Cancer and Venous Thromboembolism: Current Clinical Issues

Jointly sponsored by North American Center for Continuing Medical Education, LLC, and Horizon CME.

Target Audience

This activity is designed for hematologists/oncologists, nurses, and pharmacists.

Learning Objectives

After completing this activity, participants should be able to:

Identify and stratify risk factors for VTE in cancer patients
Discuss the epidemiology and prevalence of VTE in patients with cancer and elaborate on the contributions of various anti-cancer therapies to the development of VTE.
Implement guideline-defined VTE prophylaxis and treatment in clinical practice.

Faculty

Craig Kessler, MD
Professor of Medicine and Pathology
Division of Hematology/Oncology
Director, Division of Coagulation
Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center
Georgetown University Medical Center
Washington, DC

Jack Ansell, MD
Chairman, Department of Medicine
Lenox Hill Hospital
New York, New York

Thomas DeLoughery, MD, FACP
Professor of Medicine, Pathology, and Pediatrics
Division of Hematology/Oncology
Hematology Section Head
Oregon Health Sciences University
Portland, Oregon

Activity Overview

This accredited monograph is available in print and PDF format at NACCME.com.

To be eligible for documentation of credit, participants must read all monograph content, log on to www.naccme.com to complete the 10-question post-test with a score of 70% or better, and complete the evaluation form. Participants who successfully complete the post-test and evaluation form online may immediately print their documentation of credit.

Release Date: August 5, 2009

Expiration Date: August 5, 2010

Estimated time to complete: 1 hour

There is no fee associated with this activity.

For questions regarding this educational activity, please contact Angela Scarnici at 609-371-1137.

This educational activity is a knowledge-based activity.

CME Accreditation

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of North American Center for Continuing Medical Education, LLC (NACCME) and Horizon CME. NACCME is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

NACCME designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditTM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in this activity.

CPE Accreditation

North American Center for Continuing Medical Education, LLC (NACCME) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. This activity is approved for 1 contact hours (0.1 CEUs) of continuing pharmacy education (UAN 276-999-09-010-H01-P).

Any participant wanting to file a grievance with respect to any aspect of a continuing pharmacy education activity accredited by NACCME may contact John Savage, Director, Medical Education, NACCME, in writing, at 300 Rike Drive, Suite A, Millstone Township, NJ 08535, or by e-mail at jsavage@naccme.com. The Director of Medical Education will review the grievance and respond within 30 days of receiving the written statement. If the participant is unsatisfied with the response, an appeal to the Vice President, Medical Education, NACCME, may be made for a second level of review.

CNE Accreditation

North American Center for Continuing Medical Education, LLC (NACCME) is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. This continuing nursing education activity was approved by the PA State Nurses Association for 1 contact hour. Provider #: 110-3-E-06.

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number 13255 for 1.0 contact hour.

Independent Clinical Reviewer: Nicholas H. Osborne, MD, House Officer, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Hospitals, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Nurse Clinical Reviewer: Marsha Holton, CCRN, RCIS, FSICP, President and Founder, Cardiovascular Orientation Programs, Indian Head, Maryland

Hardware/Software Requirements

All educational activities are accessible via a computer 650 MHz PC, 128 MB RAM, Windows or MAC operating system, Internet Explorer, Netscape, or Safari browsers. Windows Media Player, sound card, and speakers are required for streamed audio. Flash Player, sound card, and speakers are required for video programs. A PDF reader is required for print publications. Please direct technical questions to webmaster@naccme.com.

Planning Committee

The planning committee comprises Craig Kessler, MD, Jack Ansell, MD, Thomas DeLoughery, MD, FACP, Nicholas H. Osborne, MD, Marsha Holton, CCRN, RCIS, FSICP; and Brian Lee, PharmD, Horizon CME; and Randy Robbin, Rosemary Hodgson, John Savage, Emilie McCardell, and William Kormos, NACCME.

Financial Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest

According to the disclosure policy of NACCME, faculty, editors, managers, and other individuals who are in a position to control content are required to disclose any relevant commercial companies related to this activity. All relevant conflicts of interest that are identified are reviewed for potential conflicts of interest. If a conflict is identified, it is the responsibility of NACCME to initiate a mechanism to resolve the conflict(s). The existence of these interests or relationships is not viewed as implying bias or decreasing the value of the presentation.

All educational materials are reviewed for fair balance, scientific objectivity of studies reported, and levels of evidence.

Dr. Ansell: Consultant—Bayer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, F. Hoffman-LaRoche Ltd., Hemosense, International Technidyne Corporation; Speakers’ Bureau—sanofi-aventis

Dr. DeLoughery: Speakers’ Bureau—GlaxoSmithKline, sanofi-aventis

Dr. Kessler: Grant/research support—Eisai, GlaxoSmithKline, sanofi-aventis; Consultant—Canyon Pharmaceuticals, Eisai, Pfizer, sanofi-aventis; Stock Shareholder—Canyon Pharmaceuticals

Dr. Osborne has reported no relevant financial relationships with any commercial interests.

Ms. Holton: Consultant—Dalascope, RADI

Brian Lee, PharmD, Horizon CME; and Randy Robbin, Rosemary Hodgson, John Savage, Emilie McCardell, and William Kormos, NACCME, have reported no relevant financial relationships with any commercial interests.

NACCME requires faculty to inform participants whenever off-label/unapproved uses of drugs and/or devices are discussed in their presentations.

The faculty has disclosed that enoxaparin, low-molecular weight heparin, and anti-Xa and anti-IIa for off-label/unapproved use in treatment of cancer patients with VTE, or at risk for VTE, will be discussed.

Privacy Policy

NACCME protects the privacy of personal and other information regarding participants, educational partners, and joint sponsors. NACCME and our joint sponsors will not release personally identifiable information to a third party without the individual's consent, except such information as is required for reporting purposes to the appropriate accrediting agency.

NACCME maintains physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards that comply with federal regulations to guard your nonpublic personal information.

Copyright © 2009 by North American Center for Continuing Medical Education, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this accredited continuing education activity may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without first obtaining permission from North American Center for Continuing Medical Education.

Grant Support

Supported by an educational grant from sanofi-aventis U.S.