The Los Angeles-based two-hour weekly talk show hosted by Selma R. Schimmel will produce its first remote broadcast abroad when it travels to the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) meeting in Hamburg for its Sunday, Oct. 15th broadcast (in the United States). The following Sunday, Oct. 22, the show will be heard live from the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) meeting in Boston.

“Issues related to cancer are of global concern and Vital Options and The Group Room would like to take an active role in helping to facilitate an international dialogue among patients, survivors, their family and friends, and the oncology community to help establish a consistent standard of treatment throughout the world,” said Schimmel, who is also president and founder of Vital Options® TeleSupport® Cancer Network, a not-for-profit cancer communications, support and advocacy organization.

Vital Options, which began as the first organization to address the needs of young adults with cancer in 1983, produces The Group Room in association with Premiere Radio Networks.

The ESMO broadcast of The Group Room is a collaborative effort between Vital Options and Radio Marsden, the in-house radio station of Great Britain’s Royal Marsden, the oldest cancer hospital in the world. It was made possible through an educational grant from Pharmacia Oncology, the primary sponsor of Vital Options’ European outreach effort, and supplemented by an educational grant from Genentech BioOncology Inc.

The ASTRO broadcast was made possible through an educational grant from Varian Medical Systems.

“Both broadcasts will focus on advances in breast cancer research and treatment in recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October,” explained Schimmel.

The ESMO show will explore breast cancer from the European perspective, including screening, diagnosis, treatment, research, access to care, advocacy, psychosocial issues and attitudes.

The ASTRO show will look at the use of real-time image-guided therapy in radiation oncology to treat breast cancer as well as prostate and head and neck cancers. Group Room radiation oncologist Dr. Leslie Botnick will join Schimmel at the remote broadcast.

The Group Room airs live on Sundays from 1-3 p.m. PT (4-6 p.m. ET) in select cities throughout the United States, including Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, Memphis and Tampa. The show reaches more than 300,000 listeners a week and is also simulcast worldwide via the Internet (www.vitaloptions.org).

In addition to Schimmel and Botnick, other regulars on The Group Room include medical oncologist Dr. Michael Van Scoy-Mosher and therapist Halina Irving. All phone calls to The Group Room are screened by a licensed oncology social worker. Callers can enter discussions by dialing 1-800-GRP-ROOM (1-800-477-7666).

During the week, individuals can reach Vital Options at 1-818-508-5657 for support or to receive more information about cancer resources or stations carrying the broadcast.

The Group Room is supported through educational grants from founding sponsor Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. and corporate sponsors Ortho Biotech Inc., Pharmacia Oncology and Genentech BioOncology Inc.