Dr. Ruether is a Medical Oncologist at the TBCC who has worked in the GU program for over 20 years. His undergraduate training was done at the University of Calgary and medical school completed at the University of Alberta. Post graduate training in internal medicine, hematology and medical oncology was completed at the University of Calgary with focus on Clinical Trials in GU, Endocrine and Neuroendocrine malignancies and Patient Education. He is an active member of the Medical Oncology training program, serves on a number of administrative capacities, as the Lead for local tumour group teams and is responsible for bringing clinical trials for the Endocrine and NET and Prostate patient population in Alberta. Dr. Ruether is also the current Medical Director, Community Oncology, Cancer Care Alberta for 4 regional and 11 community sites whose directive is to bring cancer care closer to home for Albertans.
Area of Focus
- GU
- Endocrine Cancers
- Physician-Patient Communication
Summary of Research
As a member of the GU program at the Tom Baker Cancer Center and the previous clinical leader of the program locally and provincially for 10 years, Dr. Ruether has played a pivotal role in bringing clinical trials for patients affected by GU malignancies to the Tom Baker Cancer Centre (TBCC). Results of these trials have changed practice.
Dr. Ruether took on a clinical and leadership role in the Endocrine/ Neuroendocrine program provincially in 2009 and has successfully brought clinical trials for patients with Neuro-endocrine tumours and advanced Thyroid cancer to the Tom Baker Cancer Centre. Patients in Alberta, BC and Saskatchewan have benefited from these trials, many of which have changed practice.
Dr. Ruether is working to develop a clinical theranostics program in Calgary, to expand on the program that has existed at the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton for more than 20 years. This highly specialized area of clinical practice is central to the care of patients with Endocrine and Neuro-endocrine malignancies and will become part of the standard of care for patients with advanced prostate cancer, based on recent clinical trials. Development of a clinical theranostics program in Calgary will support the Tom Baker Cancer Centre’s ability to take on clinical trials in this area.
Dr. Ruether has participated in a series of clinical trials looking at the benefits of providing consultation recordings to patients affected by GU, Breast, CNS and Neuroendocrine tumours that began in the mid 1990’s. Results of these trials have established the benefits to patients and have contributed to a meta-analysis that supports the provision of such a service and information for patients in this manner as part of their oncology care. This work was foundational to the establishment of a consultation recording service in Cancer Care Manitoba, and the development of the My Care Conversations App that has been available to Alberta cancer patients since 2019. The app is also being used by other programs throughout AHS.
As the Medical Director for Community Oncology since 2015, Dr. Ruether was successful in obtaining funding from the ACF to support the development of the necessary clinical infrastructure needed to provide access to clinical trials in 3 of our 4 regional cancer centres.
Dr. Ruether has been involved as the local principal investigator in multiple phase 2 and 3 trials in the GU, Endocrine, Breast, and Malignant Hematology as well as a phase 1 trial in Bladder Cancer over a career spanning 22 years and is coauthor on more than 50 peer reviewed publications.
Dr. Ruether is a member of the Medical Oncology Training Program Committee and the ombudsman for the Hematology Training Program in Calgary. In 2021 he was successful in garnering the support for a 1 year fellowship within the Endocrine/Neuroendocrine and Lung programs and Dr. Alda Aleksi was the successful candidate who has now started her fellowship in July 2021.
Area Of Focus
- GU
- Endocrine Cancers
- Physician-Patient Communication
Summary Of Research
As a member of the GU program at the Tom Baker Cancer Center and the previous clinical leader of the program locally and provincially for 10 years, Dr. Ruether has played a pivotal role in bringing clinical trials for patients affected by GU malignancies to the Tom Baker Cancer Centre (TBCC). Results of these trials have changed practice.
Dr. Ruether took on a clinical and leadership role in the Endocrine/ Neuroendocrine program provincially in 2009 and has successfully brought clinical trials for patients with Neuro-endocrine tumours and advanced Thyroid cancer to the Tom Baker Cancer Centre. Patients in Alberta, BC and Saskatchewan have benefited from these trials, many of which have changed practice.
Dr. Ruether is working to develop a clinical theranostics program in Calgary, to expand on the program that has existed at the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton for more than 20 years. This highly specialized area of clinical practice is central to the care of patients with Endocrine and Neuro-endocrine malignancies and will become part of the standard of care for patients with advanced prostate cancer, based on recent clinical trials. Development of a clinical theranostics program in Calgary will support the Tom Baker Cancer Centre’s ability to take on clinical trials in this area.
Dr. Ruether has participated in a series of clinical trials looking at the benefits of providing consultation recordings to patients affected by GU, Breast, CNS and Neuroendocrine tumours that began in the mid 1990’s. Results of these trials have established the benefits to patients and have contributed to a meta-analysis that supports the provision of such a service and information for patients in this manner as part of their oncology care. This work was foundational to the establishment of a consultation recording service in Cancer Care Manitoba, and the development of the My Care Conversations App that has been available to Alberta cancer patients since 2019. The app is also being used by other programs throughout AHS.
As the Medical Director for Community Oncology since 2015, Dr. Ruether was successful in obtaining funding from the ACF to support the development of the necessary clinical infrastructure needed to provide access to clinical trials in 3 of our 4 regional cancer centres.
Dr. Ruether has been involved as the local principal investigator in multiple phase 2 and 3 trials in the GU, Endocrine, Breast, and Malignant Hematology as well as a phase 1 trial in Bladder Cancer over a career spanning 22 years and is coauthor on more than 50 peer reviewed publications.
Dr. Ruether is a member of the Medical Oncology Training Program Committee and the ombudsman for the Hematology Training Program in Calgary. In 2021 he was successful in garnering the support for a 1 year fellowship within the Endocrine/Neuroendocrine and Lung programs and Dr. Alda Aleksi was the successful candidate who has now started her fellowship in July 2021.