Testicular Cancer Conference Indianapolis 2026
October 8-10, 2026
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED AND ATTENDED TESTICULAR CANCER CONFERENCE INDIANAPOLIS 2026, HELD AT INDIANA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE!
Our 11th Testicular Cancer Conference in Indianapolis was a wonderful success, thanks to the incredible support of this community. We are especially grateful to our title sponsor, Fennec Pharmaceuticals, and Indiana University School of Medicine for helping make this year's conference possible.
Presented by fennec pharmaceuticals
Bringing Patients, Survivors, Caregivers, and Medical Experts Together
We are focused on bringing an international group of TC patients, survivors, and their loved ones together to address the physical and emotional toll of being diagnosed and treated for testicular cancer. We discuss life with and after cancer, and lifestyle changes that can help the healing process. We invite a panel of medical experts to provide pertinent information for patients currently fighting and resources for long-term survivorship. TCAF provides attendees with information and resources to advocate within their community about the importance of early detection.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Thursday, October 8
Welcome Dinner: 120 West Bar & Grill, Hilton Indianapolis Hotel & Suites
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Address: 120 West Market St, Indianapolis, IN 46204
Join us for a relaxed evening of great food, drinks and connection! Mingle with fellow attendees, survivors, families and physicians as we come together to launch an inspiring conference
Friday, October 9
Conference Day: University Tower Ballroom
Time: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Address: 911 W North Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202
Saturday, October 10
Lunch Social: Back 9 Golf Driving Range
Time: 12:00 - 3:00 PM
Address: 1415 Drover St, Indianapolis, IN 46221
End the conference with lunch and an afternoon of fun at Back 9 Golf, where attendees can relax, connect, and enjoy one last gathering before departing Indianapolis.
Presentation & Breakout Topics (additional Topics to be announced):
Honorary Speaker - Lawrence Einhorn, MD; Indiana University
Surgical Refinement in Seminoma - Clint Cary, MD, MPH; Indiana University
Surgical Refinement in Non-Seminoma - Phillip Pierorazio, MD; University of Pennsylvania
Novel Treatment Options for Relapsed/Refractory Disease - Tim Gilligan, MD; Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute
Signatera™ ctDNA as a Prognostic Biomarker in Germ Cell Tumors - Haseeb Zubair, PhD; Natera
Mental Health and Resilience - Lt. Col. Sean Kern, MD; Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Army
Fear of Recurrence During Testicular Cancer Survivorship - Shelley Johns, PsyD; Indiana University School of Medicine
Men’s Health/Fertility/Testosterone - Thairo Alves Pereira, MD; University of Rochester Medical Center
Quality of Life - Richard Matulewiz, MD MSCI MS; Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Novel Testicular Cancer Biomarkers - Aditya Bagrodia, MD, FACS; UC San Diego Health
Survivorship Should Be LOUD: Reducing the Risk of Cisplatin-Induced Ototoxicity: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going - Jeremy DiCandilo BSN, RN, OCN, Fennec Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Physicians' Q&A Panel - A dynamic, large-format session where our specialists take the stage to answer questions directly from the audience, offering insights, guidance, and expert opinions in real time
Breakouts
Physicians’ Q&A - Small-group breakout sessions for attendees to engage in more personal conversations with physicians
Survivors Unite - Moderated by Testicular Cancer Survivors LTC Sean Kern, MD & Host BJ Lange
Caregivers Unite - Moderated by Lead Chair Nabil Adra
DISTINGUISHED LEAD CHAIR FOR TCC INDIANAPOLIS 2026:
Nabil Adra, MD, MS
Dr. Nabil Adra, MD, MS, is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine and Clinical Urology at Indiana University, where he also serves as the Rikki and Leonard Goldstein Scholar in Cancer Research. He holds key leadership positions at the IU Health Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, serving as the Service Line Leader for Medical Oncology, the Medical Director, and the Program Leader for Genitourinary Oncology. His research focuses on novel therapeutics and biomarkers in testicular, prostate, and bladder cancer.
