late-breaking abstract. You must be a SITC member to be considered for the Young Investigator Awards.

What information do I need to submit for my abstract? 

The following items are requested, if applicable, when submitting an abstract:

  • Title
  • Background
  • Methods
  • Results
  • Conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • Trial Registration
  • References
  • Consent
  • Ethics Approval
  • Authors and Institutions
  • Tables, Figures and Images

In addition to the items above, Young Investigator Award abstracts need to include the following:

  • A letter of recommendation from a supervisor (.doc, .docx, .pdf)
  • Confirm they are a SITC member
  • Confirm they are a student, postdoctoral research fellow, clinical fellow, or junior faculty with three or fewer years on staff, and if so, identify which category they represent
  • Serve as both the primary author and presenting author on the abstract
  • Meet the Aug. 25 deadline for abstract submission and indicate that they wish to be considered for an award
  • Include a letter of recommendation from a lab supervisor stating their categorization
  • Outline their contribution level to the four areas listed below. A greater level of participation will be judged more favorably and will be used as one of the criteria for judging award recipients. Categories include:
    o Conception and design
    o Collection and assembly of data
    o Data analysis and interpretation
    o Abstract writing

Late-breaking abstract applications need to include the following:

  • Clinical Study
    • Closure date of the study
    • Primary clinical endpoint for analysis
    • Type of analysis
  • Lab-Based Study
    • Provide an explanation why the experiment(s) could not be completed before the regular abstract submission deadline, Aug. 25, 2020, and needs to be considered for late-breaking submission.

How many authors can I include? 

There is no limit to the number of authors that can be included on an abstract. All authors must have at least one institution listed, though, and there must be a minimum of one corresponding, one primary and one presenting author for each abstract.

Are encore abstracts acceptable for submission? 

Encore abstracts (including Clinical Trials in Progress encore abstracts) are acceptable for submission provided they contain substantial new data. Contact education@sitcancer.org if you have questions pertaining to substantial new data.

How does the presenting author submit their COI? 

Once an abstract is submitted, the presenting author is automatically sent an email notification asking them to complete their COI. The email notification contains a link that takes them directly to their profile information which they should review and update as needed. Once they submit that information, they will able to complete their COI form. Should the presenting author have any issues with the online COI form, they can complete the downloadable COI form once it is created and send the completed document to education@sitcancer.org. The submitting author can check if the presenting author has submitted their COI by viewing the author list and looking for a green check mark in the COI column next to the presenting author’s name.

Please note, the COI form will be sent to whatever email address the submitter provides for the presenting author in the author block.

How many tables, figures and images can I include? 

There is no limit to the number of tables, figures or images that can be included on an abstract. All figures, tables and images must be numbered (i.e.: Table 1, Figure 1, or Image 1) in the title field and cited in the abstract text.

How can I format my font to include italics, bold and/or underline? 

If you want to format your font you can use tags such as <i>Italics</i>, <b>Bold</b>, or <u>Underline</u>.

How do you define Clinical Trial in Progress? 

Overview & Criteria

SITC understands the crucial need for collaboration and discussion surrounding clinical trials in progress. This abstract submission category aims to allow for open dialogue surrounding such trials and hopes to foster a unique environment in which to discuss the research that is being done.

All phases of clinical research may be considered for inclusion in the Clinical Trials in Progress abstract submission.

Although there are no absolute criteria for abstracts submitted under this category, SITC provides the following general guidelines for your consideration as you prepare your abstract submission for this category.

All abstracts submitted under this category, as for all abstracts submitted in any category, are subject to peer review and possible rejection from being included as an oral and/or poster presentation in the 35th Anniversary Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs (SITC 2020). 

Submission Guidelines

  • Background
    • Scientific background/rationale for the trial should be included.
    • Preclinical and/or earlier-phase clinical data that has already been publicly presented or published may be included with references.
    • Abstracts should be written/designated with respect to the correlates and hypothesis being tested in clinical trials.
  • Methods
    • Clinical trial registry number (required, if appropriate)
    • Trial design and statistical methods (include)
    • Treatment or intervention planned (include)
    • Major eligibility criteria, highlighting unusual aspects (include)
    • It is not a requirement that the trial be recruiting (current status of “Open but Not Yet Recruiting” is acceptable)

NOT acceptable in a Clinical Trial in Progress abstract:

  • Completed trials (these should be submitted in other categories)
  • Brand or proprietary drug names

What is included in the 400-word count of the abstract? 

