Oncology CME

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Gastric cancer (GC) accounts for over 26,000 new cases and 11,000 related deaths in the U.S. annually, and while malignancies of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction (GEJC) are associated with 19,000 and 15,000, respectively. GEJ tumors clinically more often resemble gastric than esophageal cancers, and GEJ cancers are often included in studies of GC. Adenocarcinomas represent more than 95% of gastric cancers and around 75% of esophageal cancers in the US. Staging of GC & GEJC depends on the tumor’s histopathology, location, and degree of spread, and 36% of patients in the U.S. are diagnosed in the advanced stages of the disease because the signs and symptoms are often initially clinically silent for most of the disease course, and missed opportunities for identification are not uncommon. The prognosis of GC & GEJC is poor: the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of GC is 32%, with the five-year OS rate of patients with advanced disease is six percent.

Target Audience:

HCPs including: Medical oncologists; physicians assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists specializing in oncology; and any other clinicians involved or interested in the treatment of GC & GEJC.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a cancer that is borne and takes root in the nephrons. It is responsible for most cancers of the kidney and renal pelvis, which occur in 79,000 people and account for close to 14,000 deaths in the U.S. per year. The five-year survival rate is 93% for patients with early stages of the disease. However, in patients with advanced or metastatic disease, the five-year survival is 14%, representing an area of ongoing clinical need. Treatment selection in advanced, clear cell RCC treatment depends on prognostic scoring and may include mono- or combination therapy with immunotherapy and an antiangiogenic agent, and many of the same agents are used to treat advanced, non-clear cell RCC.

Target Audience:

HCPs including: Medical oncologists and urologists; physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, and pharmacists who practice in oncology; and any other healthcare professionals with an interest in or who clinically encounter patients with RCC.

Activity Description / Statement of Need:

In this online, self-learning activity:

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a relatively rare, aggressive cancer that most commonly affects the pleural space (81%) in cases of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), followed by the peritoneum (9%). Over 80% of MPM patients and 33% of patients with peritoneal MM have a documented prior exposure to asbestos or related minerals. It is thought that the inhaled asbestos fibers interact with mesothelial and inflammatory cells, leading to repeatedly prolonged cell cycles and direct DNA damage. There are three distinct histologic subtypes of MPM, but determining subtypes requires expert assessment and suitable biopsies that are not always available, which may lead to delays in the start of treatment.

Target Audience:

HCPs including: Medical oncologists and pulmonologists; physicians assistants, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists specializing in oncology; and other clinicians who are involved in providing diagnostic and therapeutic services for patients with malignant mesothelioma.