Newswise — NORTHFIELD, ILL. — The College of American Pathologists (CAP), the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s (ASCO) ASCO University®, and the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) recently announced their partnership in the creation of the Molecular Oncology Tumor Board series, an online and user-driven resource designed to help cancer care providers with the interpretation and understanding of tumor molecular profiling tests and studies.
The new crowd-sourced series allows for maximum user input and interaction, and encourages a multidisciplinary discussion of this rapidly growing area of cancer care. Access to the Molecular Oncology Tumor Boards is now available for free through the ASCO Connection website, ASCOConnection.org.
“A healthy flow of information between oncologists and pathologists is critical to meeting each cancer patient’s unique goals and needs during treatment,” said CAP President Gene N. Herbek, MD, FCAP. “The Molecular Oncology Tumor Board series offers an education opportunity for pathologists and oncologists to share the latest information and best practices in genomic medicine in a convenient, real-time format.”
Each month the Molecular Oncology Tumor Boards will feature a case-based discussion involving genetic or genomics in the treatment of cancer. The open forum will allow participants to post questions or comments about the cases, engage in discussion, and compare approaches.
“Understanding the results of tumor molecular profiling studies is challeng¬ing, and the field of cancer genomics is rapidly changing with new information being generated at a dizzying pace,” said ASCO Chief Medical Officer Rich¬ard L. Schilsky, MD, FACP, FASCO. “All oncologists struggle to keep abreast of this information and to learn how to use tumor molecular profiling to deliver high-quality, personalized cancer care. We hope that this new edu¬cational program will foster learning about tumor molecular genomics in an engaging and interactive format fueled by real-world case studies.”
Two rotating faculty members, a pathologist and medical oncologist, will lead the case discussion each month, provide input, and after two weeks of discussion, will post a summary of the case discussion that addresses actionable aberrations identified and treatment options available based on clinical parameters. The information provided in the case discussions are designed to be educational and are not intended to make treatment recommendations.
The Molecular Oncology Tumor Boards is available to anyone who creates an ASCO.org account and logs into ASCOConnection.org. Participants who complete and pass a short post-test can also earn Continuing Medical Education credit.
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About the College of American PathologistsAs the leading organization with more than 18,000 board-certified pathologists, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. The CAP’s Laboratory Improvement Programs, initiated 65 years ago, currently has customers in more than 100 countries, accrediting 7,600 laboratories, and providing proficiency testing to 20,000 laboratories worldwide. Find more information about the CAP at cap.org. Follow CAP on Twitter at @pathologists.
About ASCOFounded in 1964, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is the world's leading professional organization representing physicians who care for people with cancer. With more than 35,000 members, ASCO is committed to improving cancer care through scientific meetings, educational programs and peer-reviewed journals. ASCO is supported by its affiliate organization, the Conquer Cancer Foundation, which funds ground-breaking research and programs that make a tangible difference in the lives of people with cancer. For ASCO information and resources, visit www.asco.org. Patient-oriented cancer information is available at www.cancer.net.
About the Association for Molecular PathologyThe Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) was founded in 1995 to provide structure and leadership to what was, at the time, the newly‐emerging field of molecular diagnostics. Through the efforts of its Board of Directors, Committees, Working Groups, and members, AMP has established itself as the primary resource for expertise, education, and collaboration on what is now one of the fastest growing fields in healthcare. AMP members influence policy and regulation on the national and international levels, ultimately serving to advance innovation in the field and protect patient access to high quality, appropriate testing.
AMP's 2,300+ members include individuals from academic and community medical centers, government, and industry; including, basic and translational scientists, pathologist and doctoral scientist laboratory directors, medical technologists, and trainees. AMP members span the globe with members in more than 45 countries and a growing number of AMP International Affiliate Organizations. The number of AMP members is growing rapidly; they are united by the goal of advancing the science and implementation of molecular and genomic laboratory medicine. For more information, please visit www.amp.org.
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