Identification of educational gaps among oncologists who treat patients with pancreatic cancer.

431Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is the fourth-most common cause of cancer-related death in the United States, with only 7.7% of patients surviving beyond 5 years. Given the poor outcomes associated with PDA, it is imperative that patients with PDA receive optimal care. Continuing medical education (CME) offers an effective means to improve physician performance, and CME programs are most effective when they address areas of greatest need. This study was conducted to identify and quantify the educational gaps in PDA management that can potentially be addressed with CME. Methods: A case-vignette survey instrument was developed to assess physicians’ practices related to PDA. Case vignettes are a validated means of assessing healthcare provider practice patterns. The survey instrument included three patient cases: 1) A 50 year-old man with resectable PDA; 2) a 75 year-old man with locally advanced, unresectable PDA; and 3) a 55 year-old woman with metastatic PDA. Each case was followed b...