Conference on colon cancer
The UU直播 Cancer Centre presents a three-day conference and workshops on colon cancer to be held from May 10 to 13 at the Montreal Delta Hotel (475 President Kennedy). Members of the public are cordially invited to attend the workshop on "Colon cancer from the patient聮s perspective" on Thursday, May 11, at 7:30 pm. Admission is free.
About two hundred world authorities in the field of colorectal cancer research -- clinicians and fundamental scientists -- will participate in a three-day conference organized by Dr Clifford Stanners, director of the UU直播 Cancer Centre, to promote a better understanding of the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of colon cancer.
Furthermore, members of the public are cordially invited to attend the workshop on "Colon cancer from the patient聮s perspective" organized by Montreal lawyer Barry Stein, himself a CRC patient, to be held on Thursday, May 11, from 7:30 pm to 10:30 pm at the Montreal Delta Hotel, 475 President Kennedy. The workshop will provide an opportunity for everyone to ask questions of other patients, a support facilitator and a colorectal surgeon, as well as an oncologist. The panel includes Dr Gerald Batist, Dr Jean Latreille, Dr Jean Maroun and Ms Pat Kelly, together with representatives from support agencies.
According to "Canadian Cancer Statistics 2000," released last April by the Canadian Cancer Society, 132,100 Canadians are expected to be diagnosed with cancer this year. If lung cancer leads the way as the number 1 killer, it is closely followed by colorectal, breast and prostate cancer. Although there is a decrease in colorectal cancer incidence, this form of cancer will be diagnosed in 17,000 Canadians this year, and it is expected that 6,500 people will die from the disease. Thus the importance of an international gathering of experts such as the Montreal Colon Cancer Conference and workshops. As Dr Stanners explained, "Colon cancer deserves far more attention, both professional and public, than it presently receives. Although a great deal is understood about its molecular genetic basis, the underlying reasons for the variable responses of patients with colon cancer remain elusive." Himself the inventor of a genetic marker to detect colorectal cancer recurrence, Dr Phil Gold, honorary president of the conference, remains optimistic, for "we are living in an exciting era in which answers to these crucial questions and matching novel treatments are arising regularly." As for Dr Gerald Batist, who will chair the "Novel approaches to therapy" plenary session on Saturday, May 13, he agrees that "our preoccupation is the tuning of such results towards effective cures."
