What should a healthcare provider (HCP) do to improve their knowledge and skills in immune therapy to provide optimal care for patients receiving it?

Continuing Medical Education Through Structured Oncology Conferences and Workshops

The healthcare provider should attend oncology conferences and workshops focused on immunotherapy to acquire the comprehensive, up-to-date knowledge necessary to provide optimal care for patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors and other immunotherapies.

Rationale for Structured Educational Programs

The complexity of immunotherapy requires specialized, systematic education that goes beyond casual reading or informal consultations. Multiple high-quality guidelines emphasize that all health care providers who administer or manage immunotherapy should be properly educated and receive ongoing education 1. This is particularly critical because:

• Immunotherapy works fundamentally differently than traditional chemotherapy, with unique therapeutic responses and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) that can occur at any time during treatment and even after discontinuation 1
• The clinical presentation of irAEs is often perceived as identical to chemotherapy side effects, while the management is completely different 1
• Early identification and treatment of irAEs are essential to limit their duration and severity, requiring providers to maintain a high level of suspicion that any new symptoms are treatment-related 1

Why Conferences and Workshops Are Superior

Structured educational programs provide several advantages over self-directed reading or informal consultations:

Comprehensive, Systematic Knowledge Acquisition

• Conferences offer organized, evidence-based curricula covering mechanism of action, toxicity profiles, and management algorithms that are difficult to piece together from isolated articles 1
• Workshops provide hands-on training in recognizing and managing life-threatening complications such as myocarditis, pneumonitis, adrenal insufficiency, and severe colitis 1

Expert-Led Education and Case-Based Learning

• Direct access to immunotherapy experts and organ specialists who can clarify complex management decisions and share real-world clinical experience 1
• Case presentations and multidisciplinary discussions help providers understand nuanced decision-making for challenging scenarios 1

Networking and Collaborative Care

• Conferences facilitate connections with specialists who can serve as consultants for complex cases, as management of irAEs often requires collaboration with organ specialists 1
• Building relationships with toxicity experts enables better patient care through rapid consultation when needed 1

Essential Educational Content Areas

The provider should ensure their educational activities cover:

Patient Education and Communication

• How to educate patients and caregivers about immunotherapy mechanisms, expected side effects, and when to seek urgent care before initiating therapy and throughout treatment 1
• Providing patient cards and written materials that alert all healthcare providers (including emergency departments) that the patient is receiving immunotherapy 1

Recognition and Grading of irAEs

• Understanding that irAEs can affect any organ system, with gastrointestinal, dermatologic, hepatic, endocrine, and pulmonary toxicities predominating 1
• Learning to differentiate between chemotherapy toxicities and irAEs when patients receive combination treatments 1
• Recognizing warning signs of life-threatening complications that require immediate intervention 1

Management Algorithms

• Grade-specific treatment protocols: continuing therapy with monitoring for grade 1, holding for grade 2, using high-dose corticosteroids for grade 3, and permanent discontinuation for most grade 4 toxicities 1
• Corticosteroid tapering schedules over at least 4-6 weeks to prevent relapse 1
• When to use additional immunosuppressive agents like infliximab if steroids fail within 48-72 hours 1

Special Populations and Complex Scenarios

• Managing immunotherapy in patients with autoimmune disorders, organ transplants, or other challenging clinical situations 1
• Understanding contraindications and when benefits may outweigh risks in special populations 1

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Do not rely solely on reading articles in free time: While supplementary reading is valuable, it lacks the systematic structure, expert guidance, and practical case-based learning that conferences provide 1
• Do not depend on informal consultations alone: While asking colleagues can help with specific questions, it does not provide the comprehensive foundational knowledge needed for independent practice 1
• Do not underestimate the learning curve: Studies show that even patients receiving immunotherapy have significant knowledge deficits about mechanism of action, timing, and severity of side effects 2, 3, highlighting how complex this field is even for motivated learners

Implementation Strategy

The provider should:

• Prioritize accredited oncology conferences from major societies (ASCO, SITC, ESMO) that offer dedicated immunotherapy tracks 1
• Attend workshops with hands-on components for managing irAEs and interpreting response criteria 1
• Participate in multidisciplinary tumor boards focused on immunotoxicity to learn collaborative management approaches 1
• Supplement conference attendance with guideline review from ASCO, SITC, and other major organizations to reinforce learning 1

This structured approach ensures the provider develops the comprehensive expertise needed to recognize early signs of toxicity, implement appropriate management strategies, and ultimately improve patient outcomes through optimal immunotherapy care 1.