Research experts to speak at brain tumor educational conference

Patients, families and caregivers are invited to attend an educational conference covering many aspects of brain tumors May 14 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

The free, Saturday program, "Outsmarting Brain Tumors," will feature presentations by Keith L. Black, MD, chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery, and other treatment and research experts. The morning session will include:

•Brain tumor 101
•Role of radiation therapy
•Chemotherapy and treatments
•Surgical options
•New and promising research
•Cancer vaccines and stem cell therapies

Attendees may choose from three afternoon breakout sessions.

Breakout Session A will cover:

•Introduction to personalized medicine
•Acupuncture and integrative medicine support for brain tumor treatment
•Nutritional support for cancer treatment
•Mental imagery for wellness
•Anatomy and functions of the brain
•Imaging: Functional MRI, MR spectroscopy, CT
•Too much information: Navigating clinical trials, the Internet and other hazards of the Information Age

Breakout Session B will explore:

•Acoustic neuromas
•Pituitary tumors
•Low-grade gliomas
•High-grade gliomas
•Gamma Knife treatment
•Brain tumors and the eye

In Breakout Session C - the Consultants' Corner - doctors will meet individually with patients. First come, first served reservations will be available at check-in; anyone interested should bring scans and medical documentation for review.

Speakers will include:

•Black, chairman and professor in Cedars-Sinai's Department of Neurosurgery, director of the Maxine Dunitz Neurosurgical Institute, director of the Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. Brain Tumor Center, and the Ruth and Lawrence Harvey Chair in Neuroscience
•Jethro L. Hu, MD, neuro-oncologist at Cedars-Sinai
•Ray M. Chu, MD, neurosurgeon at Cedars-Sinai
•Adam N. Mamelak, MD, co-director of the Cedars-Sinai Pituitary Center and director of Functional Neurosurgery
•Marcel M. Maya, MD, interventional neuroradiologist at Cedars-Sinai
•Amin J. Mirhadi, MD, radiation oncologist at Cedars-Sinai's Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute
•Chirag G. Patil, M.D., director, Center for Neurosurgical Outcomes Research at Cedars-Sinai
•Veronica Porsche, PsyD., clinical psychologist at Cedars-Sinai
•Lucy Postolov, licensed acupuncturist at Cedars-Sinai
•Jeremy D. Rudnick, MD, neuro-oncologist at Cedars-Sinai
•Howard M. Sandler, MD, chairman of the Department of Radiation Oncology and Ronald H. Bloom Family Chair in Cancer Therapeutics at Cedars-Sinai's Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute
•Alyssa Tennenbaum, registered dietitian at Cedars-Sinai
•John S. Yu, MD, director of Surgical Neuro-oncology at Cedars-Sinai, medical director of the Brain Tumor Center, neurosurgical director of the Gamma Knife Program, and professor and vice chairman in the Department of Neurosurgery
•Swaraj Bose, MD, associate professor of ophthalmology and neurology at the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine

The conference, supported by Cancer Support Community, National Brain Tumor Society, the Musella Foundation and The Brad Kaminsky Foundation, will run from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. at Cedars-Sinai's Harvey Morse Auditorium, Plaza Level, South Tower, 8700 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles. The event, lunch and parking are free but seating is limited and registration is required.