Authors: Rushad Patell, Poorva Bindal, Laura E. Dodge, Gayathri Nagaraj, Ann S. LaCasce, Mary K. Buss, Mara A. Schonberg, Ilana Monica Braun, Jason Freed, Deepa Rangachari
Published: 2023-06-04
DOI: 10.1200/jco.2023.41.16_suppl.11013
Source: Full article
11013 Background: There is continued uptake in the use of medical cannabis (MC) among patients with cancer. Our group previously conducted a national study that showed that while a majority of oncology fellows discussed MC with patients, very few feel well informed in doing so. We hypothesized that an evidence-based curriculum on the use of MC for oncology trainees is feasible to develop and would be effective in improving confidence to discuss MC with patients. Methods: A multidisciplinary expert team designed an evidence-based educational curriculum in 5 modules specifically for MC in oncology populations that included pharmacology/history, symptom management, cancer-directed effects, toxicities and practical/logistic concerns. The curriculum was piloted as a one-hour webinar at three US hematology oncology fellowship training programs in 2022-2023. Anonymous incentivized survey instruments that were designed to assess self-perceived knowledge, attitudes and behaviors pertaining to MC (on a 5-point Likert scale; strongly agree to strongly disagree) were distributed anonymously via email at the pilot (t = 0) and immediately after (t + 7 days); additional delayed surveys (t+90 days) are in progress. Results: Of 35 eligible trainees, 31 completed the pre-training surveys (88.6%), and 26 (74.3%) completed the post-training surveys. Most trainees indicated that the curriculum is helpful (88.5%, 95% CI: 69.8-97.6) and that they would recommend it to their colleagues (80.8%, 95% CI: 60.6-93.4). Following the webinar, there was significant improvement in self-reported comfort with discussing MC for symptom management (3.2% vs. 92.3%, P < 0.001), risks of MC (9.7% vs. 76.9%, P < 0.001) and modes of MC use (16.1 vs. 80.8%, P < 0.001). The majority of participants (80.0%, 95% CI: 59.3-93.2) reported that they were more likely to initiate conversations about MC with their patients after attending the webinar. Conclusions: In this multi-center study, we demonstrate that it is feasible to develop and deliver a fellow-focused, evidence-based curriculum for MC use in patients with cancer. The webinar was well received and demonstrated significant improvement in fellow-reported attitudes surrounding MC efficacy, risks, and modes of use. Further work to assess durability of the curriculum on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors is ongoing.