Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center 9th Annual Advances in Colorectal Oncology 2025

Date & Location Thursday, November 6, 2025, 8:00 AM – Friday, November 7, 2025, 5:30 PM, Zuckerman Research Center, 417 East 68th Street, New York, NY
Specialties – Clinical Pathology, Colorectal Surgery, Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal Oncology, General Surgery, Interventional Radiology, Medical Oncology, Pathology, Radiation Oncology, Solid Tumor Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Surgical Pathology

Overview
This two-day live symposium at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center will focus on the surgical and multidisciplinary management of colorectal cancer. National and international leaders in surgery, medical oncology, and radiation oncology will address current controversies and highlight emerging approaches in the treatment of both localized and metastatic disease.
Highlights of this year’s program include:

Live surgery presentations streamed directly from MSK’s operating rooms
Focused sessions exploring current controversies in the medical and surgical management of rectal cancer, with a focus on TNT and Watch-and-Wait approaches
Cutting edge updates in the treatment of colorectal malignancies, including advances in KRAS and BRAF targeted therapies
Reviews of recent clinical trials in colon, rectal, and anal cancers
Interactive multidisciplinary tumor boards featuring complex case discussions
Networking opportunities to connect with leading experts and peers

This comprehensive program is designed to equip participants with the latest evidence-based strategies and multidisciplinary perspectives that are shaping the future of colorectal cancer care—ultimately advancing clinical practice and improving patient outcomes.
Target Audience: This symposium is intended for medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, interventional radiologists, colorectal/hepatopancreatobiliary/oncologic surgeons, gastroenterologists, pathologists, and other oncology care team members interested in rectal cancer. A virtual attendance option is available for those unable to join us in New York City.
Post-Symposium Resources: All registered participants will also receive access to an online syllabus following the symposium, which will include presentation recordings and faculty slide decks in PDF format.
Objectives
At the conclusion of this symposium, attendees will be able to:

Describe the requirements for a successful, multidisciplinary colorectal cancer program
Discuss technical options for the surgical management of distal rectal cancer
Identify appropriate candidates for Watch and Wait and adjuncts to optimize organ preservation
Discuss evidence-based practice recommendation for the management of metastatic colorectal cancer
Review advancements in immunotherapy and alternative strategies for managing colorectal cancer

 
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Thursday, November 6, 2025

Colorectal General Session
Only PDFs and videos consented to by faculty are available below. Multidisciplinary Tumor Boards will not be posted on the online syllabus.

Is There Still a Role forLaparoscopic TaTME?
1:30PM – 1:45PM
Patricia Sylla, MD, FACS, FASCRS

When There is No Room for Stapling: Coloanal Anastomois or APR?
1:45PM – 2:00PM
Martin R. Weiser, MD

Managing the Perineal Wound After APR: Primary Closure, Mesh, or Flaps?
2:00PM – 2:15PM
Emmanouil Pappou, MD,PhD

Salvage Local Excision for Incomplete Responders: Are We Pushing Organ Preservation Too Far?
2:15PM – 2:30PM
Geerard Beets, MD, PhD, Professor of Surgical Oncology

Brachytherapy for Incomplete Response After Neoadjuvant Therapy: When and How?
2:30PM – 2:45PM
Abraham J. J Wu, MD

Controversies in the Surgical Management of Distal Rectal Cancer in the Era of TNT and Watch-and-Wait – Q&A and Panel Discussion
2:45PM – 3:15PM
Georgios Karagkounis, MD (Moderator)
Iris H. Wei, MD (Moderator)

Friday, November 7, 2025

The Harbinger’s Dilemma: ctDNA in Colorectal Cancer
8:05AM – 9:00AM
Scott Kopetz, MD, PhD

Management Options for Intermediate Risk Mid Rectal Cancer
9:00AM – 9:25AM
Leonard B Saltz, MD
Jurriaan Tuynman, MD, PhD
Neoadjuvant Therapy for Everyone — Leonard Saltz, MDNeoadjuvant Therapy is Rarely Neccesary — Jurriaan Tuynman, MD, PhD

Near Complete Response After Neoadjuvant Therapy for Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer
9:25AM – 9:50AM
Maria Widmar, MD, Assistant Attending
Iris H. Wei, MD
Surgery Now — Iris H. Wei, MD, FACSNo Need to Rush to the OR — Maria Widmar, MD, MPH

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for pMMR Locally Advanced Colon Cancer
9:50AM – 10:15AM
Alessandro Fichera, MD, FACS, FASCRS, FISS, FCCF
Anwaar Saeed, MD
Pro — Anwaar Saeed, MDCon — Alessandro Fichera, MD

New Immuno-Oncology Strategies in Colorectal Cancer
10:15AM – 10:40AM
Vinod Balachandran, MD, Associate Member
Kai-Keen Shiu, MBBS, PhD, FRCP
Immune Checkpoint Blockade in pMMR Colon and Rectal Cancer — Kai-Keen Shiu, PhD, FRCPmRNA Vaccines — Vinod P. Balachandran, MD (Please note, slides are not available for this presentation)

Structured Exercise to Reduce Colorectal Cancer Recurrence
11:00AM – 11:15AM
Jessica Scott, PhD

ctDNA Testing to Guide Colorectal Cancer Management: Is The Time Now?
11:15AM – 11:30AM
Luis Diaz Jr., MD

Colorectal Cancer Plasticity and Evolution
11:30AM – 11:45AM
Karuna Ganesh, MD

Genome Driven Treatment of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
11:45AM – 12:00PM
Rona Yaeger, MD

New Therapies for Refractory dMMR Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
12:00PM – 12:15PM
Michael Foote, MD

Aspirin for Chemoprevention in Early Stage Colorectal Cancer
12:15PM – 12:30PM
Andrew T Chan, MD, MPH

The REAL Trial
1:30PM – 2:00PM
Geerard Beets, MD, PhD, Professor of Surgical Oncology (Panelist)
Qingyang Feng, MD, Associate Professor (Presenter)

TESAR Trial
2:00PM – 2:30PM
Martin R. Weiser, MD (Panelist)
Jurriaan Tuynman, MD, PhD (Presenter)

Stellar 303
2:30PM – 3:00PM
Neil H. H Segal, MD, PhD (Panelist)
Anwaar Saeed, MD (Presenter)

Pod1um 303
3:00PM – 3:30PM
Maliha Nusrat, MBBS (Panelist)
Sheela Rao, MBBS, MD, FRCP, Consultant Medical Oncologist, Reader in Gastrointestinal Cancers (Presenter)