Ruesch Center Symposium to Spotlight Advances, Applications in GI Cancers, Luminary Awards

The 11th Annual Ruesch Center Symposium, taking place virtually on November 20 to 21, 2020, will feature sessions that span innovations in gastrointestinal (GI) cancer, advances in nuclear imaging and therapy for neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), precision oncology web educational resource (POWER), and patient symposia, bringing participants together in a forum for discussion, networking, and debate on pressing issues in the field.

“In our 11th year, we focus on the progress we are making in GI cancer research,” said John L. Marshall, MD, chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology at Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, professor of medicine and oncology, and director of the Otto J. Ruesch Center for the Cure of Gastrointestinal Cancer at Georgetown-Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, in a statement to OncLive. “By linking our science community, to our oncology practices and our patients, we bring together all the key stakeholders in GI cancers.”

The symposium, which will feature 44 distinguished speakers, will be divided into 3 parts and a special session. Part 1, titled Innovations in GI Cancer, will take place on Friday, from 9:00am to 4:45pm and will provide “a unique forum for discussions on cutting-edge research, and the pipeline of promising new therapies and technologies in GI cancers.” Topics will include innovations in therapeutics, cancer genetics, and targeted therapies.

In the afternoon, Richard M. Goldberg, MD, Director Emeritus of West Virginia University Cancer Institute, will present the Schafer Memorial Lecture, followed by presentations that provide an in-depth look into research sponsored by the GI Cancers Alliance.

“This year we are dedicating the afternoon session to the best new science exclusively funded by our advocacy partners. Without research funding, we will not progress—and our advocacy partners have done an amazing job filling the funding voids left by the NIH [National Institutes of Health] and others,” said Marshall.

The special session, titled Advances in Nuclear Imaging and Therapy for Neuroendocrine Tumors, and presented by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, will take place on Friday, from 1:30pm to 4:00pm. Topics will include surgical and systemic approaches for NETs, the role of molecular imaging in the evaluation of NETs, and liver-directed treatments for metastatic NETs.

Part 2, titled POWER, will be held on Saturday, from 8:15am to 1:30pm, and will “eliminate practice gaps in oncology and teach physicians to assess the right biomarkers of response to systemic cancer therapy, at the right time, in the right patients.” Topics will include the present and future of precision medicine, report interpretation and evolving practice standards, and applications for oncology nurses and advanced practice providers.

In part 3, the patient symposium, which will take place on Saturday, from 9:00am to 1:00pm will “provide patients and families with disease-specific information, education, and tools for managing their cancer care.” Topics will include adapting to a new cancer care landscape in the midst of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, best practices for engaging advocacy organizations in research, and disease-specific breakout sessions.

During the symposium, the 2020 recipients of the Luminary Awards in GI Cancers will also be honored for their lifetime achievements in improving the lives of those afflicted with GI cancer:

• Richard M. Goldberg, MD, Director Emeritus of West Virginia University Cancer Institute, presented by John Marshall, MD
• Gayle S. Jameson, RN, MSN, ACNP-BC, AOCN, associate clinical investigator and nurse practitioner of HonorHealth Research Institute, presented by Janice Oppenheim, MHA, BSN, RN, OCN
• Stacie C. Lindsey, chief executive officer and founder, Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, presented by Howard Rutman, MD, with Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.
• Tyvin Rich, MD, FACR, radiation oncologist, Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute, and Professor Emeritus of University of Virginia, presented by Keith Unger, MD
• Diane M. Simeone, MD, Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Professor of Surgery and Pathology director of the Pancreatic Cancer Center, and associate director of translational research at NYU Langone Health’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, presented by Emily Winslow, MD

“There are so many who work so hard to find cures for GI cancers; we could never thank them all. But in recognizing those who have dedicated their entire lives to GI cancer patients, we stop to give our thanks for all their effort,” concluded Marshall.

To register for this event, please visit: https://event.onclive.com/event/68a40cae-669f-48df-b9de-09f9c873d73e/summary.

2020 Symposium Conference Info. Georgetown University. 2020. https://bit.ly/3pGX1Oe