Local Partnerships Create Global Impact
Advancing breast cancer care for patients -- locally, nationally, and worldwide -- requires a shared commitment. Through the generous support of the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation and a competitive award from Chicago Sister Cities International’s Medical Initiative Program, 19 early-career oncologists from 18 sister cities had the opportunity to take part in the 2024 Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium from October 24-27.
Hosted in Chicago by the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, the 26th Annual Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium’s welcomed leading experts to present, debate and evaluate state-of-the-art treatment strategies. 550 attendees and presenters participated in interactive sessions focused on practice-changing research and patient care.
Since 2011, Lurie Cancer Center has welcomed over 200 international physicians from Chicago’s 28 Sister Cities. Guided by the team at Lurie Cancer Center, awardees explored Northwestern Medicine’s world-class facilities and interacted with clinicians leading the fight against breast cancer. During the Symposium, widely respected experts from Northwestern and other leading cancer centers shared insights on essential topics including, immunotherapy, artificial intelligence, survivorship and supportive care, pathology and breast cancer risk, the multi-disciplinary management of early-stage disease, and tailoring local therapy. “The takeaway messages are multiple, but in each of those areas of specialty, we have changed how we do things,” said William Gradishar, MD, Chair of the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Symposium since its inception. “Not just compared with 20 years ago, but even within the last year,”
Throughout the four-day conference, interactive Q&A sessions and panel discussions offered opportunities to explore new perspectives and emerging data. An evening reception offered attendees an opportunity to connect with other award recipients and connect with the Symposium’s medical, surgical, and radiation oncology faculty.
Numerous awardees expressed sincere gratitude for the opportunity to advance their education and gain knowledge they can share with colleagues at home. The experience fostered collaboration among the awardees, and many are looking forward to incorporating new ideas and methods into their clinical practice and research. Notable highlights include:
- After attending a lecture by Lurie Cancer Center’s Sheetal Kircher, MD, on issues faced by young breast cancer survivors, Giedre Anglickienne from Vilnius, Lithuania now feels confident offering promising new options to young survivors interested in starting a family.
- Boitumelo Phakathi from Durban, South Africa, learned the value of early surveillance and intervention for lymphedema after breast cancer surgery during a lecture by Dr. Sarah McLaughlin from Mayo Clinic. As a result, Dr. Phakathi will now assess patients at risk for this complication earlier on and will share the knowledge with her colleagues when she returns.
- Katharina Hintelmann from Hamburg, Germany and Dr. Christoffer Vannas from Gothenburg, Sweden, are hoping to collaborate on a liquid biopsy research project with the goal of improving patient outcomes.
Lurie Cancer Center is grateful for the vital partnership with the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation and Chicago Sister Cities International that enables us to inspire new and better approaches to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer around the world.
By Meghan Hales