The only items that are required to stay within the 400-word count are the background, methods, results, and conclusion. The following items are not included the 400-word count limit:

  • Acknowledgements
  • Trial Registration
  • References
  • Consent
  • Ethics Approval
  • Authors and Institutions
  • Tables, Figures and Images

Do you accept abstracts after the deadline? 

Unfortunately SITC does not accept any regular abstracts or late-breaking abstract applications after Aug. 25, 2020, at 5 p.m. PDT.

When will I find out if my abstract was selected? 

Regular and Young Investigator Award abstracts will be notified if their abstract was accepted for presentation on Sept. 25, 2020. Late-breaking abstract applications will be notified on Sept. 3, 2020, if they can submit a full abstract. Accepted late-breaking abstracts applications will be able to submit a full abstract beginning Sept. 8, 2020, and until 5 p.m. PDT on Sept. 22, 2020. Late-breaking abstract notifications will be sent on Oct. 12, 2020. Late-breaking abstract applications not accepted will have the opportunity to submit a full regular abstract Sept. 3–8, 2020 and will be notified on Sept. 25, 2020 if their abstract was accepted.

How do I submit my conflict of interest form after I have submitted my abstract? 

After you have submitted your abstract you will receive a confirmation email. The presenting author will then need to click on the link and complete their profile information first including their contact information. After that is completed and submitted they will next be able to complete the COI form.

I have not received information about my abstract, who should I contact? 

For all questions regarding abstracts please contact education@sitcancer.org.



Accepted Abstracts

My abstract was accepted, do I have to register for the meeting? 

Yes, the presenting author must register for the Annual Meeting to present an abstract. Submitting an abstract does not register you for the meeting.

Is registration free because my abstract was accepted? 

Unfortunately, SITC does not offer free registration to abstract presenters. However, in celebration of the society's 35th anniversary, all members of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) will receive free registration to the 35th Anniversary Annual Meeting!

My abstract has been accepted, how do I confirm my participation? 

After regular and late-breaking abstracts are reviewed and selected, abstract submitters are sent an email notification stating whether the abstract was accepted, and, if so, what type of abstract presentation it was accepted as. Within the notification, the abstract submitter will also be asked to accept or decline participation in SITC 2020. If SITC does not receive a response by the stated deadline, SITC will assume you agree to present and will include your abstract.

When will I find out when I am presenting? 

Both oral and poster abstract presenters will be informed of their presentation details in their notification email.

I was accepted for an oral abstract presentation, can I present my abstract as a poster as well? 

In addition to oral abstract presentations, oral presenters are invited to present their abstract as a poster in the Virtual Poster Hall. 

What is my abstract number? Is this different than the abstract ID number? 

The abstract number refers to the number assigned to the abstract by SITC. The abstract number is the number that is made public for your abstract. The abstract ID is the number assigned by the submission site when you submit your abstract. This number is used for administrative purposes and is not made public.

What does the abstract number mean? 

The abstract number determines where your abstract will be listed in all publications including the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC) Supplement, the JITC preprint version available prior to the Annual Meeting and the SITC 2020 website. For abstracts selected for poster presentation, it also determines where your poster will be located in the Virtual Poster Hall.

How is the abstract number assigned? 

The abstract number is determined by the category selected when the abstract is submitted and the last name of the submitter.

Can I change my abstract number? 

Once assigned, abstract numbers cannot be changed.

How can I view my submitted abstract? 

You may view your submitted abstract by logging into the abstract submission system and clicking on 'My Abstracts.'



Accepted Presentations

What information is needed for my presentation? 

  • Oral Abstract Presenter:
    • Presenter’s photo and brief biography
    • Presenter’s conflict of interest disclosure form
    • PowerPoint presentation slides
    • Completed recording permission form
    • Provide an image for the ePoster
  • Rapid Oral Abstract and Poster Symposium Presentations:
    • Presenter’s photo and brief biography
    • Presenter’s conflict of interest disclosure form
    • PowerPoint presentation slides
    • Completed recording permission form
    • Provide an image for the ePoster
  • Poster Abstract Presentation:
    • Printed poster for onsite display
    • Provide an image of the poster for the ePoster

Will the slides be kept confidential? 

Slides will be kept confidential until the embargo is lifted at 8 a.m. ET on Nov. 9, 2020. Presentation slides may be made available to meeting attendees if permission to publish the slides is received from the presenter per the recording permission form.

