Comprender su Papel en su Cuidado del Cáncer de Ovario
¿Qué medidas pueden tomar los pacientes de cáncer de ovario para ser proactivos en su cuidado? Este vídeo animado comparte consejos para hablar, participar en decisiones y consejos para aprender más sobre el cáncer de ovario.
See More from COLLABORATE Ovarian Cancer
Related Resources:
Becoming Empowered and [ACT]IVATED After An Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis |
|
Optimizing Ovarian Cancer Care: Genetic Testing and Treatment Approaches |
Transcript:
Dra. Thompson:
¡Hola! Soy la Dra. Thompson, y me especializo en el tratamiento de los cánceres ginecológicos, que son un grupo de cánceres que afectan los órganos reproductivos de las mujeres.
Hoy, estoy aquí con Sarah, quien vive con cáncer de ovario.
Sarah:
¡Hola a todos! En este video, la Dra. Thompson y yo hablaremos sobre el importante papel que los pacientes desempeñan en su cuidado y compartiremos los pasos que pueden tomar para sentirse seguros al tomar decisiones CON su equipo médico.
Dra. Thompson:
Sarah y yo sabemos de primera mano que esto comienza con encontrar un equipo médico que los apoye. Sentirse a gusto al hablar sobre sus pensamientos y preocupaciones es crucial, porque compartir su opinión puede influir en su atención general.
Sarah:
Totalmente. Cuando me diagnosticaron por primera vez, me sentía ansiosa y abrumada, pero la Dra. Thompson me animó a hacer preguntas, lo que me ayudó a sentirme más en control.
También descubrí que buscar atención con un especialista marcó una gran diferencia. Dra. Thompson, ¿puede hablar sobre por qué eso es tan importante?
Dra. Thompson:
Claro, Sarah. Los especialistas, como los oncólogos ginecológicos, tienen la experiencia para ofrecer los tratamientos y recomendaciones más actualizadas para el cáncer de ovario. Pueden brindar un enfoque más personalizado a su cuidado, lo que puede ayudar a manejar la enfermedad de manera más efectiva.
Sarah:
Exactamente—colaborar con un especialista aumentó mi confianza en las decisiones sobre mi tratamiento. También me hizo darme cuenta de la importancia de aprender sobre mi cáncer, para poder participar en las conversaciones sobre mi cuidado.
Dra. Thompson:
Así es, Sarah. Educarse a uno mismo es otro paso clave para sentirse empoderado. Cuando comprende más sobre su enfermedad, su diagnóstico y las terapias disponibles, le ayuda a tomar las decisiones que son mejores para usted.
Y para ayudarle a aprender más sobre su cáncer de ovario, aquí está mi consejo sobre por dónde empezar:
- Conozca su diagnóstico específico: Pregúntele a su médico sobre el tipo y la etapa de su cáncer de ovario. Esta información guiará sus opciones de tratamiento.
- Además, asegúrese de haber realizado pruebas de biomarcadores, incluidas pruebas genéticas: Los resultados de las pruebas ayudarán a usted y a su equipo médico a comprender mejor su diagnóstico y pueden afectar la terapia.
- Priorice su salud mental: Manejar un diagnóstico de cáncer puede ser emocionalmente desafiante. Busque apoyo de profesionales de la salud mental o grupos de apoyo para ayudar a sobrellevar la ansiedad y el estrés.
Sarah:
Estoy completamente de acuerdo, Dra. Thompson. También hay muchos recursos disponibles que proporcionan información valiosa. Aquí hay algunos recursos confiables en los que puede confiar:
- La Red de Empoderamiento del Paciente
- La Sociedad Americana de Cáncer
- La Fundación para el Cáncer de la Mujer
- FORCE – Enfrentando Nuestro Riesgo de Cáncer Empoderados
- SHARE Apoyo al Cáncer
- La Sociedad de Oncología Ginecológica
Dra. Thompson, ¿qué consejo tiene para aprovechar al máximo el tiempo con su médico?
Dra. Thompson: Buena pregunta, Sarah. Aquí algunos consejos:
- Primero, esté preparada: Anote cualquier pregunta o inquietud que tenga antes de su visita.
- Luego, tome notas: Lleve un cuaderno o algo para registrar los detalles durante su cita.
- También, lleve a un amigo o familiar: Tener a alguien con usted puede brindarle apoyo emocional y ayudarle a recordar la información compartida.
- Finalmente, discuta sus objetivos: Sea clara acerca de sus necesidades de tratamiento y cualquier inquietud relacionada con su estilo de vida. No dude en hablar durante la visita y asegúrese de que todas sus preguntas hayan sido respondidas.
Sarah:
Esos son consejos muy útiles. Tener a mi hermana conmigo durante las citas fue reconfortante, y a menudo pensaba en preguntas que yo no había considerado.
Dra. Thompson:
Eso es un excelente punto, Sarah. Recuerde, usted es el centro de su equipo de atención. Manténgase involucrada y nunca dude en comunicarse si tiene preguntas o no entiende algo.
No olvide descargar la guía que acompaña a este video. Y para obtener más información sobre el cáncer de ovario, visite powerfulpatients.org.
