- For each pharmacological therapy:
- assessment and adaptation of dose and scheduling
- pharmacology:
- pharmacogenomics
- pharmacokinetics
- radiotherapy:
- basic scientific principles and logistics
- benefits and risks
- indications
- the role of concurrent chemotherapy as a radiosensitiser, and common chemoradiation regimens
- specific dosing considerations
- supportive care, such as antiemetics and bone modifying agents
- surgery:
- indications in primary and palliative settings
- toxicity profile and monitoring (acute and long term)
Major therapies used in cancer
- Systemic anticancer therapies:
- antibody-drug conjugates
- chemotherapy
- hormonal agents
- immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy
- molecularly targeted therapy
- monoclonal antibodies
- theranostics
- tumour vaccines
- tyrosine kinase inhibitors
- Cancer stage and goals of care
- Identification and assessment of special conditions that influence the treatment of older people with malignant disorders
- Identification of the potential effect of patients’ comorbid medical conditions on the toxicity and efficacy of treatment
- Impact of cultural, geographical, psychological, socioeconomic, and spiritual factors in the accessibility and suitability of specific treatments
- Indications for specific anticancer therapies (pharmacological and non-pharmacological) in different settings, such as:
- adjuvant
- concomitant
- definitive
- neoadjuvant
- palliative
- Indications and role of repeat biopsies and predictive testing:
- repeating immunohistochemistry or molecular testing after progression to guide future therapy
- Management of complex presentations:
- conflicts in care decisions
- delayed diagnoses
- oncological emergencies
- pregnancy
- recognition of complex interplay between:
- care wishes
- medical and psychological comorbidities
- socioeconomic and cultural factors in patient presentations
- therapy choices
- Principles and indications for specific predictive testing, such as:
- dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase enzyme deficiency testing when considering fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy
- role of molecular oncology in guiding treatment decisions
- Administration management of chemotherapy:
- informed consent for treatment
- management of extravasation
- management of infusion reactions
- types of venous access devices, management, and complications
- Education of patients on identifying and managing toxicities related to anticancer therapies, including prompts for emergency escalation
- Identification, assessment, and management of the unique toxicities associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, including:
- cardiotoxicity
- cutaneous toxicity
- endocrinopathies, including such as thyroid toxicity
- gastrointestinal toxicity, including colitis
- haematological toxicity
- hepatotoxicity
- musculoskeletal toxicity
- neurological toxicity
- ocular toxicity
- pulmonary toxicity
- renal toxicity
- Identification, assessment, and management of toxicities of systemic anticancer therapies, such as:
- constipation
- cytokine release syndrome (CRS)
- cytopenia and use of granulocyte-colony stimulating factors
- diarrhoea
- fatigue
- febrile neutropenia and infections
- impact on sex and fertility
- mucositis
- nausea and vomiting:
- cardiac toxicities
- cutaneous toxicities
- neuropathy
- ocular toxicities
- organ-specific effects
- pneumonitis
- Knowledge of biochemical, clinical, and radiological markers of responsiveness to therapy
- Supportive treatments during anticancer therapy:
- complementary therapies
- including role for multidisciplinary care
- Post-treatment effects:
- fertility
- late complications of treatment:
- chemotherapy:
- cardiotoxicity
- endocrine toxicities
- secondary malignancy risk
- immune-related complications of immunotherapy
- neuropathy
- psychosocial impact
- Surveillance schedules and roles for shared care models
- Clinical trials in cancer:
- consider suitability of clinical trials for all patients presenting with cancer
- recognise the vital role of research in advancing cancer care
- Principles of:
- cancer drug development and the rapidly evolving landscape of clinical trials in cancer
- principles of survivorship, including assessment of chronic / late drug toxicities and management of the fear of cancer recurrence
