American Head & Neck Society

Advancing Education, Research, and Quality of Care for the Head and Neck oncology patient.

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AHNS 2024 COSM – Top 5 Reasons to Not Miss This Year’s COSM!

 

Head and Neck Microvascular Reconstructive Workshop *BRAND NEW COURSE!
Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago

Explore vital harvesting techniques for a variety of reconstructive procedures in our 4-hour workshop. Engage with multimedia presentations, including videos and images, showcasing both common and unique methods. Cap off the session with a panel of specialists sharing valuable insights and practical solutions for complex head and neck reconstructive defects, centered on defect-oriented cases.

Target audience: Practicing Physicians, Residents, Fellows (Non-CME Course)

Registration Fees:
Practicing Physician/Fellow/Resident: $50.00
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2024 AHNS Innovation and Entrepreneurship Symposium *BRAND NEW COURSE!
Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago

Attend our full-day symposium tailored for surgeons and academic physicians interested in exploring entrepreneurship. Dive into essential topics such as intellectual property protection, capital acquisition, balancing clinical responsibilities with entrepreneurial ventures, navigating technology transfer offices, patenting, commercialization strategies, manufacturing processes, regulatory compliance, and adept conflict of interest management.

Target audience: Practicing Physicians, Residents, Fellows, and Allied Health (Non-CME Course)

Registration Fees:
AHNS Member: $100
AHNS Non-Member: $150
Allied Health/Fellow: $50
Resident: $50
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Returning for 2024: Thyroid, Parathyroid, and Neck Ultrasound Course!
Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago

This course aims to familiarize practicing surgeons with office-based ultrasound examination techniques for the thyroid and parathyroid glands and associated pathology. Special emphasis is placed on distinguishing between normal and malignant lymphadenopathy, with a thorough examination of lymph node basins in cervical zones I-VI. Didactic lectures demonstrate the process of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of thyroid nodules and enlarged lymph nodes, while skill sessions provide surgeons with the opportunity to learn various FNA techniques using phantom models.

Join us for an enlightening medical symposium focusing on the intricate landscapes and heterogeneity of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Delve into recent breakthroughs in genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, immunity, and microbiology, with a spotlight on their clinical implications and the development of novel biomarkers. Gain insights into how multi-omics data can shape clinical decisions and drive innovative therapies. By the end of the session, you’ll leave equipped to understand, recognize, and apply these advancements to improve patient care.

Moderator: Richard Wong

Speakers:
Nishant Agrawal: Mutational Landscape and Dynamic Tumor DNA Biomarkers in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Sidharth Puram: Going Down the Rabbit Hole: Tumor Heterogeneity in Head and Neck Cancer
Ben Major: Proteomics in Head and Neck Cancer: Lessons Learned and Current Directions
Nicole Schmitt: Immune Landscape of Head and Neck Cancer
William J. Benjamin: Association of Novel Tumor-Immune Microenvironment Measurements with Recurrence Outcomes in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Receiving Definitive Organ Preservation Therapy
Susan Bullman: New Directions in Microbiome Research Across Oncology
Neil Hayes: Transcriptomic Landscape of Head and Neck Cancer

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President’s Message: Celebrating a Year of Achievement and Excellence at AHNS

Dear AHNS Members,

As we approach the end of another fruitful year at the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS), I am honored to reflect on the incredible achievements and contributions that have propelled our mission forward. Our society stands as a beacon of excellence in advancing education, research, quality of care, and equity for head and neck oncology patients and care teams.

I am pleased to announce that our society’s membership has reached an all-time high, a testament to the dedication and passion of our members in supporting our collective goals. Furthermore, the engagement with AHNS 2.0 initiatives has been incredibly active, showcasing our commitment to continuous improvement and innovation in our field.

I extend my deepest gratitude to the AHNS Executive Committee for their unwavering guidance and support throughout this year. Their leadership has been instrumental in steering our society toward greater heights. I also want to recognize the outstanding efforts of Drs. Patrick Ha, Nicole Schmitt, and Sid Puram for organizing an exceptional Annual Meeting during COSM next week. Your hard work and dedication have truly made a difference in shaping the future of our specialty.

I invite all members to join us for the Business Meeting during COSM, where we will vote on important initiatives, including the selection of our next slate of leaders. This meeting is scheduled from 5-6 pm on Wednesday, May 15th, and your participation is crucial in shaping the direction of our society.

Most importantly, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to each and every member for making AHNS a truly remarkable place for our specialty. Your passion, expertise, and commitment have been the driving force behind our success, and it has been an absolute honor to serve as your president.

Here’s to another year of collaboration, growth, and impact as we continue to advance the field of head and neck oncology together.

Warm regards,

Robert L. Ferris, MD, PhD

President
American Head and Neck Society

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LISTEN TODAY! AHNS YOUNG MEMBERS CORNER PODCAST – EPISODE #6 is UP!

Listen Today!

A podcast brought to you by the American Head and Neck Society Featuring interviews with leaders in head and neck  surgery. Now available through at ahns.info and on Spotify or iTunes.

Each your hosts, Andrés Bur, Larissa Sweeny and Arvind Badhey, cover issues of general interest to the head and neck surgery community and topics related to career development for early-career members.

