Medical school hosts cancer symposium

The annual cancer symposium, sponsored by the SimmonsCooper Cancer Institute at SIU School of Medicine, will feature national and local experts providing updates to the medical attendees.  It will be presented this month by the School of Medicine and jointly sponsored with St. John's Hospital and Memorial Medical Center.

The program, "Cancer Care in Rural Illinois:  Challenges and Opportunities," will be held 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, at the Wedeberg Conference Center, Memorial Medical Center, 701 N. First St., Springfield.

Fifteen experts will join eleven SIU faculty members in presenting the daylong program.  The two keynote speakers (and their speaking times) are:

• Dr. Daniel Vicario, medical director of the San Diego Cancer Research Institute and director of the Integrative Oncology Program at the San Diego Cancer Center (12:30 p.m.)
• Dani S. Grady, co-founder of Cancer Survivorship: San Diego! and the San Diego Cancer Navigator Program. (1:15 p.m.).

The course is directed by Dr. K. Thomas Robbins, director of the SimmonsCooper Cancer Institute, and Dr. Thomas G. Shanahan, radiation oncologist at University Radiologists, S.C. in Springfield and an SIU volunteer faculty member.

The course meets the requirements for seven hours of credit in Category 1 of the AMA Physicians Recognition Award through SIU.  Additional information and registration details are available online or by contacting SIU's Continuing Medical Education Office, 217/545-7711 weekdays.

The SimmonsCooper Cancer Institute is focusing SIU's efforts in cancer research, physician and public education, and treatment for patients from across central and southern Illinois.  More than 75 SIU physician and basic science faculty are involved with the Institute.