Optimizing Clinical Strategies for Effective Management of Soft Tissue Sarcomas

i3 Health recently provided an educational activity that challenged clinicians’ knowledge proficiency regarding the management of advanced soft tissue sarcoma.

Soft Tissue Sarcoma: Gaps and Challenges

Soft tissue sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of malignancies that arise primarily from the mesodermal tissues of the extremities, trunk and retroperitoneum, and head and neck. An estimated 13,590 new cases are diagnosed in the United States annually, and 5,200 people die of the disease. Surgical resection is the mainstay of treatment for localized soft tissue sarcoma, with radiation and chemotherapy commonly used as adjuncts; however, nearly 50% of patients will experience locoregional recurrence, distant metastases, or both. The outlook for those with unresectable and metastatic disease is poor, with median overall survival in the order of one year. Due to these challenges, it is imperative that clinicians receive up-to-date education on the management of advanced soft tissue sarcomas.

Addressing the Gaps

To address the knowledge gaps experienced by clinicians regarding advanced soft tissue sarcoma, i3 Health assembled a Virtual Tumor Board consisting of three unique and key speakers in the field of sarcoma: Shreyaskumar R. Patel, MD, Center Medical Director of the Sarcoma Center at The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center; Brian P. Rubin, MD, PhD, Professor of Pathology and Chairman of the Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute at the Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center; and Kathleen Polson, Nurse Practitioner at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

The Virtual Tumor Board was made available on i3 Health’s website beginning August 10, 2023, through August 9, 2024. Additionally, halfway through the course’s duration, faculty met to conduct an “additional advancements in research and clinical trials” interview to update the audience on new developments since the initial recording. Between the two, a total of 2,791 learners interacted with the activity and 811 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, physician assistants, and those who chose “other” as their profession.

The baseline data collected revealed knowledge gaps in the following areas:

• Distinguishing patient and tumor characteristics that can inform personalized therapeutic approaches in soft tissue sarcoma
• Evaluating emerging data on novel therapies for soft tissue sarcoma
• Appraising multidisciplinary strategies to optimize treatment outcomes of patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma

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 participants reported that they felt more confident in treating their patients with sarcoma, and 92% reported that they felt that 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 advanced soft tissue sarcoma. Based on these data, i3 Health has determined that the multidisciplinary team may benefit from CME/NCPD activities that provide soft tissue sarcoma education on:

• Patient and tumor characteristics to inform therapeutic approaches in soft tissue sarcoma
• Recent clinical trial findings and emerging data on novel therapies for soft tissue sarcoma
• Multidisciplinary strategies to optimize treatment outcomes of patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma

Resources

i3Health (2024). Virtual tumor board: Multidisciplinary management of advanced soft tissue sarcoma: activity outcomes report. Data on file.