691 Educational effectiveness of an online continuing medical education activity in improving multidisciplinary recognition and evidence-based management of acral and mucosal melanoma
Year: 2026
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: Background Acral melanoma (AM) and mucosal melanoma (MM) are rare malignancies that differ significantly from cutaneous melanoma in mutational profile, immune microenvironment, prognosis, and therapeutic responsiveness. Immune checkpoint inhibitor outcomes are generally less favorable than in cutaneous melanoma, creating challenges in treatment selection and management. Given their aggressive course and evolving clinical trial data, targeted education is needed to support accurate differentiation and optimize care. This analysis evaluated the educational effectiveness of an online continuing medical education (CME) activity in improving multidisciplinary team (MDT) ability to differentiate rare melanoma subtypes and apply evidence-based therapeutic selection.Methods The CME-certified activity was a 21-minute moderated, expert-led video discussion. Educational impact was assessed using matched pre-/post-assessments with multiple-choice questions developed and reviewed by subject matter experts. Data from oncologists, dermatologists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants who completed both pre- and post-activity assessments were included and analyzed in aggregate. Relative changes in percentage of correct responses were used to measure improvement by clinical theme. A McNemar test assessed significant levels of changes reported, with P values < 0.05 considered statistically significant. The activity launched on November 18, 2025, and remained available online through May 2026, allowing learners to access the educational content throughout the data collection period.Results Patterns of baseline and post-education responses varied by professional role and clinical theme, with the largest absolute improvements observed in recognition of disease characteristics and summarizing emerging treatment evidence ( table 1). A separate self-reported item assessed confidence in applying clinical trial data to patient management. Confidence was low at baseline and showed minimal change post-education, with absolute improvements ranging from 1 to 9 percentage points, suggesting persistent challenges in translating clinical evidence into practice.Conclusions This study demonstrates the effectiveness of an online CME activity in improving multidisciplinary clinicians’ knowledge of rare melanoma subtypes, particularly in recognizing distinguishing disease characteristics and emerging therapeutic evidence for AM and MM. Findings align with previously published CME effectiveness studies showing that online education can improve clinician knowledge, while more complex application-based competencies often require repeated or higher-intensity educational exposure. Despite these gains, persistent challenges in applying clinical trial data to treatment decision-making highlight the need for more advanced, case-based education focused on translating evidence into practice. Ultimately, these results support strengthening clinicians’ ability to identify appropriate candidates for clinical trials and apply melanoma subtype–informed systemic therapy approaches to optimize outcomes for patients with these rare, aggressive malignancies.Acknowledgements The CME activity described within this analysis was supported by an independent educational grant from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.Abstract 691 Table 1Pre- and post-education assessment outcomes by clinical theme and professional role
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,490
OpenAlex ID: W7225301548