On Friday, Oct. 3, 2025, the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute and Wayne State University will host the Annual Gastrointestinal Oncology Symposium, which will bring together some of the nation’s most respected leaders in gastrointestinal and neuroendocrine oncology for a day of leading-edge science, practical insights and collaborative discussion.
“We provide this conference each year, and we collectively try to gather updates happening in gastrointestinal oncology from around the world,” explained Najeeb Al Hallak, M.D., MS, symposium director. “Physicians from across Michigan can attend to learn about these updates and be able to deliver the most up-to-date treatment for their patients.
“We see not only providers attend these symposiums, but also nurse practitioners, physician assistants, fellows in training, some medical students, and basic scientists.”
This year’s program features national experts in gastrointestinal oncology research and treatment, including keynote speaker Bassel El-Rayes, M.D. Dr. El-Rayes is the deputy director and director of the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Albert F. LoBuglio Endowed Chair for Translational Cancer Research, and a professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine. He’ll be presenting on “Systemic Treatment for First-Line Locally Advanced and Metastatic HCC (hepatocellular carcinoma).”
In addition, Karmanos Cancer Institute’s clinical researchers and faculty will deliver insights into the latest in gastrointestinal cancer treatment and discoveries. Dr. Al Hallak, who is also the co-leader of the Gastrointestinal and Neuroendocrine Oncology Multidisciplinary Team (MDT), a member of the Phase I Clinical Trials MDT and the Molecular Therapeutics Research Program at Karmanos, and an associate professor in the Department of Oncology at Wayne State University School of Medicine, will present, “Immunotherapy in the Management of Localized Gastric Cancer.” Additional Karmanos MDT colleagues and scientists presenting at the symposium are:
- Asfar Azmi, Ph.D., scientist
- Eliza Beal, M.D., MS, surgical oncologist
- Jeffery Critchfield, M.D., FSIR, interventional radiologist
- Wasif Saif, M.D., MBBS, medical oncologist
- Miguel Tobon, M.D., surgical oncologist
- Nitin Vaishampayan, M.D., radiation oncologist
“By having experts from different disciplines of gastrointestinal and neuroendocrine oncology care and research, we are connecting the worlds between physicians and scientists. We are there to learn from each other,” described Dr. Al Hallak.
“Nowadays, you may hear the names of physician colleagues but have never met them in person. This symposium is a true networking event for physicians across Michigan and beyond. Experts meet other experts, they learn what they do, or they already know about what their specialties are because they’ve read their research. They come to this symposium and now have a new contact. They can connect when they have questions or even refer a patient. No patient should get inferior treatment because their physician doesn’t know a physician who may have a better treatment option for them.”
Additional guest speakers for the day include:
- Philip A. Philip, M.D., Ph.D. – Henry Ford Cancer Institute
- Richard Berri, M.D. – Henry Ford Cancer Institute
- Maria Diab, M.D., Ph.D. – Henry Ford Cancer Institute
- Zyad Kafri, M.D. – Henry Ford Cancer Institute
- Gazala Khan, M.D. – Henry Ford Cancer Institute
- Sreenivasa Chandana, M.D., Ph.D. – Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion
Program Highlights
Participants will gain first-hand knowledge of transformative advances across the gastrointestinal oncology spectrum. There will be case-based panel discussions, bridging the gap between rapidly evolving research and real-world patient care. Some examples of the topics that will be covered are adding immunotherapy to colon cancer management, the newly FDA-approved target therapy for BRAF V600E colon cancer, targeted therapy for the KRAS mutation in pancreatic cancer, a new targeted therapy pill on the horizon to treat pancreatic cancer, and a new FDA-approved regimen for liver cancer. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to incorporate the newest evidence into their daily practice, and a better understanding of new treatments, such as how to utilize them appropriately for patients, how to sequence particular treatments, and which regimen to use first.
“When I attend gastrointestinal oncology conferences around the world, I take note of the new updates happening that are highly discussed at these events. I use what I learn at these international conferences to build the topics and agenda of what we will discuss at our symposium,” detailed Dr. Al Hallak. “For example, over the past year, I learned of a new targeted therapy for colon cancer, a new immunotherapy for stomach cancer, and a new immunotherapy for anal cancer. Then I reach out to the best minds on those topics and bring them to Southeast Michigan to present to our health care professionals.”
Toward the end of the day, Dr. Al Hallak has arranged a debate between two surgeons: Drs. Beal and Tobon. The common debate around the world between gastrointestinal oncologists is the debulking of patients with stage IV neuroendocrine tumors.
“Debulking means removing the primary cancer and then removing the spread sites like liver metastasis. There’s been a really big debate about this. Some are in favor, some are not in favor,” said Dr. Al Hallak.
“I asked the two surgeons to debate this in a scientific way. Find the data that supports this and the data that supports the other position and then let the audience hear both sides. After the debate, we'll discuss it as a group and try to conclude for the audience based on the data presented.”
The conference will also feature a presentation on delivering chemotherapy inside the liver and cases presented by two fellows, who will present the cases with a panel as if they were in a tumor board.
Registration Details
This year’s symposium will be held at Detroit Marriott Troy. This activity has been approved for 6.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.
Registration is required. The deadline to register is Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. Register online at karmanos.org/gastrointestionalsymposium.
For additional information, contact Pamelia Sydorchuk, symposium coordinator, at [email protected] or 313-576-8746.
Download the flyer here.