The Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) has recently collaborated with the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) to create a Resource-Stratified Guideline on Assessment of Adult Women with Ovarian Masses and Treatment of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer.
The purpose of this resource is to provide expert guidance to clinicians and policymakers in three resource-constrained settings on diagnosis and staging of adult women with ovarian masses and treatment of patients with epithelial ovarian (including fallopian tube and primary peritoneal) cancer.
A multidisciplinary, multinational ASCO Expert Panel reviewed existing guidelines, conducted a modified ADAPTE process, and conducted a formal consensus process with additional experts. SGO members Marcela G. Del Carmen, MD, and William M. Burke, MD, were both part of the writing group for this project.
The importance of the Resource-Stratified Guideline emphasizes the need to address disparities in ovarian cancer on a global scale that has not been address before.
“Recent data has shown that twenty-seven percent of deaths from ovarian cancer occur in low- and medium-Human Development Index regions. Twenty-five percent of estimated new cases occur in these regions as well. Different regions of the world, both among and within countries, have variable access to diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer,” Dr. Burke explains.
The resource guidance provides several “take-aways”:
- Trained clinicians with logistical support should perform surgical staging and treatment of patients with ovarian cancer
- In first-line therapy, platinum-based chemotherapy is recommended
- In advanced stages, patients may receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy. After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, all patients should be evaluated for interval debulking surgery.
- Targeted therapy is not recommended in basic or limited settings
- Multidisciplinary cancer care and palliative care should be offered
“The guideline will hopefully raise awareness among our members of the challenges many health care providers face while caring for patients with ovarian cancer in resource limited regions. This awareness will hopefully enhance global care and improve outcomes as well as be a driving force for policy change and resource allocation,” says Dr. Burke.