PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

While several active therapies are now available to treat myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), choosing among these agents using current treatment algorithms can be a challenge for the community-based practitioner, who may not be familiar with the available therapies and may see few cases of MDS compared to other tumor types. This activity will provide practical information on the management of patients with Int-2/High-risk MDS, according to the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS), including current best practices and optimal use of intensive therapy, hypomethylating agents, and/or supportive care. Patient management in the context of currently available clinical trials will also be discussed.

Upon completion of this educational activity, practitioners should be able to select active therapies for IPSS Int-2/High-risk MDS based on disease and patient characteristics. In addition, practitioners should know what to expect from treatment with newer therapies, including expected response and approaches to manage toxicities.

Faculty

	Mikkael A. Sekeres, MD, MS Associate Professor of Medicine Director, Leukemia Program Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center Cleveland, OH Read Biography Dr. Sekeres is Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the Leukemia Program, Department of Hematologic Oncology and Blood Disorders, Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute, in Ohio. He earned a medical degree and a master’s in clinical epidemiology from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Dr. Sekeres completed his postgraduate training at Harvard University, finishing an internal medicine residency at Massachusetts General Hospital and a fellowship in hematology-oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. He is co-chair of the medical advisory board of the Aplastic Anemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) International Foundation, and serves on the scientific review committee. An invited speaker at numerous meetings, grand rounds, and conferences, Dr. Sekeres is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the American Society of Hematology, the Southwest Oncology Group – Leukemia Committee, and the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee of the FDA. His current research focuses on patients with MDS and older adults with acute myeloid leukemia, and he is national primary study investigator on several phase I/II trials. Dr. Sekeres has been active for years in the continuing education of students, physicians, and patients in regard to cancer. He is the author or co-author of more than 200 articles and abstracts published in leading journals, such as Blood, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Cancer, and Leukemia; he is the co-author of 3 books; and he is on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, in addition to being the Clinical Advisory Editor of Hematology/Oncology for the Oncology Times.
	David P. Steensma, MD, FACP Associate Professor of Medicine Harvard Medical School Leukemia Group Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Boston, MA Read Biography Dr. Steensma is currently an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, a consulting physician at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, and a faculty member in the leukemia group at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA.  Originally from Midland Park, NJ, Dr. Steensma received his medical degree from the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine, following undergraduate work in physics and astronomy at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. He completed an internal medicine internship and residency and a combined hematology-oncology fellowship in the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, MN, and is currently board-certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in internal medicine, hematology, and medical oncology.  Following the completion of formal training, Dr. Steensma spent several years as a visiting research scholar in the Molecular Haematology Unit of the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford, UK, investigating the molecular genetics of myelodysplastic syndromes. He then joined the consulting staff of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, where he spent 5 years as a clinician-investigator in the Division of Hematology, as the Associate Fellowship Program Director for Hematology, and as an Associate Professor in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine.  Dr. Steensma is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, and a member of the American Society of Hematology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the European Hematology Association, and the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society. He is a member of the editorial board of 5 journals, including the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Leukemia Research, and Haematologica, and has more than 150 publications in peer-reviewed journals, including Blood, Lancet, the Journal of Clinical Oncology, and Leukemia. His laboratory and clinical research has been funded by the National Cancer Institute and by several philanthropic groups. His primary clinical and research focus is myelodysplastic syndromes, and he maintains an active interest in non-malignant hematology, especially disorders of red cells and therapy of cancer-associated anemia.
	Sanjay Sharma, MD Oncology Medical Director Virginia K. Crosson Cancer Center St. Jude Heritage Medical Group Fullerton, CA Read Biography Sanjay Sharma, MD is Oncology Medical Director at the Virginia K. Crosson Cancer Center, St. Jude Heritage Medical Group, in Fullerton, CA. In addition, Dr. Sharma is Physician Site Director, Hematology/Oncology at St. Jude, as well as Quality Assurance Chairman, St. Jude Cancer Committee and Marketing Chairman, St. Jude Cancer Program. He also serves as the Principal Investigator for numerous intergroup trials at St. Jude. After graduating with a BA in biology from Washington University, St. Louis, MO, Dr. Sharma earned his medical doctorate from the Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA. He then completed an internal medicine residency at Barnes Jewish Hospital at Washington University, and a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, NY. Board-certified in hematology, oncology, and internal medicine, Dr. Sharma previously worked for the Wisconsin Bureau of Public Health in Madison, WI, as a Waterborne and Flood-related Disease Surveillance Coordinator.