HOST FOR TCC INDIANAPOLIS 2026:
BJ Lange
Survivor & TCAF Board Member
Retired USAF Medic, Hollywood Actor
BJ Lange is an Actor, 2X Testicular Cancer Survivor, & TCAF Board Member. Seen on MTV, General Hospital and The Rookie, BJ is a graduate of The Second City, where he is now an instructor. He is also an alumnus of iO West and UCBTLA, and a member of Warriors for Peace Theatre – a veteran Shakespeare Company. He’s a proud member of SAG-AFTRA and Actor's Equity. Off the screen and stage, BJ uses his experience as a retired USAF medic as a clinical instructor at UCLA's Center for Prehospital Care at the David Geffen School of Medicine Department of Emergency Medicine. Connect and watch BJ follow his dreams at BJLange.com
Guest Speakers
Lawrence Einhorn, MD
Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Honorary Speaker
Indiana University School of Medicine
Dr. Lawrence Einhorn, Distinguished Professor of Medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine. In 1974, he added an experimental drug to the chemotherapy regimen for testicular cancer, and almost overnight, he turned the research world upside down, and a disease that was almost universally fatal became eminently curable. A major current area of focus for Dr. Einhorn is supportive care and survivorship, especially as it applies to patients who are cured with platinum-based chemotherapy for testicular cancer.
Timothy Gilligan, MD, FASCO, FACH
Novel Treatment Options for Relapsed/Refractory Disease
Sutter Health
Dr. Timothy Gilligan is the Executive Medical Director and Cancer Service Line Chair at Sutter Health CPMC Cancer Center in San Francisco, CA. He is a medical oncologist specializing in genitourinary malignancies with a particular focus on testicular cancer. He trained and started his career at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and worked the last 21 years at the Cleveland Clinic. He is one of the section editors for testis cancer at UpToDate and served for many years as Chair of the NCCN Testis Cancer guideline panel. Working on these and other national and international guidelines, his goal has been to help clinicians provide appropriate care for men with testis cancer.
Thairo Alves Pereira, MD
Men’s Health/Fertility/Testosterone
University of Rochester Medical Center
Dr. Thairo A. Pereira is a urologist specializing in andrology, male sexual health, and reproductive medicine. His clinical and research interests include erectile dysfunction, Peyronie’s disease, male infertility, testosterone therapy, and prosthetic urology, with a particular focus on improving outcomes and quality of life for men with sexual and reproductive health concerns. Dr. Pereira completed fellowship training in Andrology/Male Sexual Health and Reproductive Medicine at Indiana University and advanced subspecialty training in Male Sexual Medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. His academic work centers on clinical research, surgical innovation, and evidence-based care in men’s health. He has authored numerous scientific publications and has presented his research at national and international scientific meetings. A dedicated advocate for education and professional development, Dr. Pereira serves on multiple committees within the International Society of Sexual Medicine (ISSM) and the Sexual Medicine Society of North America
(SMSNA), contributing to mentorship, communications, fellowship education, and the advancement of early-career physicians and researchers.
Haseeb Zubair, PhD
Signatera™ ctDNA as a Prognostic Biomarker in Germ Cell Tumors
Natera
Dr. Haseeb Zubair, is an Oncology Medical Science Liaison at Natera, supporting scientific exchange across academic and community oncology settings. Trained in the molecular pathogenesis of cancer, his current work focuses on the clinical translation of circulating tumor DNA and genomic profiling into patient care decisions across multiple solid tumor types. Prior to his role in medical affairs, Dr. Zubair served as Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Associate Member of the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center. He has authored over multiple peer-reviewed publications including in prostate cancer pathogenesis and holds a PhD in Biochemistry.
Matthew Campbell, MD, MS
Q&A Panelist
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Dr. Matthew Campbell is an Associate Professor Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Associate Medical Director Genitourinary Center who has dedicated his career to pursue better therapeutic options for patients with both common and rare genitourinary malignancies. Dr. Campbell performs clinical and translational research focused on adrenal cancer, kidney cancer with an interest in bone metastases, urothelial cancer, and testicular cancer/germ cell tumors. He has been recognized at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center for excellence in teaching, patient care, and leading team science programs.
Khalid Alkhatib, MD, MMSc
Q&A Panelist
Dr. Khalid Y. Alkhatib is a Clinical Research Scientist and testicular cancer survivor with research interests in urologic oncology, cancer survivorship, and men’s health.
He received his clinical research training at Harvard Medical School, earning a Master of Medical Sciences in Clinical Investigation. He subsequently completed research fellowships in health services research and urologic oncology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the University of Pennsylvania.
His current work focuses on computational agentic phenotyping methods leveraging large language models (LLMs) to hyperscale the processing of large volumes of high-dimensional clinical data points and integrate data across longitudinal patient records. His work aims to transform complex clinical records into high-quality, structured research and knowledge databases for clinical discovery, target trial emulation, and AI-assisted clinical reasoning.
Clint Cary, MD, MPH
Surgical Refinement in Seminoma
Indiana University School of Medicine - Department of Urology Chair
Dr. Clint Cary is the Michael O. Koch Professor and Chair of the Department of Urology at the Indiana University School of Medicine, where he also serves as Director of the Germ Cell Tumor Program. An internationally recognized expert in urologic oncology, his clinical practice and research focus on the surgical management of advanced testicular cancer and germ cell tumors. Dr. Cary is committed to advancing surgical techniques that maximize cure rates while minimizing treatment-related side effects, helping improve outcomes and quality of life for patients.
Lt. Col. Sean Kern, MD
Mental Health & Resilience
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center & Uniformed Services University
Dr. Sean Kern is the Chief of Urologic Oncology and Associate Professor of Surgery in the Murtha Cancer Center at the Uniformed Services University and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD (USA). He is the founding Director of the Testicular cancer Enterprise for Survivorship, Treatment, and Investigational Sciences “TESTIS” Program at the Murtha Cancer Center, USU. Dr. Kern completed his fellowship in Urologic Oncology at Indiana University in 2021. He is a member of the Board of Directors for the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2023.
Click here to learn more about Sean’s story.
Richard Matulewiz, MD, MSCI, MS
Quality of Life
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Dr. Richard Matulewicz is an attending surgeon in the Department of Surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) and holds an Associate Professor academic appointment at Weill Cornell Medical College. He completed medical school at Tufts University with Alpha Omega Alpha honors which was followed by urology residency at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. After that, he completed a clinical fellowship in urologic oncology at MSK and a research fellowship at NYU in population health and clinical investigation. His clinical practice focuses on the surgical management of testicular cancer. He is also a National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant funded health services researcher and implementation scientist. His research program works to promote survivorship for patients with testicular cancer and other genitourinary malignancies with a focus on health-related quality of life, smoking cessation, and implementation of novel biomarkers such as miRNA and ctDNA.
Jeremy DiCandilo, BSN, RN, OCN
Survivorship Should Be LOUD: Reducing the Risk of Cisplatin-Induced Ototoxicity: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going
Fennec Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Jeremy DiCandilo currently serves as a Senior Director for Fennec Pharmaceuticals. Prior to joining Fennec, Jeremy was an oncology nurse at several academic hospitals in the Philadelphia area, and product-launched breakthrough immunotherapy therapies for Bristol Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca as a Medical Science Liaison. As a nurse and a testes cancer survivor of 26 years strong, he continues to volunteer with advocacy groups with a focus on quality of life after cure.
Andrew Johns, MD
Q&A Panelist
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Dr. Andrew Johns is a medical oncologist and assistant professor at University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He specializes in rare genitourinary cancers with special interest in testicular cancer and germ cell tumors. He is helping lead efforts at MD Anderson to identify new treatment targets and expand clinical trials for patients with these diseases. He also leads the testicular cancer didactics for medical oncology fellows at MD Anderson. He is originally from Indianapolis and received his M.D. degree at Indiana University School of Medicine before transitioning to Ohio State for internal medicine residency and MD Anderson for hematology and oncology fellowship.
Craig Nichols, MD, FASCO
Q&A Panelist
British Columbia Cancer
Dr. Craig Nichols is the Director for the Testicular Cancer Commons, a nonprofit dedicated to information and knowledge exchange. He is the current clinical PI for S1823 to define the operating characteristics of S1823. Dr Nichols has long history of design and conduct in testicular cancer clinical trials. He was one of the developers of the field of Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology.
Phillip Pierorazio, MD
Surgical Refinement in Non-Seminoma
Penn Presbyterian Medical Center
Dr. Phillip Pierorazio is a Professor and Chief of Urology at Penn Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Pierorazio is originally from New York, received his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University in Washington, DC and his medical degree from Columbia University, College of Physicians & Surgeons in New York City where he completed a Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship in Urological Oncology.
Twitter/X
Facebook: Penn Medicine
Click Here to see Dr. Phillip Pierorazio’s episode on It Takes Balls
Shelley Johns, PsyD, MS, HSPP, ABPP
Fear of Recurrence During Testicular Cancer Survivorship
Indiana University School of Medicine
Dr. Shelley Johns is a Clinical Health Psychologist, Associate Professor of Medicine, and Walther Scholar in Psycho-Oncology at Indiana University School of Medicine. She is also a Health Services Researcher at Regenstrief Institute, Inc. Dr. Johns patient-oriented research primarily focuses on testing integrative mind-body interventions to reduce cancer-related fatigue and associated symptoms for post-treatment cancer survivors and improving adaptive coping and quality of life for adults with advanced-stage cancer and their family caregivers.
Click here to listen to presentation in 2023 at IU.
Aditya Bagrodia, MD, FACS
Novel Testicular Cancer Biomarkers
UC San Diego Health
Dr. Aditya Bagrodia is a Urologic Oncologist; Professor; and Disease Team Co-Leader, Genitourinary Cancer at UC San Diego Health. Dr. Bagrodia leads the genitourinary disease team training medical students, residents, and fellows. He has focused his clinical and research interests on understanding molecular attributes of germ cell tumors, which cause testicular cancer, with the goal of ultimately improving treatments and clinical care. He also has been actively involved in understanding and overcoming societal and epidemiological barriers to optimal care in testicular cancer patients. He is dedicated to guiding his patients on a path that is best for them, both in terms of survival and quality of life including navigating the latest treatments.
Timothy A. Masterson, MD, FACS
Q&A Panelist
Indiana University Medical Center
Dr. Timothy A. Masterson, is a board-certified urologic oncologist based in Indianapolis, Indiana. He currently serves as a Professor of Urology at the Indiana University School of Medicine and holds leadership roles within the school's faculty governance and national urologic oncology organizations.
Jennifer King, MD
Q&A Panelist
Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center
Dr. Jennifer King is an assistant professor of clinical medicine and Genitourinary Medical Oncologist at the Indiana Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center in Indianapolis, Indiana. Her clinical focus is in GU oncology, with much of her research focusing on renal cell carcinoma and testicular cancer. She is involved in clinical research and trials aimed at discovering novel therapy options for patients, identifying biomarkers of response to treatment, and optimizing patient-centered outcomes and care. In addition to clinical work, Dr. King is passionate about medical education, serving as Associate Program Director for the Indiana University Hematology/Oncology fellowship program, and working to enhance oncology medical training.
CONFERENCE Venue & Accommodations
CONFERENCE VENUE
We're excited to host the Testicular Cancer Conference Indianapolis 2026 on the campus of Indiana University, bringing attendees together in a setting known for its longstanding leadership in testicular cancer care and research.
Address:
University Tower Ballroom
911 W North Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202
HOTEL ACCOMODATIONS
We are pleased to offer a limited number of discounted rooms at the Hilton Indianapolis Hotel & Suites, conveniently located in the heart of downtown Indianapolis and just minutes from conference activities, dining, and local attractions.
Address:
120 West Market Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Room Block Dates: 10/07/2026 - 10/10/2026
Please reserve your room as soon as possible to receive the discounted group rate. Rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
TRAVEL ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE
To help make the conference more accessible, TCAF offers a limited Travel Assistance Program for eligible patients and survivors. Learn more about eligibility and apply here.
SPONSORS
We greatly appreciate our sponsors for helping make a positive impact in the fight against this disease and supporting this year’s Testicular Cancer Conference.
Thank you to our Title Sponsor:
Fennec Pharmaceuticals is a biotechnology company dedicated to improving the lives of adolescent and young adult testicular cancer patients by helping reduce the risk of treatment-related hearing loss.
