Annual Scientific Meeting – Liverpool 2024

Prof Emma Crosbie

Professor of Gynaecological Oncology, University of Manchester

Email:

Presentation Title
Innovation in endometrial cancer diagnostics

Speaker Bio
Prof Crosbie is an NIHR Advanced Fellow, Professor and Honorary Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist at the University of Manchester. Her research focuses on screening, prevention and early diagnosis of gynaecological cancers. Her team showed which patients with endometrial cancer should be tested for Lynch syndrome, how they should be tested, that women want to be tested to protect their family members and that testing everyone is cost-effective for the NHS. This led directly to a change in NICE guidance that all women with endometrial cancer be offered testing for Lynch syndrome.

She is Chair of the RCOG Academic Board, Deputy Editor-in-Chief for BJOG, Chair of the Research Advisory Board for The Eve Appeal and member of the RCOG Blair Bell Research Society, roles that enable her to pursue her keen interest in nurturing the next generation of clinical academics.

Dr Gregory Cross

Consultant Histopathologist, Royal Liverpool University Hospital

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Presentation Title
Molecular classification endometrial cancer / MMR testing

Speaker Bio
Dr Cross is a consultant histopathologist specialising in gynaecological pathology. He trained as a pathologist in Merseyside and has been lead gynaecological pathologist at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust since 2022.

Prof Christina Fotopoulou

Professor of Gynaecological Oncology Surgery, Imperial College London

Email:

Presentation Title
FIGO 2023 staging for endometrial cancer: an update

Speaker Bio
Christina is the Deputy Director of the Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre at Imperial College. She holds a honorary chair in the Gynaecology Department at the Charite’ University of Berlin, where she was trained and then later took the role of the Vice Director of the Gynecological Department.

Her surgical and scientific expertise focusses on the management of patients with advanced and relapsed ovarian cancer, profiling of tumor heterogeneity and integration of tumorbiology factors with surgical effort under the umbrella of individualisation of surgical care.

She has served as the Chair of the guidelines committees of the British Gynaecological Cancer Society (BGCS) and of ESGO (European Society of Gynaecologic Oncology) and has been an elected member of the ESGO Council. She is also a member of the German AGO Ovarian Cancer Group.

She is on the editorial board and reviewer of numerous international gynaecological and oncological journals and is member of various international oncological committees, including BGCS, ASCO, ESGO, IGCS, ESMO, ENGOT, AGO, SGO and NOGGO.

Mr Raj Naik

Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist, Northern Gynaecological Oncology Centre

Email:

Presentation Title
Recurrent endometrial cancer: to operate or not?

Speaker Bio
Raj is a Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist and Executive Director of the BSGOG. Former positions include BGCS President, Scientific Editor BJOG, Editorial Board Gynecologic Oncology, Cochrane Gynae Cancer Review Group Editor, RCOG Subspec Committee, NCRI Committee, EORTC QI Surgical Chair, ESGO Guidelines Committee, IGCS Education Committee, NICE Advisor, and Clinical Director of the Northern Gynaecological Oncology Centre.

With over 150 publications/reviews/chapters/editorials, including co-author of the 10th and 11th edition of Bonney’s Gynaecological Surgery, his current research and clinical interests are ultra-radical surgery for advanced ovarian cancer, exenterative surgery for recurrent disease, and sentinel node assessment for early stage gynaecological cancers.

Miss Sally Bell

Research Nurse, Liverpool Women's Hospital

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Presentation Title
The role of research nurses in gynaecological cancer

Speaker Bio
Having experience clinically as a gynaecology ward/OPD nurse, Sally joined the research department in 2020 as part of the gynaecological oncology team. Her role involves identifying, educating, recruiting and supporting patients throughout the delivery of clinical trials; and liaising with the wider team to ensure they are conducted according to protocol standards.

Her current trials include developing an innovative diagnostic test for ovarian cancer and comparing simple vs radical hysterectomy in early stage cervical cancer.

Mrs Emily Rice

Clinical Research Practitioner, Liverpool Women's Hospital

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Presentation Title
The role of research nurses in gynaecological cancer

Speaker Bio
Emily supports the delivery of a wide variety of research studies across the NIHR Reproductive Health and Oncology portfolios, and currently leads on the delivery of several gynaecological oncology studies.

Tina Parnell

Clinical Support Worker, Liverpool Women's Hospital

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Presentation Title
Patient Supported Follow Up – The Story so Far

Speaker Bio
Tina has been Cancer Support Worker for Patient Supported Follow Up for the last five years. Patient Supported Follow Up has been part of the practice in Cheshire and Mersey since 2019. Within this method of follow-up, a personalised approach to surveillance after endometrial and ovarian cancer treatment is offer to individuals.

Tina was previously an MDT co-ordinator across a number of tumour sites, including gynae. She leads on the patient education event.

Dr Jane Hutton

Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Professional Lead for Psychology, Royal Liverpool University Hospital

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Presentation Title
Onco-psychology support for women with gynaecological cancers and their partners

Speaker Bio
Jane’s team provides psychological formulation and intervention for patients living with cancer, and training and supervision for clinical nurse specialists and psychologists in training.

She was born and brought up in Liverpool and returned home in 2019, having trained at King’s College London and practised for twenty years at King’s College Hospital.

Dr Leila Frodsham

Consultant Gynaecologist, Guy's and St Thomas's Hospital

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Presentation Title
Sexual dysfunction in women with gynaecological cancers

Speaker Bio
Leila is a Consultant Gynaecologist who leads The Psychosexual Service at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. She also works as a foundation training programme director and Schwartz Round medical co lead. She is a Honorary Senior Lecturer at King’s College London and leads Transition to F1 and Women’s Health Block Co Lead.

She is a BMS accredited Menopause Specialist and co Founder of the Doctor’s Menopause Cafe-an educational and pastoral care space for female doctors with 6000 members.

John Kirwan

Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist, Liverpool Women's Hospital

Email:

Presentation Title
Multivisceral resection: The Liverpool Experience

Speaker Bio
John has worked as a Consultant Gynae-oncologist at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital (LWH) for the last 22 years. He initially started a GP training scheme, however following his attachment in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, he transferred to the specialty full time. He briefly courted a career in Urogynaecology, which included a short spell working with Dr Catherine Hamlin at the Hamlin Fistula Hospital in Addis Ababa.

He was one of the first Calman Trainees in the UK and was appointed as the Macmillan Fellow in Gynae-oncology in Liverpool in 1999, and appointed consultant in 2002. He has been CD for gynaecology at LWH, clinical lead for gynae-oncolgy and is the current clinical lead for the Gynae-oncolgy Care Quality Group for Merseyside and North Cheshire Cancer Alliance.

Paul Skaife

Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, Royal Liverpool University Hospital

Email:

Presentation Title
Multivisceral resection: The Liverpool Experience

Speaker Bio

• Consultant gastrointestinal surgical oncologist
• Honorary lecturer in Surgery, University of Liverpool
• Clinical Director for surgery
• Committee member ACPGBI
• BASO committee member
• British Oncology Undergraduate Services mentor (BONUS)
• NICE panel expert for colorectal diseases
• Joint College Intercollegiate Examiner board member
• Heath and Technology Assessment panel member, NIHR 2013-2019
• Associate Lead for Cancer, Northwest Coast for NIHR

Claire Scarffe & Judith Ashcroft

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

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Presentation Title
Prehabilitation and Enhanced Recovery for ultraradical ovarian surgery

Speaker Bio
Claire is a Prehabilitation Advanced Clinical Practitioner and Judith is a Specialist Prehabilitation Dietitian.

Having both had a range of experience as AHPs across surgery and critical care they led on setting up the Liverpool prehab service in 2017. Since its establishment they have supported the service to grow across specialities and hospital sites, aiming to approach this in a sustainable way.

Due to their experience in the field they have supported development of national prehab guidance, publications and provide training to clinicians both in the UK and internationally who are wishing to set up their own prehab services.

Prof Nadeem Abu-Rustum

Professor of Gynaecological Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Email:

Presentation Title
Exenteration in modern gynaecological oncology setup

Speaker Bio
Nadeem serves as Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Weill Cornell Medical College.

He received his medical degree from the American University of Beirut in Lebanon. He completed his residency in obstetrics and gynaecology at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Maryland and a fellowship in gynaecologic oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

Dr Abu-Rustum’s clinical research focuses on innovative surgical approaches, including sentinel node mapping, improved localization and visualization of tumors, fertility-sparing surgery, and laparoscopy. He also has numerous contributions to the field of gynaecologic cancer surgery for which, in 2017, he received the Society of Gynecologic Oncology SGO Innovation Award for his work on sentinel node mapping of uterine cancer. In his current role at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, he is actively involved in the development and improvement of surgical techniques and oversees surgical research programs.

Over the years he built collaborations with numerous gynecologic oncology teams worldwide and in 2019 he was awarded the AGO Austria Wertheim award, and in 2021 the IGCS Excellence in Teaching Award.

Dr Abu-Rustum is Chair of the NCCN Cervical/Uterine/Vulva/GTD Cancers Panels and has served as a member of the Gynecologic Oncology Group Cervix Committee and the American College of Surgeons Committee on Emerging Surgical Technology and Education. He has authored or co-authored more than 450 publications and is co-author to numerous book chapters and three textbooks in gynecologic oncology. He has worked at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for more than 25 years and is in full-time practice of gynecologic oncology in New York.

Prof Jonathan Ledermann

Professor of Medical Oncology, University College London

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Presentation Title
Immunotherapy for Endometrial Cancer

Speaker Bio
Jonathan has worked at UCL Hospitals, London, UK for more than 30 years. For 22 years, he was the Director of the Cancer Research UK & UCL Cancer Trials Centre.

He specialises in the treatment of gynaecological cancers and has led several national and international trials in ovarian cancer.

He is a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences and subject Editor for ESMO (European Society of Medical Oncology) Gynaecological Cancer Practice Guidelines. He was previously Vice President of ESGO (European Society of Gynaecological Oncology), chair of the NCRI UK Gynaecological Cancer Trials Group and chair of the Rare Tumour Group of the Gynaecological Cancer Intergroup.

He serves on Editorial Boards of several scientific journals and has published widely in the areas of clinical trials in gynaecological cancers, experimental therapeutics, guidelines, and education in gynaecological malignancies.

Dr Mary McCormack

Honorary Consultant Clinical Oncologist, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

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Presentation Title
Practice-changing non-surgical treatment of cervical cancer

Speaker Bio
Mary was a Consultant Clinical Oncologist at University College Hospital London until she retired from the NHS one year ago. She currently holds an honorary contract there and continues to practice in the private setting at The Harley Street Clinic.

Her major academic interest has revolved around improving outcomes in cervical cancer. She is a past chair of the GCIG Cervical Cancer Research Network. She is the CI for the INTERLACE trial and recently presented the findings at ESMO Madrid October 2023.

Dr Hoda Al-Booz

Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Bristol Cancer Institute - University Hospital of Bristol

Email:

Presentation Title
Complex gynae brachytherapy

Speaker Bio

• Gynae Clinical Oncology Consultant
• Gynae Brachytherapy Lead
• Morbidity and Mortality Lead
• BGCS Clinical Oncology Council Representative

Vanitha Sivalingam

Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist, Liverpool Women's Hospital

Email:

Presentation Title
The prevention and management of treatment related morbidity in vulval cancer

Speaker Bio
Vanitha is an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Manchester.

Her research interests include prevention and the early detection of gynaecological cancers. She studied medicine at Edinburgh University Medical School, where she was awarded the Class Prize and First Class Honours BSc in Pharmacology, MBChB (Honours) and the Scottish Association for the Medical Education of Women Prize.

In 2012, she won a competitive research training fellowship co-funded by the Wellcome Trust and Wellbeing of Women, which supported training for a PhD on the effect of metformin on obesity-driven endometrial cancer in Manchester under the supervisions of Professors Crosbie and Kitchener.

In 2018, she was awarded an NIHR Academic Clinical Lectureship and started joint academic and subspecialty training in gynaecological oncology in Manchester.

She is an accredited colposcopist and the secretary of the British Society for the Study of Vulval Disease (BSSVD).
During her Clinical Lectureship she received grants from the BSSVD and CRUK to develop personalised risk prediction and early detection approaches for women at increased risk of vulval cancer.

She has published numerous high impact scientific papers and presented her research both nationally and internationally.

Dr Amanda Tristram

Gynaecological Oncologist, Capital and Coast District Health Board

Email:

Presentation Title
Precancerous lesions of the vulva: an update

Speaker Bio

Amanda is a consultant in Gynaecological Oncology in the tertiary gynaecological oncology centre at Wellington Regional Hospital. She moved from Cardiff, UK in May 2016, where she was a senior lecturer and honorary consultant in gynaecological oncology.

Most days are spent either operating on women with gynaecological cancer or seeing and explaining disease processes and treatment options in clinic. Her research interests are in HPV related neoplasia and vulval disease. She is passionate about education and raising awareness, particularly in these areas.

Jason Yap

Associate Professor of Gynaecological Oncology, Pan-Birmingham Cancer Centre and University of Birmingham

Email:

Presentation Title
Plastic reconstructive techniques in vulval cancer surgery

Speaker Bio
In his final year of SST training, Jason was awarded the prestigious Bernhard Baron Travelling Fellowship Prize from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to undertake further specialist training in vulval reconstruction surgery in Europe. Upon his return to the UK, he successfully established a regional vulval reconstructive service in the West Midlands for women diagnosed with a malignant, premalignant and benign vulval condition.

Dr Louise Wan

Consultant Gynaecologist, Liverpool Women's Hospital

Email:

Presentation Title
Two-week wait referrals and Rapid Access Clinic: a new approach to an old problem?

Speaker Bio

Louise is co-lead for the Cancer Unit at Liverpool Women’s Hospital. She trained in the North-West and was appointed in 2022 as a Consultant Gynaecologist at Liverpool Women’s Hospital. She has led the development and roll out of a new pathway for managing people with unscheduled bleeding on HRT in Cheshire & Mersey. She has a special interest in improving outcomes in patients with endometrial cancer and is an active researcher.

Her passion for supporting collaborative multidisciplinary research and innovative approaches has seen her appointed as one of the first BGCS/Royal College of Surgeons Surgical Studies Leads in Gynaecological Cancers.

Dr Beth Hankinson

Consultant Radiologist, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Email:

Presentation Title
ORADS on ultrasound scan and MRI: characterising ovarian lesions

Speaker Bio
Beth completed her undergraduate and radiology training in Liverpool. She then undertook a Fellowship in Body Imaging in Toronto, returning to Liverpool as a Consultant Radiologist at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Beth’s subspecialty interests are in Gynae, GI and Infections Diseases. She also has an interest in teaching and has organised several regional study days.

Janos Balega

Consultant Gynaecological Oncology, Pan-Birmingham Cancer Centre

Email:

Presentation Title
Suspected ovarian cancer: from referral to diagnosis and treatment – what have we learned?

Speaker Bio
Janos’s training started in Hungary and continued in the United Kingdom. He has also undertaken a year gynaecological oncology fellowship in Indianapolis, USA. He completed his subspecialty training in gynaecological oncology at St Bartholomew’s Hospital and The Royal Marsden Hospital in London. He developed special interest in cancer surgery, especially in radical and exenterative surgery for primary and recurrent gynaecological cancers.

He has been a Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist at the Pan-Birmingham Gynaecological Cancer Centre, City Hospital, Birmingham UK and is currently the team’s lead.

Wendy Macnab

Consultant Gynaecologist, Ipswich General Hospital

Email:

Presentation Title
Non-surgical management of endometrial cancer/atypical hyperplasia

Speaker Bio
Following undergraduate training in St Andrews and Manchester, and a build your own SHO training programme across four Deaneries, Wendy undertook Obstetrics and Gynaecology Specialist Training in the East of England.

Following Sub-Specialty training in Glasgow and Norwich, Wendy settled back in the east of England and for the last five years, has been a Gynaecological Oncologist working with Stour Gynaecological Oncology centre based at Ipswich Hospital. If this doesn’t keep her busy enough, she is also Colposcopy Lead, and has previously been Governance Lead for Gynaecology.

She has recently taken on a Trust wide role as Clinical Director for Gynaecology, with a remit to maintain high standards in Gynaecology Oncology, embed GIRFT and support the expansion of robotic surgery across the specialty.

Ms Amy Keightley

Consultant Gynaecologist, Great Western Hospital

Email:

Presentation Title
Discussion on role of BGCS for Unit Leads

Speaker Bio
Amy has been a consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Great Western Hospital Swindon since 2016 where she leads the Gynae Oncology service. She has a particular interest in laparoscopic and robotic surgery.

She is currently the Unit Lead representative for the British Gynaecological Cancer Society. She achieved a distinction in her Masters in Medical Education and continues to have an active role in medical education.

Richard Edmondson

Professor of Gynaecological Oncology, University of Manchester

Email:

Presentation Title
Standardizing ovarian cancer surgery and peri-operative care

Speaker Bio
Richard qualified in medicine from Newcastle University in 1992, and after a year of surgical training in New Zealand, undertook speciality training in the Northern Deanery in Obstetrics and Gynaecology with subspecialty training in Gynaecological Oncology at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Gateshead. He was awarded an MD from Newcastle University in 2002 for his work investigating the biology of the ovarian surface epithelium which led to his interest in ovarian cancer.

He was appointed as a consultant in Gateshead and honorary senior lecturer in Newcastle in 2005, and in January 2014, he took up the chair of Gynaecological Oncology at the University of Manchester.

In addition to developing personalised treatment algorithms to predict outcomes to surgery, he leads a translational programme of research using ex vivo modelling of ovarian cancer to investigate how the DNA damage response can be used to develop potential therapeutic biomarkers. His group has developed techniques to establish real time models for ex vivo testing of drug sensitivity alongside functional assessment of the tumour and this has led to exciting developments in the ability to predict response to novel agents including PARP inhibitors as well as conventional chemotherapy agents such as carboplatin.

Other work includes the development of biomarkers to predict hormone responsiveness in gynaecological cancers which is taking place in parallel with the PARAGON trial, a phase II trial of an aromatase inhibitor in gynaecological cancers.

His work is funded by Cancer Research UK, Wellbeing of Women, Target Ovarian Cancer and the Emma Gyles Bursary Fund.

Prof Christophe Pomel

Professor of Gynaecological Oncology, Jean Perrin Cancer Centre

Email:

Presentation Title
Recurrent ovarian cancer: to operate or not to operate?

Speaker Bio
Christophe Pomel received his medical degree in 1993. He was invited Professor in the University of Montreal (Canada) in the Gynaecology Oncology department of Notre Dame Hospital in 1993 and 1994. He did is fellowship in the Surgical Oncology department of Jean Perrin Cancer Centre in Clermont-Ferrand (1994-1997). He worked at the Gustave Roussy Institute, Villejuif (France) from 2001 to 2005 and in the department of Gynecology Oncology, Saint Bartholomew Hospital, London (UK) from 2006 to 2008. He joined Jean Perrin cancer Centre in 2008.

Professor in Oncology and General Surgery since 2011, he is chairing the department of Surgical Oncology in Jean Perrin Cancer Centre since October 2010.

Medical Director since January 2012.

Claire Thompson

Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist, The Mater Hospital

Email:

Presentation Title
HIPEC in ovarian cancer – is it time to implement it?

Speaker Bio
Claire graduated from Queen’s University Belfast School of Medicine in 2008 and progressed to obstetrics and gynaecology training in Northern Ireland. In 2015, she commenced RCOG Subspecialty Training in gynaecological oncology at St James’s Hospital, Dublin. On completion of this three-year fellowship program, she was appointed as consultant gynaecological oncologist in Glasgow Royal Infirmary, before returning home to Ireland in 2020 to her current position in the Mater Hospital.

Her interest in medical education led to the development of surgical skills courses and she continues to be involved with training within the RCSI, RCPI and the RCOG.

Other roles include that of clinical lecturer at the RCSI and UCD. Her main surgical interests are cytoreductive surgery for advanced ovarian cancer and vulval cancer.

Sudha Sundar

Professor of Gynaecological Cancer, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham

Email:

Presentation Title
The National Ovarian Cancer Audit – first report

Speaker Bio
Sudha is a gynaecological cancer surgeon and a clinical academic. Her research programme focusses on improving ovarian cancer diagnostics, cancer surgery and addressing inequalities in cancer outcomes.

Sudha’s research has led to change of NICE guidance to recommend maximum cytoreduction surgery for ovarian cancer.

Dr Cara Williams

Consultant Paediatric Gynaecologist, Liverpool Women's Hospital

Email:

Presentation Title
Paediatric tumours

Speaker Bio
Dr Williams was appointed as a Consultant at Liverpool Women’s Hospital and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in 2016.

Dr Williams qualified in Medicine at the University of Edinburgh in 2003. She completed her specialty training in Mersey and London, during which time she completed two clinical fellowships in Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology at University College London Hospital and Alder Hey.

Dr Williams is the Clinical Lead for Paediatric Gynaecology at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. She has also completed the BMS Advanced Certificate in the Principles and Practice of Menopause Care and is registered as a BMS Menopause Specialist.

Dr Williams has a special interest in Differences in sex development, Mullerian duct anomalies and Premature Ovarian Insufficiency.

Dr Katerina Bambang

Consultant Reproductive Medicine, Liverpool Women's Hospital

Email:

Presentation Title
Fertility options for women with gynaecological cancers

Speaker Bio
Dr Bambang MRCOG PhD has been at the Hewitt Centre for just under 10 years. She has a special interest in fertility preservation and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss. She also does a Paediatric Gynaecology clinic at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital NHS Trust.

She has a PhD in early pregnancy. She underwent core training in Birmingham and Manchester hospitals and then undertook subspecialty training in reproductive medicine and surgery at the Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust. She completed this in 2018 and was appointed there as a consultant in 2019.

She is lead for fertility preservation for children and young adults and is a founding member of the Northern Consortium for Fertility Preservation.

She has published in a range of peer reviewed journals and has also contributed to books. She is also on the steering committee for the ESHRE European Fellowship in Reproductive Medicine.

Paula Briggs

Consultant in Sexual and Reproductive Health, Liverpool Women's Hospital

Email:

Presentation Title
Menopause: how to support women with gynaecological cancers

Speaker Bio
Paula is a Consultant in Sexual and Reproductive Health based at Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust. She is Chair of the British Menopause Society.

Paula qualified from University of Glasgow in 1987 and trained as a GP before moving to Liverpool in 1993, working in General Practice and Sexual Health until 2012.

She is now devoted to the delivery of women’s health care, research and education. Her main interest is menopause management, with a particular interest in urogenital atrophy.

She has co-edited 3 books, (one second edition), co-written an undergraduate textbook in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, a revision guide for MFSRH and a book specifically for men about female hormones. She has also written a patient booklet on menopause (second edition). She co-authored a myth busting book on contraception for the lay public and is working on a similar menopause patient book with colleagues currently. She also has 2 new patient booklets, one co-authored on sexual and reproductive health after gynaecological cancer and the other on urogenital atrophy.

Mr Alexander Barrett

MRI Physicist, Clatterbridge Cancer Centre

Email:

Presentation Title
Gynaecological MRI: Current limitations and future innovations

Speaker Bio
Alexander is a Clinical Scientist specializing in MRI & US Physics at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, and an honorary lecturer at the University of Liverpool. His role includes optimisation and implementation of new advanced acceleration technologies in MRI across Cheshire and Merseyside as well as advising on safety and quality assurance.

Over the past two years, he has worked closely with radiologists to improve gynaecological MRI scanning using the latest AI technologies and advanced MRI techniques to enhance both speed and image quality.

Mr Alex Laios

Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist, St James’s University Hospital & Institute of Oncology, Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust,

Email:

Presentation Title
AI and predictive scoring for ovarian cancer

Speaker Bio
Mr Laios obtained his Ph.D. from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland where his research focused on the molecular biology of ovarian cancer. He engaged in establishing integral components of ovarian cancer genomics at the University of Oxford. He completed his post-doctorate training alongside his clinical commitments by designing and coordinating the first in the UK pilot Clinical Trial in the detection of sentinel lymph nodes in gynaecological cancers by using of Near Infrared Imaging technology and Indocyanine Green dye (ICG).

Currently, his research focuses on the application of Machine Learning algorithms in improving the predictive and prognostic accuracy of advanced-stage ovarian cancer outcomes.

Alice Schofield

Subspecialty Fellow, Royal Preston Hospital

Email:

Presentation Title
Correlation between radiological and surgical PCI – Are we getting it right?

Speaker Bio
Alice graduated with MBChB from the University of Manchester in 2006. Prior to commencing speciality training in the North-western Deanery, Alice demonstrated cadaveric anatomy at the University of Manchester.

She was the lead clinician for the ANALOGY study, at the University of Manchester. This was the UK’s first prospective study of anal cancer screening in high-risk population groups. Alice is trained in high resolution anoscopy and has an interest in pre cancer and HPV related multizonal disease.

Alice obtained her Medical Doctorate from the University of Manchester; her thesis was supervised by Professor Henry Kitchener and Professor Emma Crosbie.

Alice is a fully qualified forensic physician and completes expert work for the Crown Prosecution Service on request.

Prof Tara Barwick

Consultant in Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

Email:

Presentation Title
The role of PETCT in gynaecological cancer

Speaker Bio
Prof Barwick is a dual accredited Consultant in Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust London and Professor of Practice (Cancer Imaging) at Imperial College London.

She completed Radiology training at Bart’s and The London followed by subspecialist Nuclear Medicine and PET training at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. Her main clinical and research interests are oncological PET/CT, particularly prostatic and gynaecological malignancies, lung cancer and lymphoma.

Although primarily clinically based, she is active in research with over 80 peer reviewed publications.

Prof Iain McNeish

Chair of Oncology, Imperial College London

Email:

Presentation Title
Systemic Maintenance therapy in ovarian cancer – an update

Speaker Bio
Iain is Chair in Oncology and Head of the Division of Cancer at Imperial College London and Director of the Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, and is an honorary consultant in medical oncology at Hammersmith Hospital.

He jointly leads the Surgery and Cancer theme of the Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, the Imperial Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre and the joint Imperial/ICR CRUK Clinical Academic Training Programme.

His research lab focusses on developing novel therapies for ovarian cancer based upon a greater understanding of fundamental disease biology.

Nasim Ali

Consultant Medical Oncologist, Clatterbridge Cancer Centre

Email:

Presentation Title
Management of Neuroendocrine tumours and Genital tract Sarcomas

Speaker Bio
Dr Ali trained at Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School, University of London, and completed his training in Medical Oncology in London and Sheffield. His specialist area is in Sarcomas (Soft Tissue and Bone), Germ Cell Tumours and Teenage and Young adult (TYA) Cancers.

He is Chair of the regional sarcoma Advisory Group for sarcomas for Merseyside and Cheshire and Lancashire and Cumbria Networks, and Clinical Lead for TYA services in Merseyside and Cheshire.

He is involved in national forums within the above tumour groups and actively involved in clinical trials.

Ehsan Ghorani

Consultant Medical Oncologist, Imperial College London

Email:

Presentation Title
Novel approaches to managing gestational trophoblastic tumours in the age of immunotherapy

Speaker Bio
Dr Ghorani is a CRUK Clinician Scientist, leading the Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy lab at Imperial College London, and a consultant medical oncologist within the Charing Cross Hospital Gestational Trophoblastic Disease unit. His work focusses on mechanisms of cancer immune evasion and immune regulation with a particular interest in gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) and lung cancer.

He is Chief Investigator of the phase II RESOLVE study of neoadjuvant pembrolizumab in GTN and Translational Lead on the UK phase III REFINE-Lung study.

Charlie Gourley

Professor of Medical Oncology and Honorary Consultant in Medical Oncology, University of Edinburgh

Email:

Presentation Title
New therapies for low grade and clear cell ovarian cancers

Speaker Bio
Charlie graduated with Genetics and Medicine degrees from Glasgow University, UK, in 1991 and 1994, respectively. From 1998 to 2005, he trained in medical oncology at the Edinburgh Cancer Centre, UK, during which he was awarded a PhD in ovarian cancer genetics from the University of Edinburgh and an NHS Education for Scotland Clinician Scientist Award. He was appointed as Senior Lecturer in Medical Oncology at the University of Edinburgh in 2005, Reader in Medical Oncology in 2011 and Professor of Medical Oncology (Personal Chair) in 2012. He received a Scottish Senior Clinical Fellowship Award in 2010. He became Director of the Nicola Murray Centre for Ovarian Cancer Research in 2016, Clinical Director of the Cancer Research UK (CRUK) Edinburgh Centre in 2019 and Clinical Director of the Cancer Research UK Scotland Centre in 2022. He is a member of the CRUK Clinical Research Committee and the German Cancer Aid Scientific Review Committee.

Charlie’s clinical research focus is ovarian cancer clinical trials. He was UK Lead for the SOLO1 trial, which led to the first-line licence for olaparib in BRCA-mutant ovarian cancer, and for the GOG281/LOGS trial of trametinib, which is the first positive randomised controlled trial in low-grade serous ovarian cancer.

Charlie’s translational research focuses on genomic characterisation of ovarian cancer in order to facilitate the discovery of biomarkers of ovarian cancer drug sensitivity and resistance. His current priorities include whole-genome sequencing of ovarian cancer tumours from across Scotland in order to improve patient selection for novel therapies and exomic sequencing of low-grade serous ovarian cancers from patients recruited into the GOG281/LOGS study in order to improve patient selection for MEK inhibition. His research group have also recently reported a comprehensive genomic characterisation of endometrioid ovarian cancer.

Dr Neil Ryan

Subspecialty Trainee in Gynaecological Oncology, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh

Email:

Presentation Title
Cancer genetics and Lynch screening

Speaker Bio
Neil is the RCOG Subspecialty Trainee in Gynaecology Oncology at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and a CSO/NES Clinical Lecturer at the University of Edinburgh.

Prior to O&G training he completed basic training in Ear Nose and Throat Surgery. He was awarded a personal MRC fellowship to undertake a PhD at the University of Manchester (UoM) which he completed in 2020. His thesis was supervised by Professors Crosbie and Evans.

His PhD led to a change in NICE guidelines relating to the testing of womb cancer along with numerous publications, presentations, invited lectures and awards.

Neil’s work was recognised by a President’s Doctorial Scholarship and awarded the UoM’s highest postgraduate award: The President’s Medal. Neil was recently awarded the William Blair Bell Lecture by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG). Furthermore, Neil won the Herbert Reiss Prize from the Royal Society of Medicine.

Neil has been invited to sit on several national and international committees including the RCOG’s Genetics Task Force, The British Gynaecological Cancers Society’s guideline subcommittee, The European Hereditary Cancer Group, Lynch Syndrome UK’s Clinical Advisory group and the Royal Society of Medicine’s Obstetrics and Gynaecological committee.

Neil is currently pursuing a career in academic gynaecology oncology and is seeking to explore ways to improve the care of women with gynaecological cancer by improving personalised treatments and identifying those at increased risk of cancer. He is currently applying for national grants to undertake this work.

Neil is an active member of the Army Reserves holding the rank of Major in the Royal Army Medical Corps.

Prof Ranjit Manchanda

Professor of Gynaecological Oncology, Queen Mary University of London & Barts Health NHS Trust

Email:

Presentation Title
Ovarian cancer screening: have we given up?

Speaker Bio
Ranjit leads the Women’s Precision Prevention team at Barts Health NHS Trust, London.

He holds an Honorary Professorship at the Department of Health Services Research, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.

Ranjit’s main research interests are focused on Targeted Precision Prevention. This includes population-based genetic testing, mainstreaming genetic testing and precision medicine approaches for risk prediction, stratification, targeted ovarian cancer screening and targeted cancer prevention, along with health economic issues related to these areas of research. He leads a number of studies/trials in these areas.

He is a member of a number of advisory and oversight committees.

He is the Topic Advisor (Clinical Lead) for the NICE guideline on Ovarian cancer: identifying and managing familial and genetic risk; and Chair NCRI Gynaecological Cancer Early Diagnosis Working Group. He is an NHS Innovation Accelerator Alumnus and has served as the President of ENYGO.

Prof Maggie Cruickshank

Emeritus Professor of Gynaecology, University of Aberdeen

Email:

Presentation Title
HPV vaccination and effect on gynaecological cancers

Speaker Bio
Maggie is a Consultant Gynaecologist in NHS Grampian, with special interest in precancer of lower genital tract and anus, and an Emeritus Professor at the University of Aberdeen.

She is President of the European Federation of Colposcopy and chair the Training and Education Committee of the International Federation of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology.

Daniel Monnery

Consultant in Palliative Care Medicine, Clatterbridge Cancer Centre

Email:

Presentation Title
Principles of palliative care in gynaecological cancers

Speaker Bio
Dan is a consultant in palliative medicine and clinical lead for palliative and supportive care at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre in Liverpool.

He is the national lead for Enhanced Supportive Care (ESC) within the UK Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (UKASCC), having been the NHS England national clinical advisor from 2021-22.

His clinical work focusses on early symptom intervention through integration of supportive care services with a view to improving outcomes for patients from easier access to supportive care.

Wendy Gerrard

Dietetic Team Leader, Clatterbridge Cancer Centre

Email:

Presentation Title
Nutrition issues in gynaecological cancers

Speaker Bio
Wendy has over 28 years of experience as a Dietitian, including specialising in elderly, mental health, rehabilitation, diabetes and gynaecological oncology.

