Background: Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare, aggressive malignancy that originates from precursors of plasmacytoid dendritic cells. BPDCN is a difficult disease to diagnose and manage and it is often misdiagnosed or underreported. The literature widely supports the need for an interdisciplinary team of physicians with specialized expertise to care for patients with BPDCN, such as dermatologists, pathologists, hematologists/oncologists (hem/oncs), stem cell transplant physicians and others.

Aim: The objective of this study was to determine if online education could improve the knowledge of the interdisciplinary physician team members about BPDCN as well as their skills and confidence diagnosing this rare malignancy.

Methods: Dermatologists, pathologists, and hem/oncs participated in a series of 6 live continuing medical education (CME)-certified activities, after which the recorded content was posted online as a single online enduring CME-certified activity. Content for the CME activities was developed by a multidisciplinary group of BPDCN experts and was delivered through an approximately 1-hour lecture. Data presented here is for the online enduring activity only. Educational effect was assessed using a repeated-pair design with pre-/post-assessment. Three multiple choice questions assessed knowledge/skills, and 1 question rated on a Likert-type scale assessed confidence. A paired samples t-test was conducted for significance testing on overall average number of correct responses and for confidence rating, and a McNemar's test was conducted at the question and learning objective level (5% significance level, P <.05). Data were collected from December 10, 2020 to May 3, 2021.

Results: There were 246 dermatologists, 302 pathologists, and 316 hem/oncs included in this analysis, for overall n=864.

  • PRACTICE SETTING: Dermatologists: 57% community, 15% academic, 13% government, 15% other; Pathologists: 37% community, 37% other, 23% academic, 4% government; Hem/Oncs: 48% community, 31% academic, 14% government, 7% other.

  • OVERALL RESULTS: Overall 46% of dermatologists, 42% of pathologists, and 48% of hem/oncs improved their knowledge/skills related to BPDCN (P <.001 for all), showing a relative increase in responses correct from pre- to post-CME of 67% for dermatologists, 38% for pathologists, and 45% for hem/oncs.

  • CONFIDENCE: 50% of dermatologists, 50% of pathologists, and 49% of hem/oncs had a measurable increase in confidence (P <.001 for all), resulting in 30% of dermatologists, 31% of pathologists, and 36% of hem/oncs who were mostly or very confident diagnosing BPDCN post-CME (9%, 14%, 17% pre-CME, respectively).

  • The Table shows the mean percentage of correct responses by learning objective and the question used to test each learning objective. 20%/54% of dermatologists, 22%/57% of pathologists, and 20%/55% of hem/oncs improved/reinforced their knowledge of the most common cutaneous manifestations of BPDCN and 26%, 22%, 25% need additional education, respectively. CME improved skills ordering tests to diagnose BPDCN, however 57% of dermatologists, 58% of pathologists, and 45% of hem/oncs demonstrate a need for additional education about stains that can aid in diagnosing BPDCN.

Conclusions: This online CME-certified educational activity led to statistically significant improvements in the knowledge and skills of dermatologists, pathologists, and hem/oncs about BPDCN as well as their skills and confidence diagnosing this rare malignancy. The results indicate that unique educational methodologies which are available on-demand can be effective tools for advancing clinical decision making. Additional education is recommended on the topics of cutaneous manifestations of BPDCN and case-based education to improve skills diagnosing BPDCN.

Acknowledgements: This CME activity was supported by an independent educational grant from Stemline Therapeutics, Inc.

Reference: https://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/942245

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Disclosures

Stein: Amgen: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Speakers Bureau; Stemline: Speakers Bureau. Sweet: Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Gilead: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AROG: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Astellas: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Bristol Meyers Squibb: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Guitart: Miragen, Kyowa Kirin: Consultancy; Galderma: Consultancy, Research Funding; Solygenix, Elorac, Nanostring: Research Funding. Pemmaraju: LFB Biotechnologies: Consultancy; Aptitude Health: Consultancy; Stemline Therapeutics, Inc.: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other, Research Funding; Incyte: Consultancy; Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.: Other, Research Funding; Plexxicon: Other, Research Funding; Springer Science + Business Media: Other; Cellectis S.A. ADR: Other, Research Funding; CareDx, Inc.: Consultancy; Affymetrix: Consultancy, Research Funding; Roche Diagnostics: Consultancy; Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Other: Research Support, Research Funding; Blueprint Medicines: Consultancy; Celgene Corporation: Consultancy; DAVA Oncology: Consultancy; Sager Strong Foundation: Other; ASCO Leukemia Advisory Panel: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; ASH Communications Committee: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; MustangBio: Consultancy, Other; Abbvie Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Other, Research Funding; Dan's House of Hope: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; HemOnc Times/Oncology Times: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Samus: Other, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.: Consultancy; Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc.: Consultancy; Clearview Healthcare Partners: Consultancy; ImmunoGen, Inc: Consultancy; Pacylex Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy. Poligone: Stemline, Helsinn, Kyowa Kirin: Consultancy; Soligenix, Miragen, Helsinn, Bioniz: Research Funding; Stemline, Therakos, Regeneron: Speakers Bureau.

© 2021 by The American Society of Hematology
2021
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