Immersion Course on Comprehensive Lung Cancer Treatment and Surgical Innovation
- Continuing Education

Master the latest, evidence-based strategies for tackling the complex challenges of lung cancer care in this immersive course, led by world-renowned faculty from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
- In Person
This course requires in person attendance.
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
On This Page
Overview
Sponsored by the Division of Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and featuring faculty from Harvard Medical School, this course offers a multidisciplinary perspective on the latest advancements in lung cancer care.
Designed for thoracic surgeons, oncologists, pulmonologists, radiologists, pathologists, and trainees, the program integrates live surgical demonstrations, hands-on workshops, didactic sessions, and case-based panel discussions. Topics range from early diagnosis and staging to advanced surgical techniques, molecular testing, immunotherapy, and multimodal treatment strategies.
The course emphasizes a comprehensive approach to lung cancer management, addressing the unique challenges of integrating surgery, systemic therapy, and radiation in a multidisciplinary care model. Sessions also highlight innovations in technology, including robotic and minimally invasive surgical techniques, along with insights into real-world applications, and cutting-edge research.
Participants at all stages of their careers will benefit from exposure to world-renowned faculty and the opportunity to engage in collaborative discussions, ensuring they leave equipped with the knowledge and tools to optimize patient outcomes in lung cancer care.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the advantages and technical considerations associated with the minimally invasive strategies in the management of basic and complex thoracic disorders.
- Identify the factors leading to complications in minimally invasive robotic thoracic surgery for patients with lung cancer.
- Identify the factors leading to complications in minimally invasive uniportal VATS for patients with lung cancer.
- Explain the process by which technically advanced procedures may be incorporated into surgical practice.
Developed and Offered By:
Continuing Education courses are developed by faculty from Harvard Medical School's teaching hospitals and accredited by Harvard Medical School. This course is offered by Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Schedule
All agenda sessions are in Eastern Time.
Thursday, August 14, 2025
Breakfast
7:15-7:45 am
Welcome Remarks
7:45-8:00 am
Session I: | Diagnosis and Staging Updates in Very Early Stage Lung Cancer | Moderator - Scott J. Swanson, MD
8:00-8:40 am
AI in Lung Cancer: Why is Adoption Taking so Long?
Katherine Andriole
8:00-8:20 am
CT Lung Nodule Imaging: Definitions and Recommendations on Reporting
Mark Hammer
8:20-8:40 am
Debate
8:40-9:10 am
Debate: Strategies to Obtain Tissue Diagnosis
Pro Transthoracic Needle Biopsy - Mark Hammer; Pro Robotic Bronchoscopy - Matthew Pommerening; Conclusion & Voting - Scott Swanson
8:40-9:10 am
Session I: | Diagnosis and Staging Updates in Very Early Stage Lung Cancer | Moderator - Scott J. Swanson, MD
9:10-9:20 am
EBUS Accuracy for IMS in cN0 -1
Ricardo Oliveira
9:10-9:20 am
Debate
9:20-9:55 am
Debate: Strategies to Stage Mediastinum
Imaging Alone - Bruno Hochhegger; EBUS - Ricardo Oliveira; Upfront Surgery - Bernard J. Park; Conclusion and Voting - Scott Swanson
9:20-9:55 am
Session I: | Diagnosis and Staging Updates in Very Early Stage Lung Cancer | Moderator - Scott J. Swanson, MD
9:55-10:30 am
Challenging the Presenters: Clinical Cases
Bruno Hochhegger
9:55-10:30 am
Break
10:30-11:00 am
Session II: | Decision Making in Very Early-Stage NSCLC | Moderator - Thomas D'Amico, MD
11:00 am-12:30 pm
Update on SBRT for Early-Stage NSCLC
Kelly Fitzgerald
11:00-11:15 am
Neoadjuvant Therapy in cT2NO NSCLC
Bernard Park
11:15-11:30 am
Clinical Cases: Challenging the Audience
Paula Ugalde Figueroa
11:30 am-12:15 pm
Panel Discussion
Julia Rotow
12:15-12:30 pm
Lunch
12:30-1:30 pm
Session III: | Pathology and New Insights in Lung Cancer | Moderator - Paula Ugalde Figueroa, MD
1:30-4:00 pm
What's New in Thoracic Pathology
Igor Odintsov
