Thoracic Agenda - Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026
7:00 a.m. Registration / Breakfast / Exhibits
7:40 a.m.
Welcome / Introduction
Rudy P. Lackner, MD, FACS, FCCP
Vice Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery; Professor and Chief, Section of Thoracic Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, UNMC
7:50 a.m.
Imaging of Pleural Disease
Matt DeVries, MD
Charles A. Dobry Professor; Chief, Division of Cardiothoracic Imaging, Department of Radiology, UNMC
8:30 a.m.
Systemic Therapy for Mesothelioma – More Options, More Questions
Jonathan E. Dowell, MD
Chief of Hematology and Oncology, Dallas VA Medical Center, Dallas, TX
9:10 a.m.
Surgical Management of Pleural Mesothelioma
Jane Yanagawa, MD
Associate Professor, Department of Thoracic Surgery, UCLA Health, Los Angeles, CA
9:50 a.m. Break / Exhibits
10:05 a.m.
Updates on Lung Cancer Screening
David B. Berkheim, MD
Associate Professor, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, UNMC
10:45 a.m.
Optimizing Systemic Therapy in Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Kate-Lynn Muir, DO
Assistant Professor, Division of Oncology and Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, UNMC
11:25 a.m.
Surgical Management of Locally Advanced NSCLC
Rudy P. Lackner, MD, FACS, FCCP
12:05 p.m. Lunch / Exhibits
12:35 p.m.
Systemic Therapy for Head and Neck Cancers
Apar Kishor Ganti, MD
Professor, Division of Oncology and Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine; Associate Director for Clinical Research, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, UNMC
1:15 p.m.
Single-Port Robotic Thoracic Surgery
Erik E. Lewis, MD
Assistant Professor, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, UNMC
1:55 p.m. Surgical Management of T4 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Rudy P. Lackner, MD, FACS, FCCP
2:35 p.m. Break / Exhibits
2:50 p.m.
Radiation Oncology for Head and Neck Cancers
Weining (Ken) Zhen, MD, FACR, FASTRO
Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, UNMC
3:30 p.m.
Relapsed Small Cell Lung Cancer
Apar Kishor Ganti, MD
4:10 p.m.
Surgical Management of Head and Neck Cancers
Elizabeth Bradford Bell, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, UNMC
4:50 p.m.
Closing Remarks
Rudy P. Lackner, MD, FACS, FCCP
5:00 p.m. Adjourn
7:40 a.m.
Welcome / Introduction
Rudy P. Lackner, MD, FACS, FCCP
Vice Chief, Cardiothoracic Surgery; Professor and Chief, Section of Thoracic Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, UNMC
7:50 a.m.
Imaging of Pleural Disease
Matt DeVries, MD
Charles A. Dobry Professor; Chief, Division of Cardiothoracic Imaging, Department of Radiology, UNMC
8:30 a.m.
Systemic Therapy for Mesothelioma – More Options, More Questions
Jonathan E. Dowell, MD
Chief of Hematology and Oncology, Dallas VA Medical Center, Dallas, TX
9:10 a.m.
Surgical Management of Pleural Mesothelioma
Jane Yanagawa, MD
Associate Professor, Department of Thoracic Surgery, UCLA Health, Los Angeles, CA
9:50 a.m. Break / Exhibits
10:05 a.m.
Updates on Lung Cancer Screening
David B. Berkheim, MD
Associate Professor, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, UNMC
10:45 a.m.
Optimizing Systemic Therapy in Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Kate-Lynn Muir, DO
Assistant Professor, Division of Oncology and Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, UNMC
11:25 a.m.
Surgical Management of Locally Advanced NSCLC
Rudy P. Lackner, MD, FACS, FCCP
12:05 p.m. Lunch / Exhibits
12:35 p.m.
Systemic Therapy for Head and Neck Cancers
Apar Kishor Ganti, MD
Professor, Division of Oncology and Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine; Associate Director for Clinical Research, Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, UNMC
1:15 p.m.
Single-Port Robotic Thoracic Surgery
Erik E. Lewis, MD
Assistant Professor, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, UNMC
1:55 p.m. Surgical Management of T4 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Rudy P. Lackner, MD, FACS, FCCP
2:35 p.m. Break / Exhibits
2:50 p.m.
Radiation Oncology for Head and Neck Cancers
Weining (Ken) Zhen, MD, FACR, FASTRO
Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology, UNMC
3:30 p.m.
Relapsed Small Cell Lung Cancer
Apar Kishor Ganti, MD
4:10 p.m.
Surgical Management of Head and Neck Cancers
Elizabeth Bradford Bell, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, UNMC
4:50 p.m.
Closing Remarks
Rudy P. Lackner, MD, FACS, FCCP
5:00 p.m. Adjourn