9:15 a.m.

Organ Transplantations and Ethical Dilemmas, Giuliano Testa, MD, FACS, MBA, Baylor University Medical Center

Organ transplantation involves the transfer of a donor organ to another individual to replace a recipient’s damaged organ. The transfer of an organ may come from a living donor or a donor that has died. Unfortunately, the demand to receive organs far exceeds the available supply. The gift of a lifetime to receive an organ is built upon public trust that is subject to many ethical dilemmas. It is imperative that health care professionals (HCPs) are equipped to deal with the ethical dilemmas that will arise from dealing with donors and recipients. This session will discuss ethical principles as they relate to organ donors and will also address the ethical issues with the organ recipients.

Learning Objectives:

1. Review how organ transplantation is built upon public trust.
2. Recognize the ethical principles as they relate to the organ donor.
3. Discuss the ethical principles as they relate to the organ recipient.

10:30 a.m.

Is a Cure Within Reach? T-Cell Immunotherapy for Relapsed Leukemia, Shannon L. Maude, MD, PhD, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood leukemia. Some patients with ALL have a highly aggressive form of the disease, one that causes either the cancer to recur or is resistant from the start to standard treatment. This session will discuss a promising method of immunotherapy that involves genetically programming cells from the patient’s own immune system to fight the disease and treat children with relapsed ALL who have run out of options.

Learning Objectives:

1. State the impact of T-cell therapy on patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
2. Evaluate when to consider T-cell therapy for the treatment of ALL.
3. Discuss the future potential for T-cell therapy.

11:30 a.m.

The Role of Biosimilars in Health Care, Louis M. Weiner, MD, Georgetown University Medical Center

Meeting rising health care costs while attempting to not compromise access to quality medical care remains one of the most daunting challenges that faces health care. This is where introducing biosimilars can play an important role in the health care system, generating significant savings. Biosimilars are a type of biological product that is approved by the FDA because they are highly similar to an already FDA-approved biological product, known as the biological reference and have been shown to have no clinically meaningful differences from the reference product. This session will define biosimilars and the role they play in the health care system.

Learning Objectives:

1. Compare biosimilar and the reference product in terms of their safety, purity, and potency.
2. Discuss the role of biosimilars in the health care system and why are they important.

2:30 p.m.

Liver Transplant and Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), R. Mark Ghobrial, MD, PhD, FACS, FRCS (Ed), Methodist J.C. Walter Jr. Transplant Center

HCC is an aggressive tumor that often occurs in the setting of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis. The only potentially curative treatment options are resection and liver transplantation. Among patients who are not candidates for liver resection, some who have cirrhosis and HCC are candidates for a potentially curative liver transplantation. This session will discuss the role of liver transplantation in the presence of HCC and factors associated with the recurrence of HCC posttransplant.

Learning Objectives:

1. Review the role of liver transplantation for patients with HCC.
2. Discuss recurrence and other outcomes in patients with HCC who receive a liver transplant.

3:15 p.m.

Advances in the Treatment of Melanoma, Jeffrey E. Gershenwald, MD, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer and is the leading cause of death from skin disease. The key to successfully treating melanoma is recognizing symptoms early, but that is not always the case, and treatment is more difficult when the melanoma has spread to other organs. This session will outline treatments that are the standard of care and new treatment options available for melanoma patients.

Learning Objectives:

1. Provide an overview of treatment options for malignant melanoma.
2. State the key factors in choosing a therapeutic approach for the patient with advanced melanoma.

4:00 p.m.

Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) as a Public Health Crisis, Jay B. Wish, MD, Indiana University Hospital

CKD is a growing epidemic in the United States and worldwide. Morbidity and mortality among patients with CKD are high, as are costs associated with care, which is highly fragmented. This presentation will address the growing magnitude of CKD incidence, highlight challenges to meeting evidence-based guidelines, and identify strategies used in early detection of this “silent” disease.

Learning Objectives:

1. Review the increased incidence of CKD.
2. Discuss challenges to meeting the evidence-based guidelines for CKD.
3. Identify strategies for early detection of CKD.