San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium® fuels $39.6 million impact and advances in cancer care

SAN ANTONIO, March 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium® drew more than 11,000 attendees to downtown San Antonio and generated nearly $40 million in economic impact, according to a new report from Visit San Antonio.

Held each December at the Henry B. González Convention Center, the four-day scientific meeting continues to drive growth for the city's $21.5 billion tourism industry, supporting local businesses and contributing to San Antonio's broader economic landscape.

"The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium is a powerful driver of economic growth for our city," said Virginia Kaklamani, MD, DSc, co-chair of SABCS and leader of the breast cancer program at the Mays Cancer Center. "Here, new discoveries are shared, tested and translated into better care for patients while supporting local businesses."

Attendees from 104 countries traveled to San Antonio in 2025, filling hotels, dining in local restaurants and using transportation across the city, generating more than $22.8 million in direct spending. The symposium also produced $1.5 million in local tax revenue and supported more than 6,800 jobs.

But the symposium's impact reaches far beyond its economic footprint.

Hosted by UT Health San Antonio's Mays Cancer Center in collaboration with the American Association for Cancer Research, SABCS has grown steadily since 1977, when just 50 attendees gathered for its inaugural meeting. Today, it draws a global audience of oncologists, researchers, nurses and patient advocates — from South Korea to South Africa.

"For decades, this meeting has positioned San Antonio at the center of global collaboration in breast cancer research," said Lei Zheng, MD, PhD, executive director of the Mays Cancer Center. "It reflects our institution's commitment to excellence in research and to advancing prevention and early detection."

The 2025 program also explored emerging priorities in breast cancer care, including the unique needs of younger patients, the role of lifestyle factors such as nutrition and strategies to reduce obesity-related cancer risk.

During oral presentations, medical oncology and hematology fellows at UT Health San Antonio — Colton Jones, MD and Daniela Urueta Portillo, MD — shared research on how GLP-1 weight loss medications may influence breast cancer treatment response and side effects.

"We are extraordinarily proud to partner with UT Health San Antonio and the Mays Cancer Center on SABCS," said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), chief executive officer of AACR. "By convening the greatest minds in breast cancer research and treatment in San Antonio each December, this symposium has served as a forum and, in many ways, a catalyst for innovative research that has led to enormous progress for patients."

Research presented at SABCS 2025 is already beginning to influence patient care:

• New option for early-stage breast cancer: The oral therapy giredestrant extended the time patients lived without cancer returning, outperforming standard hormone treatments.
• Chemotherapy-free approach for advanced HER2-positive disease: Adding tucatinib kept cancer from progressing longer — about 25 months versus 16 — while reducing reliance on chemotherapy.
• Vaccine strategy for aggressive breast cancer: An early trial for triple-negative breast cancer triggered an immune response in 74% of patients, signaling a potential path toward prevention.

"We're seeing exciting new approaches, from targeted treatments to prevention strategies, that are already beginning to change what's possible for patients," said Kate Lathrop, MD, associate clinical professor and breast medical oncologist at the Mays Cancer Center and the symposium's program director. "As we look ahead to 2026, we are building on that momentum and continuing to position San Antonio at the forefront of breast cancer research and care."

The 49th annual symposium is scheduled for Dec. 8–11, 2026, at the Henry B. González Convention Center. To learn more, visit sabcs.org.

UT Health San Antonio is the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio), offering a comprehensive network of inpatient and outpatient care facilities staffed by medical, dental, nursing and allied health professionals who conduct more than 2.5 million patient visits each year. It is the region's only academic health center and one of the nation's leading health sciences institutions, supported by the schools of medicine, nursing, dentistry, health professions, graduate biomedical sciences and public health that are leading change and advancing fields throughout South Texas and the world. To learn about the many ways "We make lives better®," visit UTHealthSA.org.

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The Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio is one of only four National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Centers in Texas. The Mays Cancer Center provides leading-edge cancer care, propels innovative cancer research, and educates the next generation of leaders to end cancer in South Texas. Mays Cancer Center has a clinical partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center, expanding access to cancer treatments that are among the most advanced in the nation – close to home. UT Health San Antonio is the academic health center of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio). To learn more, visit https://cancer.uthscsa.edu.

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SOURCE UT Health San Antonio