Free Gastroenterology CME

Primary care clinicians and endocrinologists play a critical role in identifying and managing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) before it progresses. Results from a Med-IQ survey, however, revealed that approximately half of the respondents screen only 50% or fewer of their patients with obesity or type 2 diabetes. Patients with these conditions or other risk factors, such as metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, or elevated liver enzymes, should be screened using noninvasive tools like FIB-4, transient elastography (FibroScan), ELF, or VCTE.

Although lifestyle modification remains the cornerstone of treatment, pharmacologic options such as GLP-1 receptor agonists, pioglitazone, and resmetirom may be appropriate based on individual risk profiles. Most patients can be effectively managed in primary care or endocrinology settings, with hepatology referral recommended for patients with a high risk of advanced fibrosis.

Target Audience: Healthcare professionals specializing in colon and rectal surgery, family medicine, internal medicine, gastroenterology, oncology, pain management, palliative care, primary care, proctology, and other clinicians who treat patients suffering from gastrointestinal disorders.

In this accredited activity, expert faculty, Adjoa Anyane‐Yeboa, MD, MPH, and Ugo Iroku, MD, MHS, dive into the issue of healthcare disparities in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Healthcare disparities disproportionately affect minoritized and low-income groups, contributing to poor health outcomes. Patient-provider distrust, knowledge gaps, and lack of shared decision making contribute to health disparities in these patient groups and influence disease outcomes. It is critical for clinicians to understand the social determinants of health impacting IBD patient care and develop strategies to reduce disparities. In addition, implicit bias significantly affects clinician-patient interaction, as well as diagnosis and treatment decisions. Once clinicians are made aware of their implicit biases, they must work to overcome them and foster open communication with patients to reduce disparities and improve patient care.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:
In this online, self-learning activity:

Acute hepatic porphyria (AHP) is an umbrella term for four types of acute porphyria, the most severe of which is acute intermittent porphyria (AIP). An estimated 80% of AHP cases are AIP, which is an inherited autosomal dominant condition that results from mutations of the third enzyme of heme synthesis, porphobilinogen deaminase. In the Western countries, it is estimated that approximately 1 in 2000 individuals are carriers of the relevant mutated genotype, although the majority have latent AIP and are clinically asymptomatic. Acute attacks occur in less than 10% of the at-risk population, reflecting the role of environmental factors, such as alcohol use, infections, and hormonal changes, among others. AHP symptoms are believed to be caused by ALAS1-mediated accumulation of ALA and PBG in the liver and bloodstream, leading to neurotoxicity.

Target Audience:
The following HCPs: hematologists and gastroenterologists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists who practice in any of the aforementioned areas of specialties; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with AHP.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Thymidine kinase 2 deficiency (TK2D) is an ultrarare mitochondrial disease caused by recessive mutations in the TK2 gene and manifesting as a form of mitochondrial DNA depletion/deletion syndrome (MDDS) and mitochondrial myopathy. Under normal conditions, the TK2 gene encodes for the thymidine kinase enzyme present in the mitochondria, which is responsible for the phosphorylating of pyrimidine nucleosides, deoxythymidine, and deoxycytidine. These are the first steps in mitochondrial DNA synthesis, and researchers speculate that TK2 mutations affect muscle tissue because its higher energy demands make it most susceptible to mitochondrial impairment. Mutational analyses of patients with MDDS have found that approximately 15% have TK2 mutations, which may be extrapolated to about 600 to 2,700 individuals in the US.

Target Audience:

HCPs including but not limited to: neurologists, pediatric neurologists, pediatricians, primary care providers, pulmonologists, gastroenterologists, and medical geneticists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and nurses who practice in the aforementioned areas of specialty; and any other HCPs with an interest in or who may clinically encounter patients with TK2D.

Targeted and immunologic approaches have fundamentally changed the treatment landscape for patients with advanced hepatobiliary cancers. As new treatment approaches are introduced as options in this setting, keeping pace with updates to pivotal trials is of critical importance. In this program, expert faculty in the management of hepatocellular and biliary tract cancers describe key recent clinical trial findings relating to delivery of therapy, coordination of care, and optimal patient selection along the treatment continuum.

Physicians’ Education Resource^®, LLC (PER®), is pleased to present the 2025 International Symposium of Gastrointestinal Oncology^® (ISGIO), a 2-day, multidisciplinary educational conference dedicated to presenting and discussing the latest advances in the broad field of gastrointestinal (GI) cancer research, as well as critical issues relevant to the care of persons with GI cancer.

Management of GI malignancies has evolved across all disciplines, from screening to prognostication to treatment approaches of all modalities. However, many patients do not fall neatly into guideline-based treatment, and the volume of clinical trial data makes it difficult to parse findings that should inform treatment.

This highly engaging conference brings together world-renowned experts from different disciplines to educate clinicians using a combination of case-based learning, debates, and panel discussions. This dynamic, multi-format program is designed to be a comprehensive review of the emerging treatment landscape for GI cancers, with the goal of elucidating the complex array of recent studies that should inform clinician practice.