When do I need to be by my poster? 

  • Odd Numbered Abstracts
    • All odd numbered abstracts should be logged in to their Cadmium account on Wednesday, Nov. 11 from 5:15–5:45 p.m. EST and Friday, Nov. 13 from 4:40–5:10 p.m. EST to be available for questions. Please note that your final abstract number is included in your abstract title(s) listed above.
  • Even Numbered Abstracts
    • All even numbered posters should be logged in to their Cadmium account on Thursday, Nov. 12 from 4:50–5:20 p.m. EST and Saturday, Nov. 14 from 1–1:30 p.m. EST to be available for questions

What are the poster specifications? 

ePoster and Audio Deadline
ePosters and accompanying audio (audio is optional) will be due on October 26, 2020.

ePoster Requirements
  • 2GB is maximum file size
  • ePoster upload must be a PDF file at the highest resolution possible
  • Aspect ratio (ratio of width to height) should be set to '16:9'. Please note there are not specific measurements for ePosters besides that there is 16 units of width for every 9 units of height.
  • Complete poster is limited to one slide only, which means one page for PDF file
  • Fonts should be sans-serif (i.e. Arial, Calibri, etc.)
  • Minimum font size should not be smaller than 6pt
Audio Specifications
If you choose to add audio to your poster, attendees will hear the audio when they view the poster and it creates a more personal and engaging experience. Your audio to your poster should be 3–5 minutes in length, with a maximum length of 5 minutes allowed. If you choose to include audio with your ePoster, the presenting author will need to do so by recording it within their Cadmium account. Please note, the presenting author will not be able to upload an existing audio file for your ePoster. All audio must be recorded within the presenting author's Cadmium account..

Please note, the presenting author will be receiving an email soon with the link to your Cadmium account. Cadmium is the website where the virtual poster hall will take place, and where you will upload your ePoster and optional audio to present in the virtual poster hall. The email will have further instructions on your ePoster and audio.

Can I include additional information either with a printed handout or by providing a link to more information online? 

Yes, posters can provide additional information to attendees either as a handout or a QR code on the poster. Please note that any links to external pages will not work. Additional information can also be provided by uploading a handout in the SITC Abstract Management System.

When and where will the abstract titles be released? 

The regular abstract titles will be released on Oct. 14, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. CDT on the SITC 2020 website. The late-breaking abstract titles will be released at 4:00 p.m. CST on Nov. 2, 2020 on the SITC 2020 website.

Can I give an encore presentation? 

Any abstract previously accepted and/or published (by any meeting or publisher) must contain substantial new data in order to be considered. Contact education@sitcancer.org if you have questions pertaining to substantial new data.

Can I issue a press release about my abstract? 

Yes, you may issue a press release about your abstract; however, any planned press releases and media alerts must have been reviewed and approved in advance by SITC Communications staff and they must follow the Embargo Policy. Please provide a minimum for two business days for review. Drafts should be emailed to communications@sitcancer.org.

How do I change the presenter for my abstract? 

The deadline for regular abstract withdrawal or changes, including presenter changes, is Sept. 30, 2020. The deadline for late-breaking abstract withdrawal or changes, including presenter changes, is Oct. 15, 2020. These deadline are set in place because the abstract information is pulled for publication immediately following these dates and cannot be edited after that. If you would like to withdraw or make a change to your abstract between the submission deadline and this date, you must submit your request in writing to education@sitcancer.org. Upon receipt of your request SITC will make the change, if possible, and send a confirmation once the withdrawal or change has been completed.

How do I make a change to the abstract content? 

The deadline for small regular abstract content changes is Sept. 30, 2020. The deadline for small late-breaking abstract content changes is Oct. 15, 2020. Please note that content changes after Aug. 25, 2020, at 5 p.m. PDT must be small edits that do not drastically change the abstract information originally provided. If you would like to make a change to your abstract between the submission deadline and these dates, you must submit your request in writing to education@sitcancer.org. Upon receipt of your request SITC will make the change, if possible, and send a confirmation once the change has been completed.

When is the deadline to withdraw my abstract? 

The deadline for regular abstract withdrawal is Sept. 30, 2020. The deadline for late-breaking abstract withdrawal is Oct. 15, 2020. If you would like to withdraw your abstract between the submission deadline and this date, you must submit your request in writing to education@sitcancer.org. Upon receipt of your request SITC will make the change and send a confirmation once the withdrawal has been completed.

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