Similar to other events that have been canceled in the San Diego area, AACR made its decision based on several factors, including the U.S. government's enforcement of international travel restrictions; travel restrictions issued by government agencies, cancer centers, academic institutions, and pharmaceutical and biotech companies; and the counsel of infectious disease experts.

The 2020 meeting was expected to be the largest ever AACR annual meeting, with more than 7,400 proffered papers and approximately 24,000 attendees from 80 countries.

The organization is investigating options for rescheduling the event in the near future.