OVARIAN Institute of Medicine - Ovarian Cancer - Recommendations - EVOLVING PARADIGMS IN RESEARCH AND CARE

pdf (brief report)
 

To download the full report and to find additional resources, visit

nas.edu/OvarianCancers

 

Ovarian Cancers: Evolving Paradigms in Research and Care gives a broad overview of the state of the science in ovarian cancer research, highlights major knowledge gaps, and provides recommendations to help reduce the incidence of and morbidity and mortality from ovarian cancers by focusing on promising research themes that could advance risk prediction, prevention, early detection, comprehensive care, and cure. The committee focused on identifying the research gaps that, if addressed, could have the greatest impact on reducing morbidity or mortality.

The committee identified four overarching concepts that should be applied to each recommendation in this report:

• As the most common and lethal subtype, the study of high-grade serous carcinomas needs to be given priority.

• Even so, more subtype-specific research is also needed to further define the differences among the various subtypes;

• Given the relative rarity and heterogeneity of ovarian cancers, collaborative research (including the pooling and sharing of data and biospecimen resources, such as through consortia) is essential; and

• The dissemination of new knowledge and the implementation of evidence-based interventions and practices are the final steps in the knowledge translation process.

A wide variety of stakeholders are integral to ovarian cancer research, including the U.S. Congress, federal agencies (e.g., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Defense, Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health), private foundations, industry, academic institutions, professional societies, and advocacy groups. Most of these stakeholders are engaged in research across the care continuum, and many are both funders and performers of research. The committee therefore concluded that directing research toward the gaps identified in the recommendations is the responsibility of all stakeholders in their individual and collaborative efforts to fund, perform, or advocate for ovarian cancer research.

The following recommendations are intertwined and so need to be considered simultaneously, not sequentially. Their sequence should not be considered as priority of importance or order of implementation. (11).....