2023 Annual Conference 

 Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Staging
Dr. Damara Kaplan, Urologist, New Mexico Cancer Center

• PSA, DRE, biopsy and Gleason score
• Scans- MRI, CT, PSMA, bone and others
• Criteria for grade groups and risk groups

   

Treatment

Dr. Thomas Schroeder, Radiation Oncologist, University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center 

• Use of grade/risk groups to determine appropriate treatment
• Treatment options, including active surveillance, surgery (open radical, robotic laproscopic), radiation (EBRT, SBRT, brachy)
• Other local treatments (laser, HIFU, cryotherapy)

   

Advanced and Recurrent Prostate Cancer

Dr. Neda Hashemi, Medical Oncologist, University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center

• Appropriate scans- PET/CT, PSMA, Axumin and others- to determine location of cancer
• ADT- testosterone blockers, first line (Lupron, Zoladex, Eligard, Firmagon) and second line (Zytiga/abiraterone)
• Testosterone absorption blockers- Casodex, Flutamide, Xtandi, Erleada, Nubeqa
• Role for radiation and Xofigo
• Role for Provenge and immunotherapy
• Chemo
• Genetic testing

   

Importance of Biomarkers in Cancer Care

Lora A. Wilson, PhD, Director Genitourinary Oncology Therapies, Pfizer

Conference Presenters

Thomas Schroeder, MD

Radiation Oncologist
UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center

Lora A. Wilson, PhD

Director Genitourinary Oncology Therapies
Pfizer

Presenter Bios

Dr. Damara Kaplan, PhD, MD, has become the first female president of the American Association of Clinical Urologists. She is the first New Mexican physician to hold the position in more than 30 years. She began her term in October and will remain president for one year. The AACU was established in 1968 to provide information about the socioeconomic and political issues that affect the urology profession and to directly influence the resolution of those issues by facilitating one-on-one communication between physicians and legislators in order to improve patient care.

Thomas Schroeder, MD, is Section Chief/Medical Director of Radiation Oncology and an Associate Professor in the Hematology/Oncology Division at the University of New Mexico Cancer Center, an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC). As a clinician, his areas of research interest are prostate cancer, breast cancer, and the use of stereotactic body radiation therapy in oligo metastatic disease. His current practice includes all cancer types, but has a large component of prostate cancer. He serves as a local PI for multiple NCI cooperative group, pharmaceutical and investigator initiated trials. He is also the medical director of the radiation oncology clinics at the UNMCCC and at the Gila Regional Medical Center in Silver City, NM. He serves as the Chief of the Radiation Oncology Section of the Hematology/Oncology Division. He is directly involved in faculty and staff recruitment for radiation oncology, implementation of quality control measures, and oversee all procedures and processes for the radiation oncology department. He serves as the chair of the Radiation Control Committee for the University of New Mexico. 

Neda Hashemi, MD, is a board-certified practicing medical oncologist at the University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center (UNMCCC), focused on taking care of patients with genitourinary cancers. She has been an Assistant Professor in Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology since July 2018 and the Leader of the Genitourinary Clinical Working Group (GU-CWG) since March 2020.

As the leader of the GU-CWG, she has been collaborating with the urology and radiation oncology teams to build a trial menu well balanced with the NCTN clinical trials. She has participated in several NRG, SWOG, ECOG, and Alliance trials in genitourinary cancers in the capacity of site principal investigator and co-investigator. She has been selected as member for the GU working group of Hoosier Cancer Research Network (HCRN) and immuno- oncology committee of Alliance. A high proportion of the patient population in New Mexico consists of underserved minority patients.

As a member of New Mexico Cancer Care Alliance/Community Oncologist Working Group, she interacts with the community oncologists at different sites within New Mexico Minority Underserved NCORP. Consequently, she has had the opportunity to experience challenges in recruiting the genitourinary cancer patients, particularly the minority patients, to clinical trials in the community. She also collaborates with basic research scientists to develop clinical trials relevant to our patient population. Currently she is working on a project on a new class of dug, NQO1 bioactivatable agents, in patients with relapsed/refractory germ cell tumors. Her goal is to pursue a career as a clinical trialist to deliver best care to the patients with genitourinary cancers in the community and ultimately reduce the morbidity and mortality from genitourinary cancers.

Lora Aneka Wilson, PhD, received her PhD from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. She was the Director of Laboratory Operations researching novel molecular based therapies for pancreatic cancer as part of the Division of Medical Oncology. Lora joined Pfizer in 2014 and is a Field Medical Director. She provides medical support for Pfizer’s genitourinary therapies which include therapies for bladder, kidney, and prostate cancer.