Estimated Time to Complete Activity: 30 minutes

Statement of Need
Currently, there are more than 11 million cancer survivors in the United States, and this community is expected to grow as a result of the aging population and improved methods for cancer detection and treatment. The posttreatment period poses some unique challenges to cancer survivors, including gradual recovery from treatment, late effects of therapy (some of which may be chronic), and emotional and psychological problems surrounding the diagnosis of cancer.

Cancer survivors often find that the period following active treatment is the most distressing, second only to the cancer diagnosis itself. Survivors commonly experience anxiety and depression associated with the transition from patient to survivor and even express a fear of abandonment by their healthcare practitioners. Thus, it is imperative that patients receive counseling about survivorship issues prior to the completion of their therapy so that they can feel confident about the transition. A lack of information about posttherapy care, not knowing what to expect regarding symptoms from therapy, and fears about recurrence all contribute to a reduction in quality of life following cancer treatment. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the chronic symptoms that cancer survivors might encounter and their impact on quality of life in order to provide their patients with appropriate survivorship care.

An Institute of Medicine study of cancer survivors has highlighted the physical and psychosocial needs of cancer survivors and recommended the implementation of survivorship care plans to improve the coordination of care. Based on this recommendation, individual cancer centers and national organizations are beginning to develop and promote cancer survivorship care plans. During this program, participants will learn how to recognize symptoms common to cancer survivors and how best to manage these symptoms, and the role of healthcare professionals in educating cancer survivors about continuing care issues in order to improve survivor quality of life will be elucidated.

Target Audience
This activity is intended for medical oncologists, nurses, physician assistants, and other healthcare professionals involved in the care and management of patients who are cancer survivors. 

Educational Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to

1. Identify the symptoms commonly experienced by cancer survivors, and describe how these symptoms might affect patient quality of life. 
2. Summarize the key areas for cancer survivor education. 

 

Method of Participation for Oncology Unplugged Podcast

This activity requires that your computer be configured to access the Internet. A high-speed Internet connection may be required to listen to large files. The podcast will be available on iTunes^® and www.thecbce.com. The podcast will also be a featured program on the CBCE CME app, which may be downloaded from the Apple^® App Store for use on the iPhone™ or iPod Touch^®.

Method of Participation for iPhone™ or iPod Touch^®
This activity can be accessed using an iPhone™ or iPod Touch^® and will be a featured program on the CBCE CME app, which may be downloaded from the Apple^® App Store.

Accreditation
Physicians: The CBCE™ (The Center for Biomedical Continuing Education) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The CBCE designates this session for a maximum of .50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in this activity.  

Physician Assistants: AAPA accepts certificates of participation for educational activities certified for Category 1 credit from AOACCME, Prescribed credit from AAFP, and AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society. Physician assistants may receive a maximum of .50 hour of Category 1 credit for completing this program.

Nurses: The CBCE™ (The Center for Biomedical Continuing Education) is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

The CBCE designates this educational activity for .50 contact hour.

Accreditation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation refers to recognition of educational activities and does not imply approval or endorsement of any product.

Oncology Unplugged Credit Instructions
Successful completion of this activity includes the following:

• Score 70% or above on the posttest.
• Complete the Evaluation and Request for Credit Form.
• Fax the completed posttest and form to the CBCE, (214) 260-0509.

Participants will receive their certificate 4-6 weeks after the CBCE receives their posttest and form.

CBCE CME App Credit Instructions
Successful completion of this activity includes the following:

• Complete the online posttest and score 70% or above.
• Complete the online Evaluation and Request for Credit Form.  

Participants will receive their certificates via e-mail 4-6 weeks after submission of the online Evaluation and Request for Credit Form. 

Acknowledgement of Commercial Support
The CBCE gratefully acknowledges the educational grants provided by AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP and sanofi-aventis.  

Educational Inquiries
For further information, please contact the CBCE, 1707 Market Place Blvd., Suite 370, Irving, TX 75063; Phone: (214) 260-9024; Fax: (214) 260-0509; E-mail: info@thecbce.com.

Disclaimer
The content and views presented in this educational activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or recommendations of the CBCE, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, or sanofi-aventis. This material has been prepared based on a review of multiple sources of information but is not comprehensive. Participants are advised to critically appraise the information presented, and they are encouraged to consult the available literature on any product or device mentioned in this program. 

Disclosure of Unlabeled Uses
This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. For additional information about approved uses, including approved indications, contraindications, and warnings, please refer to the prescribing information for each product or consult the latest edition of the Physicians’ Desk Reference. 

Disclosure of Financial Relationships With Any Commercial Interest
As a provider accredited by the ACCME, it is the policy of the CBCE to require that everyone who is in a position to control the content of an educational activity disclose all relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest, and identify and resolve all conflicts of interest prior to the educational activity. The CBCE defines “relevant financial relationships” as any amount occurring within the past 12 months.

Financial relationships are those relationships in which the individual benefits by receiving a salary, royalty, intellectual property rights, consulting fee, honorarium, ownership interest (eg, stocks, stock options, or other ownership interest, excluding diversified mutual funds), or other financial benefit. Financial benefits are usually associated with roles such as employment, management, independent contractor (including contracted research), consulting, speaking and teaching, membership on advisory committees or review panels, board membership, and other activities for which remuneration is received or expected. The CBCE considers relationships of the person involved in the educational activity to include financial relationships of a spouse or partner.

Faculty who refuse to disclose relevant financial relationships will be disqualified from being a planning committee member, a teacher, or an author, and cannot have control of or responsibility for the development, management, presentation, or evaluation of the educational activity. For an individual with no relevant financial relationship, participants must be informed that no relevant financial relationship exists.

Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest
The CBCE assesses conflicts of interest with its faculty, planners, and managers of CBCE activities. Identified conflicts of interest are thoroughly evaluated for fair balance, scientific objectivity relative to studies utilized in this activity, and patient-care recommendations. The CBCE is committed to providing participants with high-quality, unbiased, and state-of-the-art education.

The following faculty declared they have no financial relationships that require disclosure:

Kenneth D. Miller, MD

Richard N. Boyajian, RN, MS, NP


Institutional Disclosure
The CBCE receives educational grants from the pharmaceutical industry and other commercial sources. Companies providing grants to the CBCE include the commercial supporters of this activity as well as the manufacturers of certain drugs and/or devices discussed in this activity.

Staff Disclosure
The CBCE staff have declared they have no financial relationships that require disclosure.