TARGET AUDIENCE

This activity is designed to meet the educational needs of hematologist/oncologists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other health care professionals involved in the management of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES

This activity was designed to address the following IOM competencies: provide patient-centered care; work in interdisciplinary teams; employ evidence-based practice

At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:

1. Select appropriate intensive or non-intensive therapies for patients with IPSS Int-2/High-risk MDS based on patient age, donor availability, and disease characteristics
2. Define the appropriate use of hypomethylating agents in the management of patients with IPSS Int-2/High-risk MDS
3. Indicate the expected outcomes and approach to managing toxicities of the commonly used therapies for IPSS Int-2/High-risk MDS

ACCREDITATION STATEMENTS

The Potomac Center for Medical Education is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Global Education Group is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the Colorado Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. For information about the nursing accreditation of this program, please contact Global at 303-395-1782 or inquire@globaleducationgroup.com.

DESIGNATION STATEMENT

Physicians
Potomac Center for Medical Education designates this educational activity for a maximum of 0.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses
This educational activity for 0.70 contact hours is provided by Global Education Group.

Physician Assistants & Nurse Practitioners

The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) accept certificates of participation for educational activities certified for AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ by organizations accredited by the ACCME.

DISCLOSURE POLICY

Potomac Center for Medical Education (PCME) adheres to the policies and guidelines, including the Standards for Commercial Support, set forth to providers by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and all other professional organizations, as applicable, stating those activities where continuing education credits are awarded must be balanced, independent, objective, and scientifically rigorous.

All persons in a position to control the content of a continuing medical education program sponsored by the Potomac Center for Medical Education are required to disclose any relevant financial relationships with any commercial interest to PCME as well as to learners. All conflicts are identified and resolved by PCME in accordance with the Standards for Commercial Support in advance of delivery of the activity to learners. Disclosures will be made known to the participants prior to the activity.

The content of this activity was vetted by an external medical reviewer to assure objectivity and that the activity is free of commercial bias.
The faculty reported the following relevant financial relationships that they or their spouse/partner have with commercial interests.

Mikkael A. Sekeres, MD, MS: Speaker: Celgene Corporation; Advisory Board: Celgene Corporation, Seattle Genetics

David P. Steensma, MD, FACP: Advisory Board: Amgen, Novartis

Sanjay Sharma, MD: Speaker: Millennium, Celgene, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eisai

Non-faculty content contributors and/or reviewers reported the following relevant financial relationships that they or their spouse/partner have with commercial interests:

Jackie Dawson, Amanda Glazar (Global); Paul Walden, Betsy Dennison, Jay Katz, Blair St. Amand (Rockpointe): Nothing to disclose
The independent reviewers of the content have no relevant financial relationships to disclose

FDA Disclosure

The contents of some CME activities may contain discussions of non-approved or off-label uses of some agents mentioned. Please consult the prescribing information for full disclosure of approved uses.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

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This activity is jointly sponsored by:

This activity is co-provided by:

This activity is supported by an educational grant from Celgene Corporation:

This activity is endorsed by the Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation.
For more information about the foundation, contact www.AAMDS.org or call 1.800.747.2820

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DOWNLOADABLE PARTICIPANT MATERIALS

MDS Classification Tool

Anemia Algorithm