Leading breast cancer experts to speak at UF, Moffitt symposium

Leading experts in breast cancer treatment and research will speak at the 16th annual Multidisciplinary Symposium on Breast Disease, to be held Feb. 10-13 at the Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island, Fla.

Sponsored by the University of Florida and the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, the symposium brings together all the physician-scientists, health-care providers and patient advocates involved with breast cancer care under one roof.

“The symposium highlights the latest evidence-based research in breast cancer care and brings together researchers so they can hopefully collaborate on research projects,” said Shahla Masood, M.D., a professor and chairwoman of the department of pathology and laboratory medicine at the College of Medicine-Jacksonville and medical director of the Shands Jacksonville Breast Health Center. “It is crucial to work together because breast cancer is not a disease that can be taken care of by one physician or one surgeon.”

This year’s symposium features keynote speaker Armando Giuliano, M.D., a clinical professor of surgery at both the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Southern California and the chief of science and medicine at the John Wayne Cancer Institute. Giuliano introduced sentinel node biopsy for the treatment of breast cancer and is considered a pioneer in breast cancer surgery.

Aside from Giuliano there will be 16 other speakers at the event covering every aspect of breast disease, including Umberto Veronesi, the scientific director for the European Institute of Oncology who pioneered breast conservation therapy for breast cancer; and Vivian Pinn, M.D., associate director of research on women’s health for the National Institutes of Health.

A member of the UF Shands cancer center, Masood said her primary goal for the symposium is to ensure that patients receive the right care for their specific disease. Bringing surgeons, oncologists, pathologists, radiologists and other specialists together helps broaden understanding about the latest advances and treatment options in breast health care.

“This is not about doing more but doing the right thing for the right patients,” Masood said. “This is about quality of care based on the extent and biology of the disease.”

Since its inception in 1995, the symposium has become an international event and has been held in Rome and Paris. Last year, the symposium was held in Cairo, Egypt, in conjunction with the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

For more information about the symposium, call Karen Earick at 904-244-4387 or visit http://cme.ufl.edu/msbd/.