Finalist
More than skin deep: Improving health outcomes for patients with advanced basal cell carcinoma
Summary of work
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide (~2 million cases/year). Although most BCCs are curable by surgery, they can progress to advanced BCC (aBCC), where surgery and radiation therapy are inappropriate. Outcomes for these patients are poor, owing to lack of knowledge among healthcare professionals (HCPs) of the disease, diagnosis and management. There is now hope in the form of vismodegib, a once-daily oral, which inhibits the underlying cause of BCC ‒ abnormal Hedgehog pathway signalling.
We devised an educational programme to launch vismodegib, the first Hedgehog pathway inhibitor (HPI) to transform treatment and improve outcomes for patients with aBCC.
We harnessed experience from international thought leaders and engaged them to educate their peers though advisory boards and training workshops. We established HPIs as a breakthrough treatment for aBCC by building a strong scientific platform to drive our key messages, rolled out through an extensive tactical programme. This has transformed the treatment of aBCC patients by addressing key educational aspects of aBCC management, empowering HCPs to feel confident to diagnose and treat.
Our programme improved patient outcomes: 90% of HCPs are now recognising and diagnosing aBCC; 90% of key stakeholders perceive vismodegib as a therapeutic breakthrough.
Judges’ comments
This is such a well-executed programme. It successfully built on challenges to both patients and the healthcare professionals training them.
