Health Care Professionals Gather for 18th Annual Rasco Symposium

By Ben Boulden

A. Mazin Safar, M.D., was course director for the Rasco Symposium.

Organized by the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, the 18th annual Charles William Rasco, III Symposium on Colorectal Cancer and GI Malignancies brought together more than 100 physicians, nurses, pharmacists, scientists and other health care professionals. Participants also had the opportunity to visit booths representing a number of programs and services related to research and treatment of gastrointestinal cancers.

The symposium honors the memory of Charles William Rasco III, who lost his battle with the disease in 1994. A. Mazin Safar, M.D., associate professor of medicine in the UAMS College of Medicine’s Division of Hematology/Oncology, was course director of the symposium.

“Colorectal and GI cancers are significant health concerns in Arkansas. This annual symposium gives us an excellent opportunity to learn about advances in research and clinical care that can benefit our patients,” Safar said.

Presenters included health care professionals from several UAMS departments and divisions:

  • Luidmila Schafer, M.D., shares the latest findings for pancreatic cancer.

    Mohit Girotra, M.D., chief fellow in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, on “Screening for Colon Cancer”

  • Issam Makhoul, M.D., director of the Division of Hematology/Oncology, on “Rethinking Cancer Screening”
  • Liudmila Schafer, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology, on “Pancreatic Cancer Therapy”
  • Julia Goodwin, Ph.D., R.N., of Clinical Programs Nursing Services Education Programs, on “Survivorship”
  • Frederick Bentley, M.D., professor in the Department of Surgery, on “Best of Surgery”
  • Dan Brown, M.D., assistant professor in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, on “Interventional Gastroenterology for GI Cancers”
  • Robert Wolfe, Ph.D., director of the Center for Translational Research in Aging and Longevity, on “Nutrition and Cancer”
  • Jonathan Laryea, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Surgery, on “Colorectal Update”
  • Matthew Hardee, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology, on “Radiation Oncology Update”
  • James Meek, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Interventional Radiology, on “Radioembolization: Current Pitfalls and Future Direction”
  • Lori Phares, registered nurse practitioner with the Clinical Programs Nursing Services Education Programs, on “Nursing

    Issam Makhoul, M.D., shared the latest information on cancer screenings for gastrointestinal cancers.Care Stoma/Wound Care”

  • A. Mazin Safar, M.D., associate professor in the Division of Hematology/Oncology, on “Best of Oncology”

Also presenting was Sidney Keisner, Pharm.D., hematology/oncology pharmacist with the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, on “Pharmacology – GI Oncologic Arsenal: Current and Future Candidates.”