Christopher Baugh, MD, MBA & Mark M. Awad, MD, PhD - Maintaining Vigilance to Mitigate Cancer Immunotherapy-Related Toxicities in the Emergency Department: Be Aware, Stay Alert, and Change Your Practice

Go online to PeerView.com/KKF860 to view the activity, download slides and practice aids, and complete the post-test to earn credit. Patients with cancer often present to the ED in an acutely ill state with complications from their cancer or treatments used, but a broadening use of a new class of cancer immunotherapies has changed the types of complications experienced by these patients. This spectrum of unique toxicities, termed immune-related adverse events (irAEs), is less well known, and commonly, they are overlooked, misdiagnosed, and not appropriately managed in ED settings. Standard algorithms for diagnosis and treatment no longer apply, as irAEs require a distinct approach. Are you prepared to handle the new category of oncologic emergencies you are likely to increasingly encounter in your ED? This activity will help you get up to date and change your practice. Emergency medicine and oncology experts will join forces to provide practical, case-based guidance for timely and accurate recognition, triage, diagnosis, and management of irAEs associated with novel immunotherapies in patients with cancer who present to the ED. Upon completion of this CE activity, participants will be able to: Review the biologic reasons and mechanisms that drive the development of immune-related adverse effects (irAEs) during or after treatment with cancer immunotherapies, Describe the spectrum of irAEs associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors and combinations, including those most likely to be encountered by emergency medicine (EM) professionals in the emergency department (ED), Implement latest recommendations for identification, assessment, diagnosis/differential diagnosis, and management of irAEs in ED settings, Integrate team-based approaches to triage, evaluate, diagnose, and manage pertinent irAEs in the ED in collaboration with oncology professionals.