Dawn Valentine-Gray

MacMillan Clinical Nurse Specialist, Liverpool Women's Hospital

Email:

Presentation Title
The role of the modern CNS in delivering palliative and end of life care

Speaker Bio
Dawn is Macmillan Lead Cancer Nurse and Clinical Nurse Specialist in Gynae Oncology, having been a CNS for 20 years and with the addition of being the Lead Cancer Nurse for the last 5 years.

More recently, she is co-clinical lead for the Gynae Cancer Review within Mersey and Cheshire. She has been supporting people across the gynae-oncology pathway, including delivery of palliative and end of life care.

Gemma Owens

Consultant Gynaecological Oncology Surgeon, University Hospital of Wales

Email:

Presentation Title
Frailty scores – how to decide on fitness to treat

Speaker Bio
Gemma graduated from Queen’s University Belfast in 2010, and completed general obstetrics and gynaecology training in the North West of England. She completed her PhD exploring adoptive T cell therapy as a therapeutic strategy for ovarian cancer in 2018. In 2021, she commenced subspecialty training in gynaecological oncology at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, and was recently appointed as a Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist in the same Centre. Her main clinical interest is advanced ovarian cancer cytoreductive surgery and she completed a 3-month Fellowship with the Peritoneal Malignancy Institute at Basingstoke.

Gemma is an aspiring clinical academic and is the outgoing chair of ARGO, the national trainees research collaborative. During her involvement with ARGO, Gemma led a national multi-disciplinary survey of practice on provision of care for patients with frailty presenting with gynaecological cancers.

Dr Ane Gerda Zahl Eriksson

Senior Consultant, Oslo University Hospital

Email:

Presentation Title
SHAPE Trial – an update

Speaker Bio
Associate Professor Ane Gerda Eriksson is a senior consultant at the Department of gynecologic cancer and head of the endometrial cancer and gynecologic sarcoma team at the Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital.

Dr Eriksson received her Medical Degree from the Medical University of Warsaw in Poland and completed residency training at Oslo University Hospital in Norway. She then completed fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, New York, in 2015, and has since returned to the department of Gynecologic Oncology at the Norwegian Radium Hospital where she provides surgical and medical treatment for women with gynecologic malignancies.

Her principal area of clinical practice is advanced minimal invasive surgery for gynecologic cancers and radical procedures for advanced ovarian cancer. She holds a special interest in surgical education. She is an invited international speaker and educator, and is the founder and chair of the Advanced course in cytoreductive surgery for ovarian cancer organized at Oslo University Hospital. Dr Eriksson also chairs the bi-annual Tropè meetings in our department and is an OncoAlert faculty.

Ane Gerda Eriksson defended her PhD on “Sentinel lymph nodes in endometrial carcinoma -Mapping, diagnostic accuracy and oncologic outcome” in 2018, and completed The Global Clinical Scholars Research Training Program at Harvard Medical School to further gain experience in design and implementation of clinical trials. Dr. Eriksson has a strong interest in clinical research. She takes part in ongoing collaborative trials at the Norwegian Radium Hospital and is a member of the Clinical Trials Unit of the Nordic Society of Gynecologic Oncology when she is the NSGO principal investigator/coordinator for the SENTICOL III trial. Dr. Eriksson has attracted competitive external funding from the Sister Institution Fund in collaboration with MD Andersen, and supervises master and PhD students at the University of Oslo, OSLOMET and NTNU. In her previous role as social media editor for the International Journal of Gynecologic Cancer she mentored numerous international editorial fellows. She is currently a mentor in the European Society of Gynecologic Oncology (ESGO) gender equity program.

Dr Eriksson holds a special interest in image-guided surgery as well as molecular markers in endometrial cancer. She is currently investigating the implementation of sentinel lymph node biopsy in the South Western health region in Norway and has recently initiated a study exploring outcomes after fertility preservation in women with early stage cervical cancer and dysplasia. Dr Eriksson is an active member of several national and international societies. She is currently a Council Member of ESGO.

Prof David Cibula

Professor of Gynaecological Oncology, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University

Email:

Presentation Title
De-escalation of surgery in cervical cancer

Speaker Bio

• Head, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General University Hospital in Prague
• Professor, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University; Past-President, European Society of Gynaecologic Oncology (ESGO) (2017 – 2019)
• Founder and Chair, Central and Eastern European Gynecologic Oncology Group (CEEGOG); Chair, ESGO working group on Clinical Practice Guidelines on Cervical Cancer (2016-2023)
• Founder and Vice-Chair; Czech Society of Hospital Gynaecologists and Obstetricians; Chair, Czech Society of Gynaecologic Oncology

Mr Thomas Ind

Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust

Email:

Presentation Title
Minimal Access Surgery for cervical cancer is dead – a debate

Speaker Bio
Thomas Ind is Head of Gynaecological Oncology at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London and has a particular interest in cervical cancer and robotic surgery.

He is particularly well published in the field of trachelectomy.

He is a past treasurer of BGCS.