Cedars-Sinai educational conference to focus on patient empowerment

Brain tumor patients, families and caregivers are invited to an educational conference that will focus on patient empowerment June 23 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

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

"Our emphasis for this year's conference is on helping patients and their families understand all aspects of the disease so they can make the best, most informed health care decisions," said Black, 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.

The morning session will include:

Terms and definitions
How to select a health care team
Chemotherapy
Radiation therapy
Surgical decision-making: re-operation
Clinical trials
New and promising treatments
Long-term survivors with brain cancer
How you can get involved
News delivery survey

Breakout Session A will cover:

Patient presentations on surviving brain tumors
Navigating social services
Alternative therapies
Nutrition and exercise
Rehabilitation
Support groups
End of life care and considerations
Basics of statistics
How the Tumor Board works
The Internet and valid information
Q-and-A sessions

Participants may instead choose to attend Breakout Session B, where 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:

Arash Asher, MD, director of Cancer Survivorship & Rehabilitation at Cedars-Sinai's Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute
Keith L. Black, MD, chair 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
Parag Bharadwaj, MD, medical director of Palliative Care Services at Cedars-Sinai
Ray M. Chu, MD, neurosurgeon at Cedars-Sinai
Doniel Drazin, MD, neurosurgical resident at Cedars-Sinai
David Esquith, licensed clinical social worker at Cedars-Sinai
Jethro L. Hu, MD, neuro-oncologist at Cedars-Sinai
Amin J. Mirhadi, MD, radiation oncologist at Cedars-Sinai
Miriam Nuno, PhD, senior biostatistician and assistant professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai
Chirag G. Patil, MD, director of the Center for Neurosurgical Outcomes Research at Cedars-Sinai
Surasak Phuphanich, MD, director of the Neuro-Oncology Program at Cedars-Sinai
Veronica Porsche, PsyD, clinical psychologist at Cedars-Sinai
Lucy Postolov, licensed acupuncturist at Cedars-Sinai
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 chair in the Department of Neurosurgery