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CME Accreditation and Credit Designation

Physicians:
Physicians' Education Resource is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Physicians' Education Resource designates this educational activity for a maximum of 6.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Physician Assistants:
AAPA accepts category 1 credit from AOACCME, Prescribed credit from AAFP, and AMA Category 1 CME credit for the PRA from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

Fourth Annual Multidisciplinary Symposium on Head and Neck Cancer

The Rittenhouse Hotel
Philadelphia, PA
Dec 6, 2008

Conference Overview

Summary and Purpose

The Fourth Annual Multidisciplinary Symposium on Head and Neck Cancer is designed to provide a forum in which to discuss and debate the controversies and practical applicability of evolving clinical trial findings for locally advanced and recurrent disease. The symposium will address the multidisciplinary areas of head and neck cancer care, including biology, surgery, radiation therapy, induction chemotherapy, and combined modality approaches; multidisciplinary treatment of salivary gland cancer will also be addressed. The emergence of HPV-positive oropharyngeal cancer as a distinct subset of head and neck cancer will be discussed. In addition, presentation and discussion of novel targeted agents currently under investigation in head and neck cancer and thyroid cancer will be a major theme since the use of these agents will likely play an increasingly important role in the clinic in the future. The format will include lectures and case presentations, with a detailed discussion of management options and ample time for questions and answers.

Target Audience

This educational program is directed toward medical, radiation, and surgical oncologists. Head and neck surgeons, otolaryngologists, fellows in training, oncology nurses, and other health professionals interested in the diagnosis, treatment, and basic science related to or involved with the head and neck oncologic process are also invited to attend.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this symposium, you should be able to:

  • Describe the molecular biology underlying the pathology of head and neck and thyroid cancers
  • Discuss the impact of human HPV infection on the pathogenesis and progression of oropharyngeal head and neck cancers
  • Evaluate the roles of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy in the management of locally advanced SCCHN
  • Assess novel radiation therapy techniques for optimizing local treatment ¥ Describe novel surgical approaches in head and neck cancer, including minimally invasive and robotic surgery
  • Assess the efficacy of radiation therapy with or without anti-EGFR agents in locally advanced head and neck cancer
  • Evaluate the efficacy and safety of induction chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced disease
  • Discuss current approaches to chemoradiation therapy in locally advanced SCCHN
  • Summarize multidisciplinary approaches to the treatment of salivary gland cancer
  • Discuss the efficacy and safety of anti-EGFR therapy in the treatment of recurrent/metastatic SCCHN
  • Discuss early-phase results with antiangiogenic agents and multitargeted kinase inhibitors in head and neck cancer
  • Review the developments in nanotechnology for targeted drug delivery of chemotherapeutic agents in head and neck cancers
  • Review the activity and adverse event profile of molecular-targeted agents in patients with thyroid cancer

Educational Grants

An educational grant for this activity was provided by:


  1. Bristol-Myers Squibb/
    ImClone Systems
  2. Genentech BioOncology/OSI Oncology
  4. Merck Oncology
  5. sanofi-aventis U.S.