Overview
STATEMENT OF NEED
Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare and aggressive neuroendocrine tumor of unknown origin that typically presents in older white and immunocompromised adults. An estimated 2,488 cases are diagnosed in the United States annually (Paulson et al, 2018). The incidence of MCC has risen rapidly during the past few decades, which has been attributed in part to people living longer with increased sun exposure and weakened immune systems, a feature that suggests an infectious origin and warrants further research (NCCN, 2019). Treatment standards are lacking and consequently clinical decision making is often empirical rather than evidence-based. The mortality rate for MCC presently exceeds that of melanoma. The overall 5-year survival rate ranges from 41% to 77%, depending upon stage at presentation (NCCN, 2019).
TARGET AUDIENCE
Oncologists, dermatologists, oncology advanced practitioners, oncology nurses, and other health care professionals involved in the treatment of patients with Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC).
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to:
- Assess emerging evidence on immunotherapeutic strategies for advanced MCC
- Describe multidisciplinary approaches to monitor and manage immune-related adverse events in patients receiving treatment for advanced MCC
FACULTY
Shailender Bhatia, MD (Chairperson)
Associate Professor of Medicine
University of Washington School of Medicine
Ciara Kelly, MBBCh, BAO
Assistant Attending Physician, Sarcoma Medical Oncology Service
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
REGISTRATION
There is no fee to participate in or claim CME/NCPD credit for this activity.
Provided by
Physicians
i3 Health is accredited by the American Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
i3 Health designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 0.75 Medical Knowledge MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credits claimed for the activity. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit.
By providing this information, participants are agreeing to allow i3 Health to share this information with the ACCME.
Nurse Practitioners
The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME. Individuals are responsible for checking with the AANPCP for further guidelines.
Nursing Continuing Professional Development
i3 Health is accredited with distinction as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
A maximum of 0.75 contact hours may be earned by learners who successfully complete this nursing continuing professional development activity. This activity has been designated for 0.4 contact hours of pharmacotherapy credit for Advanced Practice Registered Nurses.
Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 15824, for 0.75 contact hours.
ONCC RECERTIFICATION
The program content has been reviewed by the Oncology Nursing Certification Corporation (ONCC) and is acceptable for recertification points.
ONCC review is only for designating content to be used for recertification points and is not for NCPD accreditation. NCPD programs must be formally approved for contact hours by an acceptable accreditor/approver of NCPD to be used for recertification by ONCC. If the NCPD provider fails to obtain formal approval to award contact hours by an acceptable accrediting/approval body, no information related to ONCC recertification may be used in relation to the program.
OCN®, CPHON®, CBCN®, AOCNP®, AOCNS®, and BMTCN® renewal candidates may apply 0.75 ILNA points toward:
- Care Continuum
- Oncologic Emergencies
- Oncology Nursing Practice
- Scientific Basis for Practice
- Symptom Management
- Treatment
Please note that some of the course content applies to multiple content areas. The numerical value above indicates the maximum amount of points that can be claimed in each domain. The total amount of ILNA points claimed may not exceed the total amount of NCPD awarded from this course.
DISCLOSURE OF RELEVANT FINANCIAL INFORMATION WITH COMMERCIAL INTERESTS
i3 Health endorses the standards of the ACCME and ANCC that require everyone in a position to control the content of a CME/NCPD activity to disclose all financial relationships with commercial interests that are related to the content of the CME/NCPD activity. CME/NCPD activities must be balanced, independent of commercial bias, and promote improvements or quality in health care. All recommendations involving clinical medicine must be based on evidence accepted within the medical profession.
A conflict of interest is created when an individual has an opportunity to affect CME/NCPD content about products or services of a commercial interest with which he/she has a financial relationship, which therefore may bias their opinions and teaching. This may include receiving a salary, royalty, intellectual property rights, consulting fee, honoraria, stocks, or other financial benefits.
i3 Health will identify, review, and resolve all conflicts of interest that speakers, authors, or planners disclose prior to an educational activity being delivered to learners. Disclosure of a relationship is not intended to suggest or condone bias in any presentation but is made to provide participants with information that might be of potential importance to their evaluation of a presentation. i3 Health does not endorse any products or services.
Relevant financial relationships exist between the following individuals and commercial interests:
The i3 Health planners, reviewers, and managers have nothing to disclose.
Shailender Bhatia, MD, discloses that he serves on an advisory board or panel for Bristol Myers Squibb, Castle BioSciences, EMD Serono, Exicure, Genentech, and Sanofi Genzyme, and that he receives grants or research support from Bristol Myers Squibb, EMD Serono, Exicure, Immune Design, Merck, NantKwest, Nektar, Novartis, and OncoSec.
Ciara Kelly, MBBCh, BAO, discloses that she is a consultant for Exicure, that she receives grants or research support from Agios, Amgen, Exicure, Kartos, and Merck, and that her spouse receives a salary or performs contractual services for Daiichi Sankyo.
INSTRUCTIONS TO RECEIVE CREDIT
In order to receive credit for this activity, participants must:
- Listen to the podcast
- Take the posttest
- Download or print their Certificate of Credit
UNAPPROVED USE DISCLOSURE
i3 Health requires CME/NCPD faculty (speakers) to disclose to attendees when products or procedures being discussed are off-label, unlabeled, experimental, and/or investigational (not FDA approved), as well as any limitations on the information that is presented, such as data that are preliminary or that represent ongoing research, interim analyses, and/or unsupported opinion. Faculty may discuss information about pharmaceutical agents that is outside of U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved labeling.
This information is intended solely for continuing medical education and is not intended to promote off-label use of these medications. If you have questions, contact the medical affairs department of the manufacturer for the most recent prescribing information.
DISCLAIMER
The information provided at this CME/NCPD activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical/clinical judgment of a healthcare provider relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient’s medical condition.
COMMERCIAL SUPPORT
This activity is supported by an independent educational grant from Merck.
Aggregate participant data will be shared with the commercial supporter of this activity.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Technical queries or questions regarding activity credit should be directed to i3 Health at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..