Multidisciplinary Approaches to Addressing the Needs of Patients with Gynecologic Cancers

Gynecologic cancer refers to any cancer that begins in the reproductive organs. There are 5 main types of gynecologic cancers in this category including cervical, ovarian, uterine (including endometrial), vaginal, and vulvar. Uterine cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer with 26.82 cases per 100,000 population. Other common cancers such as ovarian and cervical represents 1% and 0.7% of all new cancer cases in the US, respectively.

The five-year survival rate for uterine cancer is 81%, cervical cancer is 67.2%, for ovarian it is 50.8%. However, these statistics vary based on treatment outcomes. Gynecologic cancers are treated based on the cancer type and how far it has spread beyond the initial tumor. Treatment types may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and clinical trials. Recent studies identified biological considerations as well as social factors as playing a vital role in health outcomes. Social factors included delays in diagnosis, barriers to treatment, as well as a lack of social and health resources.

Gynecologic Oncology Summit

In September 2023, the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) held a Gynecologic Oncology Summit in Chicago, Illinois, bringing together multidisciplinary experts from across the United States along with patient advocacy organizations. Issues addressed included care equity, gynecologic cancer awareness, social drivers of health, workforce, and patient advocacy. The Executive Summary provides an overview of discussions held during the Summit regarding barriers in the management of gynecologic cancers and potential next steps to further improve the treatment and care of patients with gynecologic cancers.
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