The first two episodes feature interviews with Dr. Douglas Girod, Chancellor of the University of Kansas, on the topic of leadership in academic medicine, and Dr. Stephen Lai, Professor of Head and Neck Surgery at MD Anderson, on sentinel lymph node biopsy for early oral cancer.

The third episode features Dr. Gina Jefferson, Professor and Chief, on Diversity within H&N Surgery – Pearls from a Female Head and Neck Cancer Surgeon at The University of Mississippi Medical Center.

The fourth episode features Dr. Carole Fakhry, Director, Johns Hopkins Head and Neck Cancer Center, Professor of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery.

The fifth episode features Dr. James Netterville, Mark C. Smith Professor of Otolaryncology Department of Otolaryncology, Director Head & Neck Oncologic Surgery and Associate Director of Bill Wilkerson Center for Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences at Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH).

NEW The sixth episode features Dr. William (Bill) Lydiatt, AHNS President-Elect (2023-2024), is a fellowship-trained head and neck surgical oncologist, specializing in the surgical treatment of thyroid and parathyroid disease, salivary gland tumors and cancers of the mouth at  Nebraska Methodist Health System. He is also very interested in how providers can decrease the rate of depression and improve quality of life for patients undergoing treatment for head and neck cancers. 

Let’s connect virtually and come  together on the air! Tune in now and engage by submitting questions or topic suggestions via Twitter @AHNSinfo using the hashtag #YMCPodcast 

Young Members’ Corner Podcast – American Head & Neck Society (ahns.info)

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AHNS Women in Head Neck Surgery Reception and Panel at COSM

AHNS Women in Head Neck Surgery Reception and Panel

We are excited to welcome you to the AHNS Annual Meeting during COSM in Chicago and wanted to bring your attention to two important events being sponsored by the Women in AHNS Service.

Please join us for the AHNS Women in Head Neck Surgery Reception on Tuesday, May 14th from 6:00pm-7:30pm in room Michigan 3 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. The reception is complimentary for all AHNS attendees and will include appetizers and beverages, while we celebrate and honor our 2024 Margaret Butler Award for Outstanding Mentor of Women in Head and Neck Surgery, Dr. Carol Bradford.

We are also pleased to host this year’s panel entitled, “Women In Head and Neck Surgery Panel- How to Build Impactful Programs.” This panel will take place on Wednesday, May 15th from 4:00pm-5:00pm in the General Session Room. Please see below for the full outline.

Women In Head and Neck Surgery Panel- How to Build Impactful Programs

Moderators: Shirley Su, MBBS and Karen Y. Choi, MD

#AHNSWomen

At the conclusion of this session participants will be able to:

● Understand the steps in building a unique program, including key collaborations and strategies to advocate for your ideas and efforts in a highly competitive field.

● Identify strategies to increase the impact of and be known for your work.

● Recognize potential pit falls and how to overcome them.

1. Introduction and Overview – Shirley Su, MBBS

2. Building a Cutting Edge Research Program – Carole Fakhry, MD MPH

3. Building an Innovative Clinical Program – Jan Lewin, PhD

4. Following Your Own Path and Building Unique Programs – Susan McCammon, MD

Q&A – Karen Y. Choi, MD


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AHNS 2024 COSM – Special Keynote Lecturer & Additional Hotel Block!

Norman Wolmark, MD, FACS, FRCSC, is Chairman of the NSABP Foundation, a not-for-profit academic research organization with a nearly 60-year history of conducting ground-breaking research studies in breast and colorectal cancer.

Dr. Wolmark is also a Group Chair and Contact Principal Investigator of the NCI-funded NRG Oncology research organization, which combined the legacy National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP), Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG), and Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG). He also serves as Professor and Chairman of Human Oncology at Drexel University School of Medicine and is Professor, Department of Surgery,

University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Hillman Cancer Center.

Dr. Wolmark has spent decades conducting groundbreaking research and early clinical trials in the treatment of breast and bowel cancers. Many of his early studies were conducted at the University of Pittsburgh alongside the late Dr. Bernard Fisher.

Dr. Wolmark specializes in general surgery, is certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, received his medical degree from McGill University of Montreal, and completed his residencies at the University of Pittsburgh and McGill. He served a fellowship in Surgical Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and later became a cancer expert at the Surgery Branch of the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Wolmark belongs to numerous prestigious organizations including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Association of Cancer Research, and the American Surgical Association.

During his near 45-year tenure as a cancer researcher, Dr. Wolmark’s research has been extensively published, with more than 400 scientific journal articles and book chapters in print.

He is a widely sought-after speaker and lecturer in his field and serves on editorial boards including publications such as the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the Journal of Surgical Oncology, and Clinical Breast Cancer, as well as having served as a reviewer for journals such as the Annals of Internal Medicine, Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, Cancer Research, and the New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Wolmark has been honored with awards such as the William L. McGuire Memorial Award, the Gianni Bonadonna Breast Cancer Award, and the Susan G. Komen® Brinker Award for Scientific Distinction in Clinical Research.

Dr. Wolmark is on numerous advisory boards, and is an advisor to oncology programs, societies, and institutes throughout the United States and abroad.

Dr. Wolmark lectures internationally and has been recognized for his invaluable contributions to practice-changing research.