The 2010 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) was the third symposium presented by the UTHSCSA-CTRC, AACR and the Baylor College of Medicine. The driving force behind this collaboration is the shared mission of the organizations to advance progress against breast cancer. By combining their respective strengths, the 2010 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium encompassed the full spectrum of breast cancer research and facilitated the rapid transition of new knowledge into improved care for breast cancer patients. More than 8,500 attendees from 100 countries attended the 2010 Symposium, held December 6-10 in San Antonio, Texas. Each year, SABCS attracts academic and private physicians and researchers, as well as other health care professionals focused on curing breast cancer, to discuss and learn about new and late-breaking research including experimental biology, etiology, prevention, diagnosis and therapy of breast cancer and pre-malignant breast disease, as well as new findings from clinical trials. With the addition of the AACR as a symposium collaborator, the program attracts more thought leaders and high-quality proffered papers in basic and translational breast cancer research as well as increases the participation of young investigators by providing superior education and training opportunities for the next generation of breast cancer researchers. AACR's scientific prestige in basic, translational and clinical cancer research helps to create a unique and comprehensive scientific meeting that advances breast cancer research for the benefit of patients.