Muralidhar Beeram, M.D., to speak at Breast Council Cancer Update

Oct. 13 seminar is free and open to the public, but reservations are required

SAN ANTONIO (Oct. 10, 2007) – Nationally recognized experts, including Muralidhar Beeram, M.D., assistant clinical professor in the Divisions of Hematology and Medical Oncology at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, will speak at the fifth annual Alamo City Breast Council Cancer Update.

The update will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, in the U.T. Health Science Center School of Nursing. Although the conference is free to the public, registration is required. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

The update will provide health professionals and the public with the latest information about advances in breast cancer treatment, early detection and research, including new diagnostic techniques, therapeutic strategies, and strategies and interventions to integrate into practice.

One of nine speakers, Dr. Beeram will present “Hormone Receptors: What’s the Story?” at 9:15 a.m. More about the conference, including the speakers and information about continuing education credits for health professionals, can be found in the conference brochure.

The annual update is a collaborative effort of members from the local chapter of the American Cancer Society, the Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation, the U.T. Health Science Center, the Cancer Therapy & Research Center, the SLEW Wellness Center and the Susan G. Komen For the Cure San Antonio Affiliate.

The public can register by calling the American Cancer Society, (210) 614-4212, and leaving a name, number and address.

Health care professionals can register and apply for continuing education credits by accessing the brochure. Payment is at the door and checks should be made payable to UTHSCSA.

For a general audience, Dr. Beeram will answer:

· If a breast tumor tests positive for hormone receptors, what does that mean?

· How does a tumor’s receptor status change the treatment options, and what can the person expect in terms of long-term outcome?

· How are tumors tested for receptors?

· How do today’s therapies act?

“The receptor profile of a woman’s breast cancer is very important because it can determine the therapy that is prescribed for her and is one predictor of her long-term outcome,” Dr. Beeram said.

The estrogen receptor is undoubtedly the best known of the receptors. The female body produces estrogen, a hormone, for a host of purposes, including the proliferation of breast cells. Estrogen is known to exert greater influence on a tumor that has estrogen receptors than on a tumor that does not have estrogen receptors. Treatments must take into account this difference.

“Exposing an estrogen receptor to estrogen is like adding fuel to the fire in breast cancer, but today there are treatments to help this subset of breast cancer patients,” Dr. Beeram said.

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The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is the leading research institution in South Texas and one of the major health sciences universities in the world. With an operating budget of $576 million, the Health Science Center is the chief catalyst for the $14.3 billion biosciences and health care sector in San Antonio’s economy. The Health Science Center has had an estimated $35 billion impact on the region since inception and has expanded to six campuses in San Antonio, Laredo, Harlingen and Edinburg. More than 22,000 graduates (physicians, dentists, nurses, scientists and allied health professionals) serve in their fields, including many in Texas. Health Science Center faculty are international leaders in cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, aging, stroke prevention, kidney disease, orthopaedics, research imaging, transplant surgery, psychiatry and clinical neurosciences, pain management, genetics, nursing, allied health, dentistry and many other fields.



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