Statement of Need

Early and comprehensive biomarker testing in NSCLC is of critical importance as it is associated with improved long-term survival and access to targeted therapies that can dramatically alter the disease course. However, real‑world assessments in community oncology practices demonstrate that comprehensive NGS-based testing, including evaluation for ERBB2 (HER2) alterations, remains inconsistent and is frequently delayed or omitted, and many clinicians still begin systemic therapy before biomarker test results are available. Significant operational barriers, including inadequate tissue procurement workflows, lack of formal test‑tracking processes, limited multidisciplinary collaboration, and long turnaround times from outside laboratories compound these gaps, especially in community settings where staffing and infrastructure are constrained. To improve NSCLC biomarker testing and treatment selection, knowledge-based education is only the first step; teams also require practical, system‑focused support to redesign workflows, standardize testing protocols, and reliably act on molecular testing results. This scalable digital QI program is designed to help community practices close these gaps in the care of patients with advanced/metastatic NSCLC by offering an easy‑to‑implement, data‑driven framework that integrates training, process improvement, and multidisciplinary coordination and can be adapted to practices of all sizes.

Target Audience

This activity is intended for multidisciplinary providers treating patients with NSCLC in the community cancer setting including thoracic oncologists, thoracic surgeons, medical oncologists, molecular pathologists, pulmonologists, oncology pharmacists, clinical pharmacists, patient navigators, tissue navigators, and other members of the multidisciplinary team.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Assess current NSCLC biomarker testing practices to confirm compliance with the latest guideline recommendations for a broad multi-panel approach
• Develop strategies to mitigate challenges and barriers to standardizing ERBB2 (HER2) testing in all patients with advanced NSCLC
• Establish multidisciplinary frameworks to interpret biomarker test findings prior to initiating first-line treatment and reassess again when initiating second-line treatment

Method of Participation

To receive credit, learners are required to complete a baseline assessment; design, develop, and implement an action plan using our automated platform; view the online interventions; and return after 60 days to report progress in making system-level changes. A thorough response to the reflection questionnaire on your involvement in the quality improvement activity is also required for meaningful participation. A certificate will be available upon completion of the reflection questionnaire. There is no fee to participate in the activity or for the generation of the certificate.

ABIM credit will be submitted to ABIM within 30 days of completion.

For questions, contact Nora Eldasher at NEldasher@achlcme.org.

Accreditation and Credit Designation Statement

The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

This activity is being presented without bias and with commercial support.

The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 2.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses may participate in this educational activity and earn a certificate of completion as AAPA, AANP, and ANCC accept AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ through their reciprocity agreements.

Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 2.5 MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine’s (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credits claimed for the activity. It is the CME activity provider’s responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC points.

By providing your ABIM Diplomate number and date of birth, you consent to have ACHL and/or our educational partners submit your participation in this activity to the ABIM through the ACCME PARS system. ABIM credit will be submitted to PARS each month.

Disclosures

As a provider accredited by the ACCME, The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine asks everyone in a position to control the content of an education activity to disclose all financial relationships with any ineligible companies. This includes any entity whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients. Financial relationships are relevant if a financial relationship, in any amount, exists between the person in control of content and an ineligible company during the past 24 months, and the content of the education is related to the products of an ineligible company with whom the person has a financial relationship. Mechanisms are in place to identify and mitigate any relevant financial relationships prior to the start of the activity.

Additionally, The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine requires Authors to identify investigational products or off-label uses of products regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration at first mention and where appropriate in the content.

The following financial relationships have been provided:

Christine Bestvina, MD
Advisory Boards/Consultant: AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Catalyst, Daiichi Sankyo, EMD Serono, Genentech, Gilead, Guardant, Jazz, Johnson & Johnson, Lilly, Mirati, Novartis, Pfizer, Summit Therapeutics, Tempus, Turning Point Therapeutics
Grants/Research Support: AstraZeneca, BMS

Melissa Tjota, MD
No financial relationships to disclose.

Staff and Reviewer Disclosures

The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, ACHL staff members and others involved with the planning, development, and review of the content for this activity have no relevant affiliations or financial relationships to disclose.

All of the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.

Disclaimer

The content for this activity was developed independently of any ineligible company. All materials are included with permission. The opinions expressed are those of the faculty and are not to be construed as those of the publisher or grantor(s).

This educational activity was planned and produced in accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Recommendations involving clinical medicine in a continuing medical education (CME/CE) activity must be 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/CE in support or justification of a patient care recommendation must conform to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis.

This CME/CE activity might describe the off-label, investigational, or experimental use of medications and/or devices that may exceed their FDA-approved labeling. Physicians should consult the current manufacturers’ prescribing information for these products. ACHL and The University of Chicago requires the speaker to disclose that a product is not labeled for the use under discussion.

Discussion of scientific information on unapproved uses (SIUU), off-label, investigational, or experimental drug/device use: trastuzumab emtansine is not approved for the treatment of ERBB2-altered NSCLC.

Acknowledgement

This educational activity is presented in collaboration with University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and Academy for Continued Healthcare Learning (ACHL).

Supported by an educational grant from Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.