Virtual Tumor Board: Building Comprehensive Care Plans in Esophagogastric Cancers

STATEMENT OF NEED

Esophagogastric cancers include tumors of the esophagus, esophageal junction, and stomach. Esophageal cancers are the twentieth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, but the eleventh leading cause of cancer death, with an estimated 21,560 cases diagnosed annually and 16,120 deaths estimated in 2023 (NCCN, 2023; Siegel et al, 2023). Given the poor prognosis of esophagogastric cancers and the complexity of personalized care planning, interdisciplinary teamwork is critical for optimizing outcomes for patients. In this Virtual Tumor Board, Jaffer Ajani, MD, Professor in the Department of Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center; Lei Zhao, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Pathology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital; and Kelley Rone, DNP, RN, AGNP-c, Advanced Practice Nurse in the Gastrointestinal Oncology Division at the Mayo Clinic, will engage in a case-based discussion for the multidisciplinary team on building comprehensive care plans for patients with esophagogastric cancers.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Medical/surgical/radiation oncologists, gastroenterologists, pathologists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, oncology nurses, and other health care professionals involved in the treatment of patients with esophagogastric cancer.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to
Distinguish patient and tumor characteristics, including biomarkers, that can inform personalized therapeutic approaches in esophagogastric cancer
Evaluate emerging efficacy and safety data on novel therapies for esophagogastric cancer, including tumors of the stomach, esophagus, and esophagogastric junction
Appraise multidisciplinary strategies to optimize treatment outcomes of patients with esophagogastric cancer