The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) announced that they will launch a new initiative to educate the oncology community about the role of histology and molecular markers to guide diagnosis and treatment selection for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
The project is in collaboration with Rockpointe Oncology and CE Outcomes, LLC. The initiative is supported by educational grants from Lilly USA, LLC, Astellas and Genentech.
“Community oncologists who treat patients with lung cancer need access to new information, tools, and insights, which they can integrate into their practice to improve patient outcomes,” said ACCC President Thomas L. Whittaker, MD, FACP. “This exciting educational initiative offers community physicians the opportunity to improve their professional practice in the care of patients with lung cancer.”
Advances in understanding the pathogenesis of NSCLC have led to the development of molecularly targeted agents, including those targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) signaling. Today, tumor histology and molecular characteristics are critical clinical selection criteria for individualizing treatment.
“Anecdotally, we know that community oncologists often order pathology tests, but many fail to routinely utilize the molecular and histologic pathology data to guide diagnosis, treatment selection, and predict response to therapy,” said Dr. Whittaker. “The rapid evolution of the treatment paradigm for NSCLC has generated knowledge and practice gaps that this educational initiative seeks to bridge.”
ACCC’s educational project will include continuing medical education (CME) activities that provide a pathway to practice improvement in the treatment of patients with NSCLC. A case-based clinical vignette tool will be developed to determine the current practice patterns of oncologists and assess perceptions, attitudes, and barriers that learners face in managing their patients. CME activities will help physicians interpret pathology reports, apply pathology data in treatment selection, interpret data for treatment response, and understand the overall impact on patient quality of life.
Educational materials will also be developed to help patients choose a treatment plan, make the most of clinical visits, and understand treatment-related side effects, nutrition management of side effects, the importance of adherence to treatment, and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
About the Collaboration
Rockpointe Oncology is a science-based medical communications company whose clinical specialists, educators, and producers collaborate with national thought-leaders to create integrated educational initiatives that are innovative, engaging, and clinically relevant. Rockpointe’s accreditation division, the Potomac Center for Medical Education (PCME), is a leader in educational programming, with more than 15 years of experience ensuring successful program implementation and outcomes. PCME is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. PCME is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) to provide continuing education to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
CE Outcomes, LLC, is a full-service assessment company dedicated to providing high-quality, objective measurement for a variety of organizations in the healthcare industry. CE Outcomes provides assessments that produce meaningful data based on valid, scientific methodologies with the overall goal of improving patient health outcomes.
Since 1974, the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) has served as the leading national multidisciplinary organization that sets the standard for quality care for patients with cancer. ACCC is dedicated to promoting professional learning opportunities and to providing a forum for members to network and enhance their skills in the business, clinical and management aspects of care for the cancer community. Nearly 17,000 cancer care professionals from approximately 900 hospitals and more than 1,200 private practices are affiliated with ACCC. Membership includes all members of the cancer care team: medical and radiation oncologists, surgeons, cancer program administrators and medical directors, pharmacists, oncology nurses, oncology social workers, and cancer program data managers. For more information, visit ACCC’s website at www.accc-cancer.org.