Trastuzumab in the Adjuvant Treatment of Early-Stage Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

CME Activity Information
Release Date:	June 30, 2008
Most Recent Review:	June 30, 2008*
Most Recent Update:	June 30, 2008
Date Credit Expires:	June 30, 2010
Time to Complete:	1 hour
Medium:	Internet Online
*Click here to learn more about our review process.

Instructions for Participation

1. Read the following information before beginning the educational activity and click the "Take this course" link at the bottom of the page

2. Study the educational activity

3. Complete the CME quiz and evaluation

4. After successful completion of the CME quiz and evaluation, you will receive the credit or participation certificate

*The CME quiz and evaluation must be completed by June 30, 2010, in order to receive the credit or participation certificate.

Target Audience

Physicians who wish to advance their current knowledge of clinical cancer medicine in breast cancer and are involved in providing patient care in a cancer care environment.

Learning Objectives

After completing this course, the reader should be able to:

1. Summarize the main characteristics and findings of randomized controlled trials evaluating trastuzumab for the adjuvant treatment of early-stage breast cancer.

2. Use combined-effect estimates provided by meta-analysis to appraise the risks and benefits of trastuzumab treatment in the adjuvant setting.

3. Identify the links between basic science and drug development that led to the successful clinical use of trastuzumab, as well as the gaps in the existing evidence base regarding its use in breast cancer treatment.

Accreditation and Credit Designation

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of the School of Medicine of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and The Oncologist. The School of Medicine of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The School of Medicine of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Disclosure Policy

In compliance with the ACCME Standards of Commercial Support, it is the policy of the School of Medicine of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to ensure balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all of its educational activities and to include information free of commercial bias and based on the best evidence available. All individuals in a position to influence the content of this activity have disclosed relevant financial interests or relationships of their own, their spouse/partner, or their worksite, with manufacturers or providers of commercial products, services, technology, or programs; and disclosed relationships with current non-governmental supporters of the activity. The faculty and planners have disclosed that they have no relevant commercial relationships.

All information is submitted and reviewed and found to be scientifically rigorous, based on the best available evidence, fair and balanced, and free of commercial bias. All the recommendations involving clinical medicine in this CME activity are based on evidence that is accepted within the profession of medicine as adequate justification for their indications and contraindications in the care of patients. All scientific research referred to, reported or used in CME in support or justification of a patient care recommendation conforms to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection and analysis.

Any potential conflicts of interests are resolved via The Oncologist's anonymous peer review process: http://cme.theoncologist.com/misc/edboard.shtml. All manuscripts are reviewed by the Editorial Board with ad hoc assistance from two or more external experts in the field. All activity planners, authors, and reviewers are required to submit conflict of interest forms. These forms accompany the activity through the peer review process. Any reviewers who have a conflict of interest are recused. When a reviewer is recused, other suitable reviewers with no self-reported conflicts of interests are selected to conduct the reviews. Editors' disclosures are published annually online, whereas reviewers' disclosures are held in confidence within the Editorial Office. All final publication decisions are made by the Editorial Board. The acceptance of a manuscript is based on its originality and importance to the field as assessed by the Editors.

Author Disclosure(s)

Issa J. Dahabreh, M.D.

Credentials: Research Fellow, Medical School, National University of Athens, Greece
Disclosures: The author has indicated no relevant commercial relationships.

Helen Linardou, M.D., Ph.D.

Credentials: Clinical Sub-Director, Metropolitan Hospital, Athens, Greece
Disclosures: The author has indicated no relevant commercial relationships.

Fotios Siannis, M.S., Ph.D.

Credentials: Lecturer in Statistics, Department of Mathematics, National University of Athens, Greece
Disclosures: The author has indicated no relevant commercial relationships.

George Fountzilas, M.D.

Credentials: Full Professor, Department of Medical Oncology, "Papageorgiou" Hospital, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece
Disclosures: The author has indicated no relevant commercial relationships.

Samuel Murray, Ph.D.

Credentials: Research Director, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Metropolitan Hospital, Athens, Greece
Disclosures: The author has indicated no relevant commercial relationships.

Commercial Support

Non-governmental supporters of this activity: Merck and sanofi-aventis

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