1st Annual Symposium on Advanced Therapeutics for Brain Metastasis: Moving the Needle and Controversies at the Cutting Edge

This complimentary virtual symposium will provide clinicians and translational scientists with updates on the latest developments in brain metastasis treatment and research, CNS-specific outcomes from 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).

Highlights of this didactic and case-based program include:

• Sessions on the recent developments in local therapy, a review of 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 the 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.

Who Should Attend

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 symposium is complimentary. Please complete registration through the 'Register' tab above in order to attend (registration is required). 

Industry professionals may attend MSK CME activities for their own education. Marketing, sales, and promotion of products and services is strictly prohibited at MSK CME activities. For more information, please visit our Help

If you are registered for this symposium and unable to attend, please email [email protected] to cancel your registration.

Live Virtual Format

This live virtual program will be delivered using Zoom. We encourage all attendees to download the Zoom app prior to the start of the course (zoom.us/download). CME credit will be offered for this live virtual program. Detailed access and credit instructions will be emailed to attendees prior to the start of the course.

Detailed access instructions will be emailed to registered attendees prior to the start of the program. 

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

AMA Credit Designation Statement

MSK Symposium Director

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

MSK Symposium Co-Director 

Adrienne A. Boire, MD, PhD
Geoffrey Beene Junior Faculty Chair
Assistant Attending
Brain Tumor Service 
Department of Neurology 

Invited Faculty

Kathryn Beal, MD
Radiation Oncologist 

Priscilla Brastianos, MD
Director, Central Nervous System Metastasis Program
Associate Professor of Medicine
Harvard Medical School
Massachusetts General Hospital

Veronica Chiang, MD
Professor, Yale University School of Medicine
Departments of Neurosurgery and Therapeutic Radiology
Assistant Dean for MD Admissions, Yale University School of Medicine
Vice-Chair of Academic Affairs, Dept of Neurosurgery
Director, Yale New Haven Hospital Gamma Knife Program
Director, Yale Multidisciplinary Brain Metastasis Program

Michael Davies, MD, PhD
Professor and Chair, Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology
Professor, Translational Molecular Pathology, Genomic Medicine, Systems Biology
Anne and John Mendelsohn Chair in Cancer Research
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Peter Fecci, MD
Director, Duke Center for Brain and Spine Metastasis
Director, Brain Tumor Immunotherapy Program
Director, Surgical Neuro-oncology
Duke Cancer Center

Nancy Lin, MD
Associate Chief, Division of Breast Oncology, Susan F. Smith Center for Women's Cancers
Director, Metastatic Breast Cancer Program
Director, Program for Patients with Breast Cancer Brain Metastases
Senior Physician
Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School

Sarah Sammons, MD
Associate Director, Metastatic Breast Cancer Program
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Hussein Tawbi, MD, PhD
Deputy Chair, Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology
Co-Director, MD Anderson Brain Metastasis Clinic
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Manuel Valiente, PhD
Principal Investigator
CNIO

Min Yu, MD, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology
University of Maryland School of Medicine

MSK Faculty 

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

Bob T. Li, MD, PhD, MPH
Physician Ambassador to China and Asia-Pacific, Bobst International Center
Co-Director, Thoracic Liquid Biopsy Program
Chief Scientific Officer, MSK Direct
Associate Attending, Department of Medicine  

Luke R.G. Pike, MD, DPhil
Assistant Attending, Department of Radiation Oncology  

Pedram Razavi, MD, PhD
Director of Liquid Biopsy Technologies & Genomics
Assistant Attending, Department of Medicine  

Gregory J. Riely, MD, PhD
Vice Chair of Clinical Research
Attending, Department of Medicine  

Andrew D. Seidman, MD
Attending, Department of Medicine  

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

Jessica A. Wilcox, MD
Assistant Attending, Department of Neurology 

Randy Yeh, MD
Assistant Attending, Department of Radiology 

Robert J. Young, MD
Director, 3T Neuroradiology Imaging
Attending, Department of Radiology 

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.