Abstract IA13: A practical approach to reducing the burden of ovarian cancers

Ovarian cancer has seen a modest improvement in five-year survival over the past three decades. It is well known that the lack of further success is solely due to the advanced stage at diagnosis for most women with ovarian cancers. To reduce the burden of ovarian cancer, we must decrease the incidence (primary prevention), improve early detection (secondary prevention), or develop more effective treatments for newly diagnosed disease (tertiary prevention). Large scale screening trials using traditional methods of imaging and tumor markers have not led to meaningfully stage migration, reduction in mortality, or widespread clinical adoption. In fact, the FDA recently issued a safety alert about the risks associated with the use of tests being marketed as ovarian cancer screening tests. The FDA was specifically concerned about ovarian cancer screening tests being used in lieu of established risk-reduction approaches.This presentation will review practical approaches to reducing the burden of ovarian cancer through primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention. Genetic testing of probands for BRCA1 and BRCA2 germline mutations alone and cascade testing of relatives are currently available approaches to reduce the incidence of ovarian cancer by more than 10%. This tactic is consistent with professional guidelines and has the added advantage of identifying therapeutic options for ovarian cancer patients that could contribute to tertiary prevention efforts today and in the future. Low...
Source: Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Improving Cancer Risk Prediction for Prevention and Early Detection: Oral Presentations - Invited Abstracts Source Type: research