Podcast - Optimizing Cancer Screening With MCED Technologies: From Science to Practical Application - Module 1

STATEMENT OF NEED
Approximately 2 million new cancer cases are expected in the United States in 2024, with an anticipated 611,720 deaths (ACS, 2024). Screening is associated with earlier stage at diagnosis and improved outcomes (Kim et al, 2011; Plumb et al, 2016). However, cancers that are not routinely screened for account for 78% of all cancer deaths in the United States, and even among cancers that do have standard tests, factors such as low awareness, lack of available facilities, and inconvenience often impede screening (ACS, 2024; Pinsky & Berg, 2012; USPSTF, 2024; Chien et al, 2020; Siegel et al, 2019). Multicancer early detection (MCED) is a novel form of blood-based testing that utilizes cancer biomarkers in the blood to detect multiple types of cancer in 1 test (ACS, 2024). In Module 1 of this activity, Dr. Charles Vega, Clinical Professor of Family Medicine in the School of Medicine at the University of California, Irvine, will discuss the scientific basis for existing and emerging blood-based cancer screening tests, the current gaps in cancer screening, and how MCED tests can help fill this gap.

TARGET AUDIENCE
Oncologists, gastroenterologists, obstetrician-gynecologists, hematologists, advanced practice providers, and other healthcare providers involved in cancer screening

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this activity, participants should be able to

Differentiate MCED tests from other blood-based screening tests
Explain how MCED testing complements existing screening and diagnostic methods in gastrointestinal, gynecologic, and hematologic cancers
Assess current and emerging data supporting the use of MCED tests in clinical practice
Discuss tactics to promote the widespread adoption of cancer screening in the community
Apply practical tools and strategies for integrating the latest cancer screening technologies into the clinical workflow