LACNETS is hosting an in-person NET Educational Event for patients and caregivers in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Saturday, September 21st from 1:30-5:00PM.

Join us for an afternoon of NET information, connecting and networking. This program has been uniquely designed to maximize the opportunity to engage with NET specialists with two Q&A sessions.

LOCATION

W Minneapolis - The Foshay

821 S Marquette Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55402

AGENDA

The North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (NANETS) is hosting their Regional NET Education Event for medical providers. Help raise awareness and knowledge of neuroendocrine cancer in the medical community by telling your local healthcare professionals to attend the NANETS Regional NET Education Event on Saturday, September 21st. 

This event will not be broadcast or recorded.

If you are newly diagnosed, or need a refresher on NET terms and basics, we encourage you to watch Dr. Chandrasekharan’s presentation “Understanding NET Diagnosis” from our 2024 LACNETS Patient Conference.

SPEAKERS:

Chandrikha Chandrasekharan, MBBS

Medical Oncologist, University of Iowa

Dr. Chandrikha Chandrasekharan is a Clinical Associate Professor at University of Iowa. She did her initial medical training in India at Kilpauk Medical College. She moved to the USA to complete her internal medicine residency at University of Florida College of Medicine at Jacksonville. 

Dr. Chandrasekharan is board certified in Medical Oncology and Palliative Medicine.  After completing medical oncology fellowship at LSU Shreveport, she pursued an additional year of advanced oncology training in gastrointestinal malignancies at Mayo Clinic. Dr. Chandrasekharan's clinical practice and research interests include all gastrointestinal malignancies with a focus on neuroendocrine tumors.

Thorvardur R. Halfdanarson, MD

Medical Oncologist, Mayo Clinic

Thor R. Halfdanarson, M.D., is a medical oncologist and Professor of Oncology at Mayo Clinic who specializes in the management of patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms, gastrointestinal malignancies and unknown primary malignancies.  His specific research interests include the epidemiology, risk factors and treatment of neuroendocrine tumors and neuroendocrine carcinoma and improving outcomes for pancreatic adenocarcinoma and rare types of pancreatic tumors. He is a principal investigator and co-investigator for multiple industry-sponsored and cooperative group clinical trials.

Dr. Halfdanarson holds several leadership positions within Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is chair of the Hepato-Pancreatico-Biliary Cancer Disease Group and co-chair of the Pancreatic/Neuroendocrine Tumor Board. He is associate medical director of the Cancer Clinical Trials Office in Rochester, Minnesota, co-chair of the Feasibility Committee, and a member of the Clinical Research Leadership Committee. He also represents Mayo Clinic on the Neuroendocrine Tumors Guidelines Panel of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). Dr. Halfdanarson currently serves as President for the North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (NANETS).

Emil Lou, MD, PhD, FACP

Medical Oncology, University of Minnesota

Emil Lou, MD, PhD, FACP, is a medical oncologist and neuro-oncologist who provides adult patients with cancer care and treatment through chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and other tailored treatments. In addition to expertise in neuroendocrine tumors, he also specializes in helping patients with gastrointestinal cancers, paraneoplastic disorders, and solid tumor metastases to the brain. He sees patients at the University of Minnesota's Masonic Cancer Clinic at the main campus in Minneapolis. Dr. Lou is also a Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

J. Philip Boudreaux, MD, FACS

Surgical Oncologist, Louisiana State University

J. Philip Boudreaux, MD, FACS, has been recognized for his outstanding contributions to the medical field.  He is currently the Professor of Surgery at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine in New Orleans, LA. Dr. Boudreaux educates medical students and provides high-quality care to patients. While he has held that role for over 20 years, he has spent the last 38 years expanding his knowledge and skills in liver, pancreas, kidney transplantation, organ donation, hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery, radio frequency ablation of liver tumors, neuroendocrine tumors and carcinoids. His most recent new treatment for metastatic hepatic tumors includes Histotripsy, the destruction of tumor non-invasively with ultrasound. 

Dr. Boudreaux instituted the liver and pancreas transplant programs at LSU, performed the first pancreas transplant in Louisiana, and initiated the liver and kidney transplant programs at Children’s Hospital, New Orleans. He served as the Director of Liver/Pancreas/Kidney Transplant Services at LSU and Children’s Hospital pre-Katrina. Dr. Boudreaux has spoken publicly at a variety of conferences and educated residents regarding transplant and other related topics. He has published over 75 peer-reviewed publications.

Dr. Boudreaux has operated upon over 2,000 patients with neuroendocrine tumors. His center continues to innovate, do research, and often finds ways to turn “inoperable” into “opportunity”. His patients enjoy some of the highest long term survival rates reported in the world’s literature to date. The NOLANETS program has expanded to include East Jefferson Hospital in partnership with the Louisiana Children’s Hospital Medical Network hospitals and the Joe Yenni Cancer Center.

In his free time, Dr. Boudreaux enjoys sailing, playing music, fishing, hunting, amateur radio (call sign W5AY), and teaching.  He has been a member of the Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) since 1968.  He attributes his achievements to his education and his work ethic instilled by his parents and mentors.

Patrick McGarrah, M.D.

Medical Oncologist, Mayo Clinic

Dr. Patrick W. McGarrah is a medical oncologist in Rochester, Minnesota and is affiliated with Mayo Clinic-Rochester. Dr. McGarrah specializes in head and neck, neuroendocrine, and gastrointestinal cancers.

He received his medical degree from University of Minnesota Medical School and completed his training in 2023. Dr. McGarrah has expertise in treating neuroendocrine tumors, with special interest in poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma and NETs of the head and neck.

Ajay Prakash, MD, PhD

Medical Oncologist, University of Minnesota

Dr. Ajay Prakash is a medical oncologist specializing in gastrointestinal malignancies. His research is focused on understanding the relationship between the tumor microenvironment, prognosis, and treatment response, with a specific focus on the role of the microbiome in this process. A better understanding of the microbiome, the community of organisms that reside in most human tissues, may allow us to better tailor treatments and offer patient specific guidance on cancer prevention. Clinically, Dr. Prakash is committed to healthcare equity and the delivery of high-quality, academic medicine to historically underserved communities.

Donna D'souza, MD

Interventional Radiologist, University of Minnesota

Donna D’Souza MD, FSIR is an Associate Professor of Radiology and Interventional Radiologist at theUniversity of Minnesota, as well as the Interventional Radiology Medical Student Clerkship Director at the University of Minnesota. Her clinical interests are interventional oncology (especially treating cancers in the liver), portal hypertension interventions, thyroid interventions and women’s health.

Dr D’Souza was born and raised in Australia. She completed her medical school at Monash University, and her Radiology Residency and Master of Medicine degree at University of Melbourne in Australia. She subsequently completed a Vascular and Interventional Radiology fellowship at the University of Toronto, followed by Interventional Radiology and Body Radiology fellowships at the University of Minnesota. 

In her free time she enjoys travelling the world with her husband, hiking, yoga, learning and speaking Japanese, indoor gardening, and spending time with her two dogs.

The opinions expressed by the guest presenters, as well as the questions asked by the audience, have not been created or suggested by LACNETS or the sponsors of this program. LACNETS does not endorse or promote any of the views, opinions or information provided in this presentation. Audience members should not rely solely on the opinions or information expressed by the guest presenter and should seek guidance and direction from their own medical advisors regarding any choices they make about their health or treatments.

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