Interactive Case Studies - Overview

This activity is part of PER's Communities of Oncology Practice: Treatment Options for Advanced Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer and Head & Neck Cancer

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Physicians' Education Resource is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Physicians' Education Resource designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

A Patient With Advanced Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer and Good Performance Status Achieving a Partial Response After a Platinum-Based Doublet

1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™
Release Date: October 14, 2009
Expiration Date: October 14, 2010

Interactive Case Study Overview

Over half of the patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are diagnosed with disease at the advanced stage. Platinum-based doublets are standard first-line treatment of advanced NSCLC. Recent findings have demonstrated that an antifolate/platinum doublet exhibits differential efficacy in patients with different histologic subtypes. Targeted agents, such as monoclonal antibodies against vascular endothelial growth factor or epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), have improved overall survival (OS) when added to standard first-line platinum doublets. In addition, an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) has yielded superior efficacy compared with chemotherapy as first-line treatment of patients whose tumors harbor EGFR mutations. Other approaches to improve patient outcomes include maintenance therapy immediately following first-line treatment. Recent phase III trials have demonstrated that maintenance therapy using an antifolate or an EGFR TKI prolonged progression-free survival and OS in advanced NSCLC. Both clinical and molecular characteristics have been examined as predictive markers for maintenance therapy in order to select patients who are most likely to derive benefit.

The purpose of this activity is to update physicians on first-line treatment choices based on tumor characteristics as well as maintenance therapy as a new strategy to improve treatment outcomes in advanced NSCLC.

Target Audience

This educational activity is intended for medical oncologists involved in the care of patients with NSCLC. No specific skills or knowledge other than a basic training in oncology is required for successful participation in this activity.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this educational activity, you should be able to:

  • Assess the role of tumor histology in choosing first-line chemotherapy for advanced NSCLC
  • Discuss clinical data on maintenance therapy following first-line therapy for advanced NSCLC

Instructions for Participation

  1. Read the following information before entering the educational activity.
  2. Complete the Pretest.
  3. Study the educational activity.
  4. Complete the Posttest.
  5. Answer the evaluation questions.
  6. After completion of the Pretest and successful completion of the Posttest and evaluation, you will receive your certificate online.

You will be permitted 2 attempts to successfully complete the Posttest.

Complete the test(s) and evaluation by October 14, 2010 to receive your certificate online.

Read all of the conditions in the Activity Terms box below. You must accept the CME Activity Terms in order to continue:

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Lee M. Krug, MD
Research Funding – CanBas Co., Ltd, Eli Lilly and Company, Merck & Co., Inc.; Paid Consultant – Amgen, Baxter International, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc., Nektar

PER Editorial Staff
No relevant relationships to disclose

This CME activity might include discussion of investigational and/or unlabeled uses of drugs. If the activity includes discussion of investigational and/or unlabeled uses of a drug, specific information is located on the title page. Please refer to the full prescribing information for each drug discussed in this activity for FDA-approved dosing, indications, and warnings.

Commercial Support
An educational grant for this activity was provided by Eli Lilly and Company.

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Banner Illustration
Illustrator: Erin Moore

Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this activity are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsor, supporter, or publisher. Although great care has been taken in compiling and checking the information given in this activity to ensure accuracy, the author and Physicians’ Education Resource and its 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 activity, whether arising from negligence or otherwise howsoever or for any consequences arising therefrom.

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©Copyright 2009 by Physicians’ Education Resource. No material may be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form, without written permission from the publisher.

All correspondence should be directed to:
Editor, A Patient With Advanced Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer and Good Performance Status Achieving a Partial Response After a Platinum-Based Doublet
Physicians’ Education Resource
3500 Maple Ave.
Suite 700
Dallas, TX 75219
Phone: (214) 367-3400
Fax: (214) 367-3304
E-mail: editor@cancerlearning.com

8692

Educational Grants

An educational grant for this activity was provided by:


  1. Eli Lilly and Company

Lee M. Krug, MD
Associate Attending Physician
Thoracic Oncology Service
Department of Medicine
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
New York, NY