BCAN to host new forum on March 12 to raise awareness about bladder cancer

Bladder cancer is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer, and there are more than 600,000 survivors in the United States, yet most people know nothing about it. To help enhance the public's understanding of the risks and signs of bladder cancer and the importance of early detection and treatment options, the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN) will hold a regional Bladder Cancer Patient Forum "Understanding Bladder Cancer" on Saturday, March 12, 2011, at the Luxe Hotel in Los Angeles. The forum will unite, support, and inspire bladder cancer patients, their loved ones, and caregivers.

"Many people don't realize how prevalent bladder cancer is, and are unaware of the signs and symptoms of the disease. As a result, patients that suffer from bladder cancer often feel isolated," said Diane Zipursky Quale, president and co-founder of BCAN. "Our goal of hosting the forum is to give people affected by bladder cancer a better understanding of this life-changing disease and the resources available to help them."  

Panel of Bladder Cancer Specialists and Topics

Two BCAN Scientific Advisory Board members, Dr. Eila Skinner from the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center and Dr. Steven Wong from the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer, will lead a panel of bladder cancer specialists to provide a complete overview of the disease, treatment, and recent advances. Below is a brief overview of the forum's panel members and the topics that will be discussed.

• Dr. Anne Schuckman, M.D., USC: Bladder Cancer Basics, Detection and Diagnosis
• Dr. David Josephson, M.D., City of Hope: Treatment and Surveillance of Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer
• Dr. Arnold Chin, M.D., Ph.D., UCLA: From Genes to Personalized Medicine: Innovations in Bladder Cancer Research
• Dr. Sia Daneshmand, M.D., USC: Surgery and Urinary Reconstruction for Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
• Dr. Steven Wong, M.D., UCLA: Chemotherapy for Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
• Dr. Christopher King, M.D., Ph.D., UCLA:  Bladder Sparing Treatment for Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer