SGO Issues April 18, 2013
On Your Side: The Gynecologic Cancer Care Team
New journal publication on ovarian cancer disparities
2013 OCRF Research Grant deadline: May 29
AMA webinar helps doctors prepare for Sunshine Act
Claim your CME/CNE from the 2013 Annual Meeting
Save the Dates
In the News
On Your Side: The Gynecologic Cancer Care Team
To emphasize the importance of having women with gynecologic malignancies treated by a cancer care team headed by a gynecologic oncologist, SGO has developed a video for patients and their loved ones. This video, “On Your Side: The Gynecologic Cancer Care Team,” describes the roles of the various team members in the diagnosis, treatment and possible prevention of gynecologic cancers.
Clinicians who treat women with gynecologic cancers are encouraged to direct their patients to this video as a way to inform them about the multidisciplinary gynecologic oncology professionals they may encounter during the diagnosis and treatment of their disease. There are several ways to access the video:
“On Your Side: The Gynecologic Cancer Care Team” is also meant to be an accessible resource for affiliated organizations that are committed to the prevention, treatment and care of women with gynecologic cancers.
New journal publication on ovarian cancer disparities
On March 28 The Journal of the National Cancer Institute published online “Disparities in Ovarian Cancer Care Quality and Survival According to Race and Socioeconomic Status,” by lead author Robert E. Bristow, MD, MBA, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Orange, CA.
This study looks at the relationship between racial and socioeconomic status (SES) disparities and the quality of epithelial ovarian cancer care and survival outcome. The researchers used a population-based analysis of National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) records for invasive primary epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosed in the period from 1998 to 2002 using data from patients classified as white or black.
The data highlighted statistically and clinically significant disparities in the quality of ovarian cancer care and overall survival, independent of NCCN guidelines, along racial and SES parameters. The researchers determined that increased efforts are needed to more precisely define the patient, provider, health-care system, and societal factors leading to these observed disparities and guide targeted interventions.
This study was selected as the 2012 Presidential Outstanding Abstract Award and was discussed during the SGO’s 43rd Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer.
2013 OCRF Research Grant deadline: May 29
Ovarian Cancer Research Fund has released application guidelines for its three research grant programs. Letters of Intent (LOI) for all three programs are due May 29, 2013.
- Program Project Development Grants ($900,000) provide funds for ovarian cancer research projects that involves several investigators within one institution or collaborations between groups in multiple institutions.
- Liz Tilberis Scholar Award ($450,000) is for junior investigators in their first academic faculty appointment.
- Ann Schreiber Ovarian Cancer Research Training Program of Excellence grant ($75,000) funds post-doctoral trainees who are working in established ovarian cancer research groups.
For complete application instructions, visit www.ocrf.org/researchgrants.
AMA webinar helps doctors prepare for Sunshine Act
An American Medical Association (AMA) webinar, offered April 24 at 7 p.m. EDT, will help physicians get ready for a forthcoming database that will report payments and other “transfers of value” that physicians receive from drug and medical device manufacturers to the public.
Under the Physician Payment Sunshine Act, manufacturers of drugs, devices and biologicals covered by federal health care programs are required to report any payments and transfers of value they make to physicians and teaching hospitals beginning Aug. 1.
In addition, any ownership or investment interests that physicians or their family members have in the manufacturers or group purchasing organizations must be disclosed to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Most of the information will be posted in a public online database to be launched by Sept. 30, 2014.
Given the importance of this topic to all physicians, the AMA is offering this webinar free of charge to both AMA members and non-members. Visit the AMA’s Sunshine Act Web page for more information.
Claim your CME/CNE from the 2013 Annual Meeting
Login and complete the evaluation for CME/CNE credit. Responses must be submitted by Monday, April 22. Certificates will be sent via email after this date.
Save the Dates
State of the Art Conference
Sept. 20, 2013
Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
2013 Allied Health Professionals Workshop
Oct. 12, 2013
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
In the News
Hospitals teach being ‘conversation-ready’ for end-of-life care (April 15, 2013)
Two Hot Treatment Approaches Show Promise in Ovarian Cancer (April 12, 2013)
CA-125 level predicts microscopic residual disease in ovarian cancer (April 10, 2013)
Cyberknife therapy offers benefits for recurring gyn cancers (April 10, 2013)
Racial genetic admixture linked to endometrial cancer outcomes (April 10, 2013)