2022 Annual Conference 

Link to view the conference will soon be posted here!
Topics included:

          1.  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

          2.  Treatment- Dr. Thomas Schroeder, Radiation Oncologist, UNM 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)

          3.  Advanced and Recurrent Prostate Cancer- Dr. Jose Avitia, Medical Oncologist, New Mexico 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

Conference Presenters

Jose Avitia, MD

Medical Oncologist,
New Mexico Cancer Center

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. 

Jose Avitia, MD, is a board-certified medical oncologist who serves as principal investigator of the Prostate Cancer trials at NMCC who works in collaboration with XCancer to bring innovative clinical trials to New Mexico.  He received his medical degree from University of Illinois in Chicago. Dr. Avitia completed his Internal Medicine internship at the University of New Mexico and Medical Oncology fellowship at University of Oklahoma. Dr. Avitia is a strong advocate for patient access to education. Dr. Avitia believes prostate cancer patients should have world class care here in New Mexico. He is born and raised in Grants, New Mexico and plans to serve his beloved state for years to come.