Thank You to Our Diamond Sponsor:
Natera™ is a global leader in cell-free DNA testing, providing personalized molecular residual disease (MRD) testing to help monitor cancer recurrence and treatment response. Its oncology solutions are designed to provide patients and their care teams with timely, actionable information to support confident decision-making.
Thank you to our gold sponsor:
Indiana University School of Medicine Division of Hematology/Oncology is committed to advancing cancer care through innovative research, exceptional patient care, and outstanding medical education. With a longstanding legacy of leadership in testicular cancer, its faculty continue to improve the understanding and treatment of the disease while training the next generation of oncology specialists.
THANK YOU TO OUR SILVER SPONSORS:
Xencor is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative antibody therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases. Its research includes XmAb541, a bispecific T-cell engager targeting CLDN6, a protein frequently expressed in testicular germ cell tumors. Xencor is proud to support the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation in advancing education, awareness, research, and support for the testicular cancer community.
The JDS Foundation’s mission is to enhance the life of those undergoing cancer treatment and to help create happy memories for patients and families. This is achieved by funding, planning, and advocating for worthwhile experiences. The foundation also values increasing knowledge and research regarding Primary Mediastinal Germ Cell Cancer and other Germ Cell Cancers.
It aims to assist with clinical trial information, travel costs for treatment, and mentorship support for patients.
SCryo by Cryopoint is dedicated to helping men protect their future fertility through simple, private, and accessible sperm preservation. By providing convenient home sperm collection we make it easier for men to preserve sperm before cancer treatment, surgery, or other medical procedures that may affect fertility.
As a trusted biorepository and processing company, Cryopoint has extensive experience preserving reproductive and biological materials. In addition to SCryo’s focus on sperm preservation, Cryopoint supports the long-term cryogenic storage of sperm, embryos, and oocytes, as well as cord blood and other stem cell products through its Cryocyte division.
Our mission is simple: help people preserve their biological options today so they can have choices for tomorrow.
Michael and Elizabeth Thompson honoring Thomas Edwards, III, MD; Jason Burnette, MD, PhD; Josh Simmons, MD, FACP and the Archbold Medical Center team where their son, Will Thompson has received and continues to receive exceptional care.
TORL BioTherapeutics is a clinical-stage oncology company developing antibody-based therapeutics against first-in-world targets for solid tumors and hematologic cancers. Lead asset ixotatug vedotin (Ixo-V; TORL-1-23) is the first and only CLDN6-targeting ADC which selectively targets CLDN6 with a proven MMAE linker-payload construct. The Phase 2 CATALINA-2 trial for CLDN6-positive platinum-resistant ovarian cancer is ongoing. Ixo-V is also being evaluated in other CLDN6-expressing cancers such as germ cell tumors and in various combinations. Ixo-V has been granted FDA Fast Track designation. The early pipeline includes the Phase 1 hematology asset TORL-5-700 and other undisclosed programs. TORL's unique discovery engine is enabled by a strategic partnership with the Slamon Research Lab at UCLA, which provides preferential access to novel cancer targets for therapeutic development.
Thank you to our in honor of sponsor:
Galaxy Car Wash of Roswell In Honor of Jacob Menagh
Jacob Menagh is a testicular cancer survivor who was diagnosed with Stage IIA disease in 2020 and later underwent high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant at Indiana University under the care of Dr. Lawrence Einhorn following recurrence.
Galaxy Car Wash of Roswell - 2806 N Main St., Roswell, NM 88201
In-Kind Sponsor:
Flagstone Foods (“Flagstone”), one of the largest manufacturers and distributors of private label snack nuts and trail mixes in North America, has acquired Emerald Nuts. Their snacks not only taste great, but help you feel good because they are curated with the finest ingredients from around the world
Sporeticus (formerly ODD BALLS) makes organic mushroom energy bites: real, whole-food daily wellness you can eat. Two bites a day supports energy, focus, and immune system function and is safe for the whole family. Founder Jon Carter is a testicular cancer survivor, who used mushrooms during his own chemo journey. Sporeticus is the simpler, more convenient, and craveable way to incorporate them into his everday, and a way for him to give back to the communities that helped him since his own diagnosis.