Publication Details - Overview

This activity is part of PER's Integrated Oncology Learning Series: A Focus on Thoracic Malignancies

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Continuing Education Information

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.

New Developments in Maintenance Therapy and Novel Targeted Agents for Advanced Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Cancer Summaries & Commentaries Vol. 2, No. 3

1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™
Release Date: September 30, 2009
Expiration Date: September 30, 2010

Publication Overview

Authors

Medical writer: Bing-e Xu, PhD; Medical writer: Marissa Shrader, PhD; Reviewed by: Karen Kelly, MD

Overview and Purpose

Over 50% of the patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are diagnosed with advanced-stage disease. Typically, patients are treated with a platinum-based frontline regimen for 4-6 cycles and single-agent second-line therapy upon disease progression. Recently, several phase III trials examined maintenance therapy in patients with advanced NSCLC. Maintenance therapy using either an antifolate or an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) demonstrated an overall survival (OS) benefit compared with placebo. Targeted agents, such as monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or EGFR, have improved OS when added to first-line chemotherapy in advanced NSCLC. Recent data showed that an EGFR TKI was superior to first-line chemotherapy in patients with NSCLC harboring EGFR mutations. Finally, novel targeted agents, including inhibitors targeting anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and second-generation irreversible EGFR TKIs, have demonstrated encouraging efficacy in selected patients with advanced NSCLC.

The purpose of this activity is to update physicians on maintenance therapy and novel targeted agents 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:

  • Summarize clinical data on antifolate maintenance therapy for patients with advanced NSCLC
  • Evaluate the efficacy of maintenance therapy with an EGFR TKI in advanced NSCLC
  • Describe clinical data on maintenance therapy with an anti-VEGF MoAb plus an EGFR TKI in advanced NSCLC
  • Assess clinical outcomes with an EGFR TKI as first-line treatment of advanced NSCLC by EGFR mutation subtype
  • Evaluate the efficacy of an ALK/c-Met TKI in the treatment of advanced NSCLC harboring ALK fusion genes
  • Discuss the efficacy of an irreversible EGFR/HER2 TKI in the treatment of advanced NSCLC harboring EGFR mutations

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.

The tests and evaluation must be completed by September 30, 2010, in order for you to receive your certificate.

Complete the test(s) and evaluation by September 30, 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:

Disclosure Policy
It is the policy of Physicians’ Education Resource to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all of its educational activities. As an organization accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), Physicians’ Education Resource requires everyone who is in a position to control the content of an educational activity, including spouses/partners, to disclose all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest. The ACCME defines “relevant financial relationships” as financial relationships in any amount occurring within the past 12 months that create a conflict of interest. Physicians’ Education Resource has implemented a mechanism to identify and resolve all conflicts of interest prior to the activity.

Marissa Shrader, PhD
No relevant relationships to disclose

Bing-e Xu, PhD
No relevant relationships to disclose

Karen Kelly, MD
Research Funding – AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., OSI Pharmaceuticals; Paid Consultant – Amgen, Centocor, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company, Genentech, Inc., Pfizer Inc.

Other PER 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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Disclaimer
The views and opinions expressed in this activity are those of the authors 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 authors 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.

Please consult full prescribing information for any drugs or procedures discussed within.

This activity is not sanctioned by, nor a part of, the 13th World Conference on Lung Cancer or the 45th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Privacy Policy
Physicians’ Education Resource (PER) makes reasonable efforts to ensure that privacy issues are handled responsibly. PER does not sell or share your information with other organizations that are not directly involved in this process. If you have further concerns, you may contact us at (888) 949-0045.

All rights reserved. No part of this activity may be translated, reproduced, stored, 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.

©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, New Developments in Maintenance Therapy and Novel Targeted Agents for Advanced Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Physicians’ Education Resource
3500 Maple Ave.
Suite 700
Dallas, TX 75219
Phone: (214) 367-3400
Fax: (214) 367-3304
E-mail: editor@cancerlearning.com

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Educational Grants

An educational grant for this activity was provided by:


  1. Eli Lilly and Company