What if a medical specialty society could drive groundbreaking research, fuel a global movement, and train the next generation of clinical investigators—all while tripling its membership in just five years? In a world of rapidly evolving cancer care, how can associations champion new modalities and build a community around transformative treatment approaches?

In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Jena Stack, Executive Director of the Society of Interventional Oncology (SIO). Jena discusses:

How interventional oncology is emerging as the fourth pillar of cancer care, alongside surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation.
How interventional oncologists use minimally invasive, image-guided techniques to target cancer with fewer side effects and faster recovery.
How SIO has tripled in membership since 2020, growing from a small niche society to nearly 1,500 members globally.
SIO's impressive governance model, which prioritizes relationship-building and alignment between the board and staff.
How SIO is leading its own multi-million dollar clinical trials to address gaps in evidence and influence standards of care. Typically, this role has been reserved for pharma companies or academic institutions.
The creation of the Clinical Trial Collaborative (CTC), a new research community and certificate program that trains and connects principal investigators.
SIO’s long-term vision to empower more physicians to lead studies and expand access to minimally invasive cancer treatments.
The importance of "pausing to retreat" during growth, and how SIO balances ambition with sustainability.

References:

SIO Website

134. Jena Stack, ED of SIO, on Interventional Oncology as the Fourth Pillar of Cancer Care, Running Clinical Trials, and Explosive Growth