1:30-1:50 pm
Circulating Tumor DNA: Are We Ready for Prime Time?
Lynette Sholl
1:50-2:10 pm
The Pathology Report Shows STAS: Now What?
Hassan Khalil
2:10-2:30 pm
Pathology Case Discussion: When Patient has a Molecular Driver Mutation
Lynette Sholl
2:30-3:30 pm
Panel Discussion/Q&A
Zofia Piotrowska
3:30-4:00 pm
Closing Remarks | Day 1 Conclusion
4:00-4:15 pm
Friday, August 15, 2025
Breakfast
7:00-7:30 am
Welcome Remarks
Paula Ugalde Figueroa
7:30-7:45 am
Session IV: | Integrating Immunotherapy in Resectable NSCLC | Moderator - Isabelle Opitz, MD
7:45-8:30 am
Lung Cancer Multidisciplinary Care Pathways
Narjust Florez
7:45-8:00 am
Molecular Analysis: When and Which Tests to use?
Lecia Sequist
8:00-8:15 am
Limits to Surgical Resection in Stage III
Isabelle Opitz
8:15-8:30 am
Debate
8:30-8:55 am
Debate: Complete Genomic Profile
Yes, It's a Must! - Julia Rotow; No, It is a Waste of Time! - Benny Weksler; Conclusion and Voting - Isabelle Optiz
8:30-8:55 am
Session IV: | Integrating Immunotherapy in Resectable NSCLC | Moderator - Isabelle Opitz, MD
8:55-10:00 am
Managing Cases with Progression
Justin Gainor
8:55-9:05 am
Tumor Board: Real-World Challenging Cases
Paula Ugalde Figueroa; Bruno Hochhegger
9:05-9:45 am
Panel Discussion/Q&A
9:45-10:00 am
Break
10:00-10:20 am
Session IV: | Integrating Immunotherapy in Resectable NSCLC | Moderator - Isabelle Opitz, MD
10:20-10:40 am
Upcoming Targeted Therapies
David Barbie
10:20-10:40 am
Debate
10:40-11:30 am
Debate: How I Approach Oligometastatic Disease
Pro Surgery - Isabelle Optiz; Pro Radiation - Kelly Fitzgerald; Conclusion and Voting - Isabelle Optiz
10:40-11:05 am
Debate: Multistation N2 Disease Without Driver Mutation
Pro Surgery - Thomas D'Amico; Con - Narjust Florez; Conclusion and Voting - Isabelle Optiz
11:05-11:30 am
Session IV: | Integrating Immunotherapy in Resectable NSCLC | Moderator - Isabelle Opitz, MD
11:30 am-12:00 pm
Panel Discussion/Q&A
11:30 am-12:00 pm
Group Photo on HMS Steps
12:00-12:15 pm
Lunch
12:15-1:30 pm
Room 1 | EBUS & Cryo Cases
Hisashi Tsukada
1:30-5:00 pm
Room 2 | Robotic Lung Resection
Jon Wee
1:30-5:00 pm
Room 3 | ION and VATS Lung Resection
Matthew Pommerening; Paula Ugalde Figueroa
1:30-5:00 pm
How do I localize Lung Nodules
Santiago Figueroa
1:30-5:00 pm
How to define parenchymal margin
Thomas D'Amico
1:30-5:00 pm
Wedge or Segment for <2 cm Tumor?
Bernard Park
1:30-5:00 pm
N1 Disease During the Segmentectomy: Next Step?
Scott Swanson
1:30-5:00 pm
Update on 3D Reconstruction
Ricardo Terra
1:30-5:00 pm
Q&A Day 2 Wrap-up
Paula Ugalde Figueroa
5:00-5:15 pm
Saturday, August 16, 2025
Breakfast
7:45-8:15 am
Welcome Remarks
Paula Ugalde Figueroa
8:15-8:30 am
Room 1 | Robotic Lung Resection
Matthew Rochefort
8:30 am-12:30 pm
Room 2 | VATS Lung Resection (Segmentectomy
Paula Ugalde Figueroa
8:30 am-12:30 pm
How I do EBUS for Clinical Stage II and III
Ricardo Oliveira
8:30 am-12:30 pm
How I Manage Lymphadenopathy Post Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy & Immunotherapy
Ricardo Terra
8:30 am-12:30 pm
Limits to Robotic Surgery in Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy Patient
Isabelle Opitz
8:30 am-12:30 pm
Type of Resections Post Chemotherapy & Immunotherapy
Benny Weksler
8:30 am-12:30 pm
How I Manage Vascular Infiltrations?
Thomas D'Amico
8:30 am-12:30 pm
Surgical Complications/Clinical Cases
8:30 am-12:30 pm
Q&A | Course Wrap-Up
Paula Ugalde Figueroa
12:30-1:00 pm
Optional Workshops
Wednesday, August 13 | 12:30-5:00 PM
Each participant may select one session, with a maximum of 25 participants per session.
Optional workshops are not CME-accredited. For questions, email learn@hms.harvard.edu
- Esophageal Course:
Jon O. Wee, MD; Benny Weksler, MD; Humberto Oliveira, MD - Robotic Surgery Course | Ion, MP, SP:
Ricardo Terra, MD; Bernard Park, MD; Matthew Pommerening, M.D. - Segmentectomy Course:
Paula Ugalde Figueroa, MD; Rian Hasson, MD; Bruno Hochhegger, MD - Transplant & ECMO Course:
Antonio Coppolino, III, MD; Raghu Seethala, MD; Diego Pardo, MD - Complex Cases:
Narjust Florez, MD; Isabelle Opitz, MD; Francisco Suarez, MD
Faculty
Harvard Medical School Continuing Education attracts the best and brightest faculty from all around the world. As a student in this course, you’ll have access to outstanding course directors and faculty.

