How the Experts Treat Cancer Module 1 (Myeloma)

Release date: July 31, 2010
Expiration date: July 31, 2011
Estimated time to complete activity: 1.0 hour
Expired

Target Audience

This program has been designed for hematologists, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, internists, and other medical professionals who treat patients with multiple myeloma.

Statement of Need

Recent National Cancer Institute reports estimate that 1,437,180 men and women (745,180 men and 692,000 women) were diagnosed and 565,650 men and women died of cancer in 2008. Based on rates from 2003-2005, 40.35% of men and women born today will be diagnosed with cancer at some time during their lifetime (1 in 2 men and women). Cancer accounts for nearly one-quarter of deaths in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease. Despite a continuing decline in the cancer death rate from 2004 to 2005, the recorded number of cancer deaths increased by 3,592 in men and 1,832 in women, resulting in a total increase of 5,424 cancer deaths.

The survival rates for all cancers combined and for certain site-specific cancers have improved significantly since the 1970s, due in part, to both earlier detection and advances in treatment. Recognizing that patient quality of life and survival are significantly improved when these cancers are detected early and treated appropriately, there is a need for physicians to remain current on advances in the diagnosis and treatment of these malignancies.

Our multimedia education initiative has been designed by experts in the field of oncology, and will address the educational needs of those physicians and oncology specialists who diagnose and treat patients with cancer. Controversies in key areas will be examined, and the latest advances and changes in treatment paradigms will be profiled and discussed.

Because of the ongoing changes in cancer treatment, this activity incorporates within three modules the multimedia education initiatives from the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology™, one of the most comprehensive and frequently updated clinical practice guidelines covering 97% of all patients with cancer. In addition, treatment guidelines by American Society of Clinical Oncology, and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have been incorporated.

Given the frequency of the occurrence of the various types of cancers, and the complexities in their diagnosis, treatment, and patient outcomes, there is a need for medical, radiation, and surgical oncologists, medical hematologists, oncology/hematology fellows, and oncology nurses to engage in in-depth discussion and review of the emerging data that underlie optimal management paradigms in 2009 to ensure the best care practices for patients.

Multiple Myeloma accounts for 1-2% of all cancers. Though sensitive to radiation and systemic therapies multiple myeloma does at present remain incurable. Ongoing clinical trials continue to evaluate novel treatment strategies in an effort to improve outcomes in patients with multiple myeloma. Since the treatment of multiple myeloma is complex and evolving a continuous reexamination of treatment approaches is necessary to improve outcome. This activity has been designed to meet this need.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this educational activity, participants should be able to:

• Apply clinical advancements in the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed, relapsed, and refractory multiple myeloma
• Compare and contrast traditional systemic and new targeted therapies for treating patients with multiple myeloma
• Interpret current clinical trials designed to improve treatment and patient outcomes

Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint sponsorship of City of Hope and Carden Jennings Publishing Co., Ltd. City of Hope is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation

City of Hope designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure

The City of Hope adheres to ACCME Essential Areas, Standards for Commercial Support, and Policies regarding industry support of continuing medical education. Disclosure of the commercial relationships of everyone in a position to control content of an educational activity will be made at the activity. Speakers are also required to openly disclose discussion of any off-label, experimental, or investigational use of drugs or devices in their presentations.

The following City of Hope National Medical Center CME Committee members/planners have indicted they have nothing to disclose: Lucille Leong, MD, Crystal Saavedra, Anna Pawlowska, MD, Karl Gaal, MD, Mary Mendelsohn, Jo Hanson, Christina Eckhart, Khanh Nguyen, MD, Paul Lin, MD, and Teresa Ball.

The following CME Committee Members/planners have indicated a conflict with the following corporate organizations:

• Jean Kagan discloses that she is a stock shareholder with Amgen/Zimmer
• Robert Morgan, MD, discloses that he is a stock shareholder with Abbott
• Fouad Kandeel discloses that he is a consultant for MicoCHIPS, Inc. and he has other financial or
  material interest with Medtronic Minimed
• Ravi Bhatia, MD, discloses that he is a consultant with Novartis
• J. Martin Hogan, MD, discloses that he has other financial or material interest with Johnson & Johnson
• Matthew Loscalzo discloses that he is a member of the speakers bureau with Lilly Pharma.

Any potential conflicts relative to the previous disclosure have been resolved.

CJP Medical Communications Disclosure

The employees of CJP Medical Communications have no financial relationships to disclose.

Faculty Disclosures

In accordance with the ACCME’s Standards for Commercial Support, all CME providers are required to disclose to the activity audience the relevant financial relationships of everyone in a position to control content of an educational activity. A relevant financial relationship is a relationship in any amount occurring in the last 12 months with a commercial interest whose products or services are discussed in the CME activity content over which the individual has control. Relationship information appears below:

• Amrita Y. Krishnan, MD, FACP, discloses that she is a consultant for Merck; is a member of the Speakers’ Bureau for Celgene and Millennium; and is a Stock Shareholder for Celgene.
• Myo Htut, MD, does not have any relevant financial disclosures.

Commercial Support

This activity has been developed through an independent educational grant received from Celgene Corporation.

Method of Participation

There are no fees for participating in this CME activity. To receive credit during the period July 31, 2010 to July 30, 2011, participants must (1) read the learning objectives and disclosure statements, (2) study the educational activity, (3) complete the posttest, and (4) complete the activity evaluation form, including the certificate information section.

The posttest can be accessed at the end of the activity. Please e-mail any questions to jkagan@coh.org.

Medium

The Internet was selected as the instructional format to accommodate the learning preferences of a significant portion of the target audience.

Disclaimer

Carden Jennings Publishing and the City of Hope present this resource for educational purposes only. Participants are expected to use their own expertise and judgment while engaged in the practice of medicine. Please consult full prescribing information for any drugs or procedures discussed within this activity. The views and opinions expressed in these presentations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the co-sponsors, supporter, or publisher. Although great care has been taken in compiling and checking the information given in this publication to ensure accuracy, the authors, City of Hope and Carden Jennings Publishing and their servants or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for the continued currency of the information or for any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in this publication, whether arising from negligence or otherwise howsoever or for any consequences arising therefrom.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Uses

This reference may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. For additional information about approved uses, including approved indications, contraindications, and warnings, please refer to the prescribing information for each product, or consult the Physician’s Desk Reference.

Copyright

All rights reserved; for personal use only. No part of this presentation may be translated, reproduced or transmitted by any means or in any type of media form including electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording, broadcasting, or otherwise without prior permission from the publisher.