ASCO treats completed trial related abstracts almost entirely different than they treat Trial in Progress abstracts. Go to my post 4315. See the sentences top to bottom that I placed in bold. I know you've looked into this some already, but when you scan the entire ASCO site, notice how ASCO wants data and results from normal abstracts but they prohibit data and results from 'Trials in Progress."
What is not acceptable in a Trials in Progress abstract?
Any preliminary data including toxicity, response rate, pharmacokinetic, or correlative analyses. NOTE: Abstracts including results or preliminary data will be rejected without further review.
Still, I strongly agree with you that NWBO/MDAnderson would not jointly submit an abstract this early unless they had good internal data. This is bolstered by Linda Powers when she states that what they are seeing in the trial is encouraging. Placing this comment in a great deal of historical and scientific context -- which I shall not repeat right now -- the case is even more compelling.