2026 Advanced Therapeutics for Brain Metastasis: Moving the Needle and Controversies at the Cutting Edge

This complimentary didactic and case-based course will provide a comprehensive update on the latest advances in the treatment and research of brain metastases. Aimed at clinicians and translational scientists, this course will provide an update on CNS-specific outcomes from both molecular and traditional cancer histology viewpoints.

Recent evidence for brain metastasis activity will be highlighted for key medical targets (e.g. Her2, EGFR, KRAS, CDK, BRAF, and ALK), and leading experts will review brain metastasis prognosis across the cancers commonly resulting in this (lung, breast, and melanoma).

A dedicated session on recent developments in local therapy will review the role of laser interstitial thermal therapy, brachytherapy and external beam radiation techniques. In recognition of the many complex treatment interactions imposed by multimodality treatment often necessary, a 'Key Controversies' session will speak to major areas of clinical difficulty, for example, how to distinguish on recurrent disease from radiation necrosis on imaging studies, when to change therapy with CNS-only progressive disease, which leptomeningeal metastasis interventions are currently worthwhile, and special considerations regarding steroid use and radiation therapy for patients requiring immunotherapy.

Key scientists will discuss promising translational and clinical trial approaches including targeting metastasis-initiating cells and window-of-opportunity studies. Given the special challenge of early detection, a dedicated session will cover state-of-the art molecular imaging techniques, the evidence for/against imaging surveillance in standard-risk cancers, and the current state of liquid biopsy.

A roundtable discussion with participants from several centers will share their experiences and best practices with multidisciplinary team care and discuss areas for improvement. Finally, a multidisciplinary tumor board will review multifaceted cases, highlighting the interplay of various treatment options.

There will be ample opportunity for networking with speakers and other participants in this virtual meeting.

1. Describe the current multimodal landscape of brain metastasis treatment
2. Identify key clinical controversies in brain metastasis management
3. Discuss barriers to improved treatments and potential research strategies (e.g. limited CNS activity of systemic anti-cancer treatments, side effects of local treatments, limited survival, and unclear endpoints)

This course is complimentary for all participants. To confirm your participation, select the Registration tab above and complete the online registration form.

Access instructions, including Zoom login details, will be sent to registered participants prior to the event.

For information regarding cancellations, please review our Cancellation Policy.

"Industry professionals" are welcome to attend Continuing Medical Education events at MSK for their own educational purposes. View our Registration Policy for Industry Professionals for more information.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation

This live activity has been approved for the following continuing education credits:

• AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™

• American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Points

• American Board of Pathology (ABPath) Continuing Certification (CC) Credit

The final number of credits and points available will be announced prior to the activity. Participants must attend the activity and complete all required evaluations and attestation requirements to claim credit and/or continuing certification credit.

MSK Course Director

Nelson Moss, MD
Co-Director, Multidisciplinary Brain Metastasis Program
Associate Attending
Department of Neurosurgery

Guest Faculty 

Nathalie Agar, PhD
Associate Professor of Neurosurgery and Radiology
Harvard Medical School
Daniel E. Ponton Distinguished Chair in Neurosurgery
Brigham and Women’s Hospital

Carey K. Anders, MD
Professor of Medicine
Chief, Division of Medical Oncology
Member, Duke Cancer Institute
Duke University

Ayal Aizer, MD, MHS
Senior Physician
Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology
Harvard Medical School
Director, Central Nervous System Radiation Oncology
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Manmeet Ahluwalia, MD
Chief Scientific Officer
Chief of Medical Oncology
Deputy Director
Fernandez Family Endowed Chair in Cancer Research
Baptist Health Herbert Wertheim Cancer Institute

Chetan Bettegowda, MD, PhD
Director, Department of Neurosurgery
Harvey Cushing Professor of Neurosurgery
Neurosurgeon-in-Chief, The Johns Hopkins Hospital
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Veronica Chiang, MD
Director, Gamma Knife Center, Yale New Haven Hospital
Yale School of Medicine

Norbert Galldiks, MD
Professor for Translational Imaging in Neuro-Oncology
Senior Physician; Head of Neuro-Oncology Working Group
University of Cologne

Gelareh Zadeh, MD, PhD
Chair, Department of Neurologic Surgery
William J. and Charles H. Mayo Professor
Mayo Clinic

Isabella Glitza Oliva, MD, PhD, MS
Professor, Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology
Director, Leptomeningeal Disease Research Program
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Michelle Kim, MD
Associate Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology
Co-Chair, Neuro-Oncology Clinical Research Team
University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center

Priya Kumthekar, MD
Professor, Neurology/Neuro-Oncology and Medicine/Hematology and Oncology
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

Julia Maues
Co-Founder and Patient Advocate
GRASP

Minesh Mehta, MD
Deputy Director and Chief of Radiation Oncology
Miami Cancer Institute, Baptist Health

Josh Neman-Ebrahim, PhD
Associate Professor of Neurological Surgery, Physiology & Neuroscience
Director, USC Brain Tumor Center
University of Southern California

Matthias Preusser, MD
Professor of Internal Oncology
Head, Division of Oncology
Medical University of Vienna

Tatiana Prowell, MD
Breast Cancer Scientific Liaison, Office of Hematology & Oncology Products 
FDA Associate Professor of Oncology
Johns Hopkin

Paolo Tarantino, MD
Research Fellow in Medicine, Breast Oncology Program
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School

Hussein Tawbi, MD, PhD
Executive Director, Immuno-Oncology Clinical Drug Development Program 
Head, IO Drug Development
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Michael Weller, MD
Clinic Director, Department of Neurology
University Hospital Zurich

MSK Faculty 

Joshua Budhu, MD, MS, MPH
Nicholls-Biondi Diversity Clinical Scientist Faculty Scholar
Assistant Attending, Brain Tumor Service
Department of Neurology  

Brandon Imber, MD, MA
Assistant Attending
Department of Radiation Oncology

Luke Pike, MD, DPhil
Director, Brain Radiation Oncology 
Assistant Attending
Department of Radiation Oncology

Gregory Riely, MD
Ning Zhao and Ge Li Chair in Lung Cancer Research 
Attending, Thoracic Oncology Service
Department of Medicine 

Andrew Seidman, MD
Attending, Breast Medicine Service
Department of Medicine 

Viviane Tabar, MD
Chair, Department of Neurosurgery 
Theresa Feng Chair in Neurosurgical Oncology

Jessica Wilcox, MD
Assistant Attending, Brain Tumor Service
Department of Neurology  

Robert Young, MD
Attending 
Head, Brain Imaging
Department of Radiology

Yao Yu, MD
Assistant Attending
Director of Leptomeningeal Disease
Department of Radiation Oncology

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others are required to disclose all financial relationships with ineligible companies (commercial interests). All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.