2023 Psychopharmacology in Cancer Care: An Update for Clinicians of All Disciplines - On Demand

Monday, May 1, 2023, 8:15 AM - Wednesday, January 31, 2024, 4:35 PM

Clinicians have numerous tools at their disposal to help adult cancer patients dealing with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other cancer sequelae. Psychiatric medications are most frequently prescribed to cancer patients by oncologists and general practitioners, however, psychiatric syndromes are often underdiagnosed and undertreated. Few oncology practices have dedicated psychiatric consultants familiar with the nuances of Psycho-Oncology. Even when patients receive psychotropic medications appropriately, they may have problems that arise before their next oncology visit or before they see the person who prescribed their psychiatric medications. Psychologists, nurses, and social workers play an essential role in identifying psychological and physical symptoms as well as both beneficial and problematic medication effects as they provide frontline psychosocial interventions and support for cancer patients.

Co-sponsored by the MSK Psycho-Oncology Education and Training Institute (POETI), this course is designed for the non-prescribing psycho-oncology clinician as well as the psychiatrist who is new to the world of Psycho-pharmaco-oncology. Oncologists, palliative care clinicians, advanced practice nurses, and oncology nurses will find this course useful as well. The course focuses on key target disorders and symptoms amenable to psychopharmacological intervention, including anxiety, depression, delirium, sleep disturbance, pain, fatigue, and weight and appetite loss. The course will also include updates on COVID-19-related delirium and the use of novel interventions including ketamine, medical marijuana, and psilocybin for depression, anxiety, and pain. Participants will learn to identify psychological reactions to medical conditions or treatments; psychiatric presentations of medical conditions or treatments; medical presentations of psychiatric conditions and common medical complications of psychiatric conditions or treatments.

Basic information will be presented about medications used to alleviate Quality of Life symptoms that arise in cancer setting from diagnosis to survivorship or end-of-life care, and the interface of psychotherapy and medication management. We will review why certain medications are used and why some are avoided, looking at potential benefits, unwanted side effects, and drug-drug interactions, since you may be the first person to identify a serious adverse event. The course will also enhance your ability to provide psychoeducation to patients regarding psychiatric medications.

On Demand Content

This on demand course contains recorded lectures along with PDF versions of the speakers' slides as well as select handouts on the following topics:

• Depressive Disorders (Andrew Roth, MD)
• Delirium (William Breitbart, MD)
• Anxiety Disorders (Andrew Roth, MD)
• Sleep Disorders (Yesne Alici, MD)
• Cancer-Related Fatigue (William Breitbart, MD)
• Pain (Natalie Moryl, MD)
• Weight and Appetite Loss (Yesne Alici, MD)
• Cancer and Cancer-Treatment Related Cognitive Changes (Yesne Alici, MD)
• Novel Psychopharmacologic Interventions in Oncology (Christian Bjerre Real, MD, MMCI, FAPA)

On Demand Access

Select the 'Register' tab at the top of this page to purchase this program. Once you have successfully registered, access to the course materials will be available under the 'Course Content' tab.

1. Describe basic psycho-pharmaco-oncology principles for understanding and treating anxiety, depression and delirium in people with cancer.
2. Discuss basic psycho-pharmaco-oncology principles for understanding and improving quality of life and psychiatric palliative care in people with cancer, including managing cognitive changes, insomnia, fatigue, poor appetite and weight loss, and pain.
3. Identify the nuances of psycho-pharmaco-oncology related to COVID-19 related delirium and the use of novel interventions including ketamine, medical marijuana, and psilocybin for depression, anxiety, and pain in people with cancer.

On Demand Access Fees*

• Physicians (MD, DO, MBBS, or equivalent): $150
• Residents, Fellows, Advanced Practice Providers, Nurses, Psychologists, Social Workers, Counselors, and Other Healthcare Providers: $100
• Industry Professionals: $262.50

*MSK Employees: Fees apply (as shown above) for MSK employees to access this on demand course. We invite you to register for the live course in spring 2024 on a complimentary basis. If you would like to be notified when registration opens for the live program, click here to sign up for announcements. 

A registration discount is available for MSK Alumni and MSK Cancer Alliance members to attend this course. If you are a member of one of these groups, contact [email protected] for details. Please note that after your payment has been processed, no further promotional discounts or adjustments will be made to your registration.

This MSK CME On Demand program is non-refundable

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

AMA Credit Designation Statement

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center designates this enduring material for a maximum of 6.75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Continuing Education for Licensed Psychologists in New York State*

This self study event offers 6.75 NYS Psychology Contact Hours.

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is recognized by the New York State Education Department State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0166

*Not all states accept NYS Psychology Contact Hours. Please check with the licensing board in your state for guidance on their acceptance of the credit types offered for this course

Recorded/Review Date: April 22, 2023; Original Release Date: May 1, 2023; Termination Date: November 1, 2023

MSK Course Directors 

Yesne Alici, MD
Vice Chair for Clinical Operations; Clinical Director; Associate Attending Psychiatrist
Psychiatry Service, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

William Breitbart, MD
Attending Psychiatrist; Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Attending Psychiatrist, Supportive Care Service, Department of Medicine

 

Course Faculty 

Natalie Moryl, MD
Attending Physician, Addiction Medicine, Supportive Care Service
Department of Medicine
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Andrew Roth, MD
Emeritus Attending Psychiatrist, Psychiatry Service
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Christian Bjerre Real, MD, MMCI, FAPA
Founder and Psychiatrist 
Alta Psychiatry PLLC

 

Relevant Financial Relationships

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity, including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others are required to disclose all financial relationships with ineligible companies (commercial interests). All relevant financial relationships have been mitigated prior to the commencement of the activity.