Master Classes

Master Classes are deeper dives into a particular topic that require additional time and instruction. This year we will hold three Master Classes on the following topics: Theranostics, Leadership Bootcamp for Early Career Faculty and Medical Marijuana. 

Radiopharmaceutical Therapy

$150 - Members/Nonmember
Free - Residents/Students

Join us for a 3-hour training workshop designed to teach clinical radiation oncologists everything they need to know to expand their practice into radiopharmaceutical therapy. Many new radiopharmaceutical therapies (RPTs) are now approved and many others are emerging for treatment of prostate cancer, neuroendocrine cancers and other cancers. Radiation oncologists are experts regarding the benefits and risks associated with various cancer therapeutic options and are perfectly positioned to help patients make the best choice for their particular situation, including the use of RPTs. Radiation oncologists are certified to deliver these RPTs but many lack specific and updated training and therefore underutilize them.

This workshop will provide a refresher on relevant physics, pharmacology, and radiobiology, as well as offer logistical and practical training in clinical use of radiopharmaceuticals. It will include specific breakout sessions on Ra-223, Lu-177 DOTATATE, Lu-177 PSMA agents, I-131 MIBG and Y-90 Microspheres and cover important infrastructure, workflow and financial considerations. This special training workshop will enable radiation oncologists to provide the highest quality of patient-centered care in the use of RPTs.

Professional Development: Leadership and Emotionally Intelligent Communication

$50 - Members/Nonmember/Residents/Students

The pace of the rapidly accelerating changes in the health care system has led to increased stress and administrative burden in the radiation oncology workplace, leading to the potential for increased dysfunction and communication breakdown in the physician/patient and physician/team relationship. Strong leadership skills at the level of the individual and team are needed to maintain performance and morale without burnout long term. This special session will focus on how radiation oncologists can lead themselves and others to professional success with emphasis on how they can also enhance their own interpersonal communication skills. This session will integrate short lectures with interactive exercises designed to help each participant understand how to optimize their own leadership/communication priorities. To reinforce how these concepts translate to practice, a diverse panel of radiation oncology leaders will be included and will share their experiences in dynamic Q&A sessions.

Cannabis in Cancer Care

$100 - Members/Nonmember/Residents/Students

With medicinal and recreational cannabis becoming more widely available across the country, use among cancer patients continues to increase. A survey of oncologists demonstrated that although many believe that cannabis might be a useful adjuvant to conventional cancer care, only a third of the respondents feel informed enough to guide their patients. This session will review the history of cannabis as medicine through its current status as a Schedule I substance. The endocannabinoid system of cannabinoid receptors and endogenous cannabinoids will be described. The known published therapeutic effects of cannabis and cannabinoids in patients with cancer will be reviewed. Cannabidiol (CBD) has emerged as a most favored cannabinoid because, unlike delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), it is not “psychoactive”.  The current CBD knowledgebase will be explained. The lack of information on the selective therapeutic benefits of various cannabis strains or ratios of THC:CBD will be highlighted. The session will include a discussion of whether data suggests that cannabis can increase the risk of cancer or have clinically significant anticancer activity.