Advancing Clinical Expertise in the Oncologic and Pathologic Management of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Expert Perspectives · Lyn Brook · 2024-11-20
i3 Health recently provided an educational activity that challenged clinicians’ knowledge proficiency regarding the management of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Gaps and Challenges
Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive disease that accounts for approximately 10% to 15% of breast cancer diagnoses and is characterized by the absence of estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). TNBC is more common in Black women and in women under the age of 40. Compared with other subtypes of invasive breast cancer, TNBC has high rates of metastasis and a poor prognosis. Due to the lack of hormone and receptor targets, therapeutic options are limited, and prognostication and treatment selection are complicated by the heterogeneity of the disease. Therefore, it is imperative that clinicians receive up-to-date educational opportunities for the treatment and management of TNBC.
Addressing the Gaps
To address the knowledge gaps experienced by clinicians regarding the oncologic and pathologic management of TNBC, i3 Health curated a live webinar, which was held on July 12, 2023, and an accompanying online enduring activity, which was made available August 2, 2023, through August 1, 2024, on i3 Health’s website. Halfway through the course’s duration, faculty met to conduct an “additional advances in research and clinical trials” interview to update the audience on new developments since the initial recording. Additionally, i3 Health released the Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Essentials Pocket Guide app, which featured guideline summaries of evidence-based management of TNBC and provided users with the opportunity to submit questions to the activity faculty.
Two key speakers in the field of TNBC led the live webinar and enduring activity: Sara M. Tolaney, MD, MPH, Chief in the Division of Breast Oncology and Associate Director of the Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Ira J. Bleiweiss, MD, Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Perelman School of Medicine and Chief of Breast Pathology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Between the live webinar, the online enduring activity, and the additional advances interview, a total of 3,372 learners interacted with the content, and 915 participants completed the activity for continuing medical education (CME)/nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) credit. Most learners were registered nurses and physicians, followed by nurse practitioners, advanced practice nurses, pharmacists, and those who chose “other” as their profession.
The baseline data collected revealed knowledge gaps in the following areas:
- Evaluating the implications of hormone receptor and HER2 expression status for prognostication and treatment selection in TNBC
- Differentiating the pathological characteristics of the various types of TNBC
- Selecting optimal therapy for TNBC based on shared goals, biomarker testing, and clinical data on novel therapies
- Discussing strategies for timely recognition and mitigation of adverse events associated with novel TNBC therapies
Efficacy of the Education
Participants were given a matching pretest and posttest at the beginning and end of the activity, respectively:
Upon completion of the activity, 92% of learners reported that they felt more confident in treating their patients with TNBC, and 92% reported that they felt the material presented would be used to improve the outcomes of their patients.
Future Education
The data revealed by the posttest assessment affirm the effectiveness of online educational content pertaining to the topic of TNBC. Based on these data, i3 Health has determined that the interprofessional team may benefit from CME/NCPD activities that provide TNBC education on:
- Implications of pathological and receptor expression status for prognostication and treatment selection in TNBC
- Recent clinical trial findings on efficacy and safety of targeted therapies in the treatment of TNBC
- Strategies to optimizing the safety and tolerability of novel targeted therapies for TNBC
Resources
i3 Health (2024). Pathology and oncology expert perspectives in the management of triple-negative breast cancer: Case explorations and answers to FAQs: activity outcomes report. Data on file.