Colorectal cancer (CRC) continues to be the second most lethal cancer in the United States (US) with approximately 149,500 new cases and 52,980 deaths per year. Patients diagnosed at an advanced/metastatic stage have a five-year survival rate of roughly 14%. For these patients, initial treatment is usually chemotherapy based. With this treatment, patients have a median survival of 30 months. Through further research, targeted therapies have been developed to fight metastatic CRC (mCRC), these include antibodies against the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). These agents have increased overall survival (OS) in mCRC. Several biomarkers are used in the diagnosis of mCRC, including KRAS and MRAF mutations as well as microsatellite instability assessment. Testing for and targeting BRAF mutations is recommended by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines. Still BRAF testing is underused, especially at community centers. While BRAF V600E mutation is associated with poorer prognosis, there are now targeted treatments available. After first-line treatment, subsequent systemic therapy recommendations from the NCCN include the combination of encorafenib in addition to EGFR inhibition with cetuximab or panitumumab. Dermatologic adverse events (AEs), among others, may occur with these treatments, but there is detailed guidance available for their management. This educational program will help clinicians understand the importance of BRAF testing and treatment with practical guidance on managing AEs to keep patients on effective doses of their needed medications.

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Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been reservations regarding the risks of using immunosuppressive or immunomodulating agents to treat patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in case these treatments increase infectious disease risk or reduce vaccine efficacy. Many MS patients take disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) to prevent new symptoms such as muscle weakness, poor coordination, and/or impaired vision while mitigating disease progression. For many years, the treatment paradigm has been to “treat early and never stop”, but given issues that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic, this idea became much more challenging. While it appears we are in a nadir with respect to COVID infections, the risk of COVID remains and is of particular concern for our patients with MS. MS treatment in the context of COVID-19 risk or infection has been exceptionally challenging. Accordingly, healthcare providers have had reservations and concerns regarding deciding what are the safest and most effective treatment strategies taking into consideration all of the risks and potential complications when addressing both MS and COVID-19. Clinicians caring for patients with MS require educational programs to stay informed of the recommended best use of DMTs and to be aware of the latest guidelines for safely treating MS in the context of COVID-19. This collaborative social learning platform establishes a network of providers who can support each other locally, as well as those from different communities, with the goal of learning and sharing best practices that will improve outcomes for patients with MS in the context of COVID-19.

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Clinically heterogeneous presentation, with only intermittent symptoms and long latent periods for some patients, along with manifestations that overlap with other skin conditions make the diagnosis of atopic dermatitis difficult for clinicians, resulting in delays in diagnosis and treatment. Current therapies such as topical corticosteroids, emollients, supportive care and biologics have limited efficacy and are not adequate for treating many patients with moderate to severe AD across different skin types. To bridge this gap, novel targeted therapies are needed. Investigational therapies such as Janus Kinase 1 (JAK 1) inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, and membrane IgE inhibitor when approved will transform the treatment approaches for AD. These advancements will provide more treatment options for patients and will allow clinicians to specifically treat underlying causes of AD with more certainty. However, substantial accumulation of new data from these advances creates knowledge and practice gaps that affect patient care. This collaborative social learning platform establishes a network of providers who can support each other locally, as well as those from different communities, with the goal of learning and sharing best practices that will improve outcomes for patients.

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Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains the most common variety of renal cancer, representing 90% of the diagnoses. Within the United States (US), it is a relatively common malignant caner, ranking as sixth and tenth most common for men and women respectively. Yet, the incidence has been slowly but steadily rising over the past thirty years. While localized RCC has a high survival rate, metastatic RCC only has a 5-20% 5-year survival rate. Previous forms of therapy at this stage had variable efficacy and poor tolerability in these advanced stages. The development of several agents has improved RCC outcomes and have improved tolerability: vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors (VEGFi), mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors, and immunotherapies. Of note, two main combinations of are approved in patients with RCC: (1) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) with immuno-oncology (I-O) therapies and (2) two I-O agents. Educational programs that focus on this new and emerging approach are needed to aid clinicians in understanding the proper and safe use of I-O combinations. This collaborative social learning platform establishes a network of providers who can support each other locally, as well as those from different communities, with the goal of learning and sharing best practices that will improve outcomes for patients with renal cell carcinoma.

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The current treatment of advanced, recurrent, and metastatic cervical cancer is difficult, especially as treatment progresses to the second line. Considerations for treatment are nuanced and numerous. Factors include prior treatments, treatment timing, and patient preference. The advent of targeted therapies has brought improved outcomes for those patients whose tumors harbor specific mutations. Still for those who are ineligible for targeted therapies, currently available options are lacking. Agents in the pipeline of development and potential approval offer hope for the treatment of this difficult to manage disease. The goal of this educational curriculum, Turning Complexity into Clarity in Advanced Cervical Cancer, is to establish impactful small group interactions between members of the cervical cancer care team that will, through a variety of collaborative educational experiences, help them in learning and sharing best practices that will improve outcomes for patients with cervical cancer.

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Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) continues to be the most common acute leukemia in adults, with an incidence of 5.5 cases per 100,000 persons annually. As such, more education is needed on key topics including use of induction therapy in the non-elderly population, treating suboptimal response to induction therapy, best practices for measurable (or minimal) residual disease assessment, and proper use of maintenance therapy..The goal of this educational curriculum, Turning Complexity into Clarity in AML, is to establish impactful small group interactions between members of the AML care team that will, through a variety of collaborative educational experiences, help them in learning and sharing best practices that will improve outcomes for patients with AML.

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With the increase in the lifespan of patients with beta thalassemia and demographic shifts in the U.S., hematologists are treating more patients with this condition. As such, more education is needed on key topics including disease fundamentals, transitioning patients to adult care, new and emerging therapies, and issues around transfusion.The goal of this educational curriculum, Improving Beta-thalassemia Outcomes, is to establish impactful small group interactions between members of the hematology care team that will, through a variety of collaborative educational experiences, help them to improve disease management and care coordination to yield better outcomes for their patients with Beta-thalassemia.

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