Paula Ugalde Figueroa, MD
Course Director
- Director of Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Associate Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School

Benny Weksler, MD, MBA
Course Director
- Cardiothoracic Surgery Specialist, Pittsburgh, PA

Thomas A. D'Amico, MD
Course Director
- Director of the Thoracic Oncology Program, Duke Cancer Institute

Scott J. Swanson, MD
Course Director
- Director of Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital
Katherine Andriole, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital
David Barbie, MD
Director, Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology
Associate Director, Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Research
Physician
Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Antonio Coppolino, III, MD
Associate Surgical Director, Lung Transplantation Program
Director of Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion, Brigham and Women's Hospital
Program Director, Lung Transplantation, Heart Transplantation, and Mechanical Circulatory Support Fellowship
Instructor in Surgery, Harvard Medical School
Santiago Figueroa, MD
Clinical University Hospital of Valencia
Kelly Fitzgerald, MD, PhD
Instructor in Radiation Oncology, Harvard Medical School
Narjust Florez, MD
Associate Director, Cancer Care Equity Program; Assistant Professor of Medicine
Justin Gainor, MD
Program Director, Center for Thoracic Cancers
Director, Targeted Immunotherapy
Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School
Mark Hammer, MD
Associate Professor of Radiology, Harvard Medical School
Rian Hasson, MD, MPH, FACS
Vice Chair for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Department of Surgery
Associate Surgeon, Division of Thoracic Surgery; Member of the Faculty, Harvard Medical School
Bruno Hochhegger, MD, PhD
Vice Chair of Research, Professor of Thoracic Imaging, University of Florida
Hassan Khalil, MD
Assistant Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School
Igor Odinstov, MD
Clinical Fellow in Pathology
Humberto Oliveira, MD, PhD
Hospital de Base do Distrito Federal (Brazil)
Ricardo Oliveira, MD
IUCPQ, Quebec
Isabelle Opitz, MD
Head of Lung and Thoracic Oncology Center Comprehensive Cancer Center Zurich, University Hospital Zurich, Department of Thoracic Surgery
Diego Pardo, MD
Clinica Portoazul (Colombia)
Bernard J. Park, MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Matthew Pommerening, MD, MS
Instructor in Surgery, Harvard Medical School
Matthew Rochefort, MD
Chief, Thoracic Surgery, Milford Regional Medical Center
Associate Program Director, I6 Cardiothoracic Surgery Residency Program
Assistant Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School
Julia Rotow, MD
Clinical Director, Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology
Director of Clinical Research
Physician
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Raghu Seethala, MD, MS
Medical Director, ECMO Service
Director, Thoracic Surgical Intensive Care Unit
Co-Director, Cardiac Surgical Intensive Care Unit
Section Chief of Critical Care, Division of Thoracic and Cardiac Surgery
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Lynette Marie Sholl, MD
Chief, Thoracic Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital
Associate Professor of Pathology, Harvard Medical School
Francisco Suarez, MD
Clínica Santa María (Chile)
Ricardo Terra, MD
Associate Professor of Thoracic Surgery, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Chief of the Surgical Thoracic Oncology Division, Sao Paulo Cancer Institute
Hisashi Tsukada, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School
Jon Wee, MD
Section Chief, Esophageal Surgery
Director of Robotics in Thoracic Surgery
Co-Director of Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery
Assistant Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School
Location Information
Venue
Brigham and Women's Hospital
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115
Hotel Information
Westin Copley Plaza
10 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02116
Special Course Rate: $289 per night
A credit card is required to guarantee your reservation, and payment will be due at check-in.
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Course Fees
Fee Disclaimer
Tuition for Immersion Course on Comprehensive Lung Cancer Treatment and Surgical Innovation is listed below. You may register through our secure online environment and will receive an email confirmation upon receipt of your payment. Prices include CME credit, electronic syllabus and access to recordings after the course.
At the end of the registration process, a $10 non-refundable processing fee will be added to your registration.
Role | Standard Price |
---|---|
Physician (MD/DO) | $400.00 |
PA | $200.00 |
Resident/Fellow | $100.00 |
Allied Health Professional / Other | $200.00 |