Understanding Your Role in Your Ovarian Cancer Care
What steps can ovarian cancer patients take to be proactive in their care? This animated video shares tips and advice for speaking up, engaging in decisions and tips for learning more about ovarian cancer.
See More from COLLABORATE Ovarian Cancer
Related Resources:
|
Becoming Empowered and [ACT]IVATED After An Ovarian Cancer Diagnosis |
|
Optimizing Ovarian Cancer Care: Genetic Testing and Treatment Approaches |
Transcript:
Dr. Thompson:
Hi! I’m Dr. Thompson, and I specialize in treating gynecologic cancers, which are a group of cancers that impact a woman’s reproductive organs.
Today, I’m here with Sarah, who’s living with ovarian cancer.
Sarah:
Hi everyone! In this video, Dr. Thompson and I will discuss the important role that patients play in their care and will share steps you can take to feel confident when making decisions WITH your healthcare team.
Dr. Thompson:
And Sarah and I know firsthand that this starts with finding a healthcare team that supports you. Feeling at ease when discussing your thoughts and concerns is crucial, because sharing your input can impact your overall care.
Sarah:
Absolutely. When I was first diagnosed, I felt anxious and overwhelmed, but Dr. Thompson encouraged me to ask questions, which helped me feel more in control.
I also found that seeking care from a specialist made a big difference. Dr. Thompson, can you talk about why that’s so important?
Dr. Thompson:
Of course, Sarah. Specialists, like gynecologic oncologists, have the expertise to provide the most up-to-date treatments and recommendations for ovarian cancer. They can offer a more personalized approach to your care, which can help manage the disease more effectively.
Sarah:
Exactly—collaborating with a specialist boosted my confidence in my treatment choices. It also made me realize the importance of learning about my cancer, so I could participate in conversations about my care.
Dr. Thompson:
Absolutely, Sarah. Educating yourself is another key step in feeling empowered. When you understand more about your disease, your diagnosis, and available therapies, it helps you make decisions that are best for you.
And to help you learn more about your ovarian cancer, here’s my advice for where to start:
- Learn about your specific diagnosis: Ask your doctor about the type and stage of your ovarian cancer. This information will guide your treatment options.
- Additionally, ensure you have had biomarker testing, including genetic testing: The test results will help you and your care team better understand your diagnosis and may affect therapy.
- Prioritize your mental health: Managing a cancer diagnosis can be emotionally challenging. Seek support from mental health professionals or support groups to help cope with anxiety and stress.
Sarah: I completely agree, Dr. Thompson. And, there are also plenty of resources available which provide valuable information. Here are few reputable resources you can rely on:
- The Patient Empowerment Network
- The American Cancer Society
- The Foundation for Women’s Cancer
- FORCE — Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered
- SHARE Cancer Support
- The Society of Gynecologic Oncology
Dr. Thompson, what advice do you have for getting the most out of your time with your provider?
Dr. Thompson: Great question, Sarah. Here are a few tips:
- First, be prepared: Write down any questions or concerns you have before your visit.
- Then, take notes: Bring a notebook or something to record details during your appointment.
- Also, bring a friend or family member: Having someone with you can provide emotional support and help you to remember the information shared.
- Finally, discuss your goals: Be clear about your treatment needs and any lifestyle concerns you may have. Don’t hesitate to speak up during the visit and to ensure all of your questions have been answered.
Sarah:
Those are really helpful tips. Having my sister with me during appointments was comforting, and she often thought of questions I hadn’t considered.
Dr. Thompson:
That’s a great point, Sarah. Remember, you are the center of your care team. Stay engaged and never hesitate to reach out if you have questions or don’t understand something.
Don’t forget to download the guide that accompanies this video. And for more information about ovarian cancer, visit powerfulpatients.org.
Essential Genetic Testing for Personalized Gynecologic Cancer Treatment
How important is genetic testing for gynecologic cancer? Expert Dr. Ramez Eskander from UC San Diego Health discusses the role of genetic testing in gynecologic cancer care – including molecular tumor testing, germline testing, HRD tests, and BRCA mutations – along with proactive patient advice.
[ACT]IVATION TIP
“…every patient with ovarian cancer needs to know their BRCA status and needs to know their molecular tumor testing status. Feel empowered to ask these questions. It is data that you should have at hand as you make informed decisions.”
See More from [ACT]IVATED Ovarian Cancer
Related Resources:
|
Optimizing Ovarian Cancer Care: Genetic Testing and Treatment Approaches |
PARP Inhibitors in Ovarian Cancer Treatment: Understanding Side Effects |
|
Transcript:
Lisa Hatfield:
Dr. Eskander, for patients newly diagnosed with a gynecologic cancer, how important is it to get genetic testing like HRD or homologous recombination deficiency, and how can understanding one’s genetic profile help them and their care team choose the best treatment?
Dr. Ramez Eskander:
This is an incredibly important question. It is pivotal that every newly diagnosed ovarian cancer patient have germline genetic testing and molecular tumor testing because of the impact it can have on their treatment strategy, independent of course, the importance of them being diagnosed. So that if they had a genetically inherited mutation, we call it germline mutation, their relatives can be informed and tested, so they can have risk reducing surgical interventions.
In the ovarian cancer setting, homologous recombination deficiency testing is crucial, because it helps inform the magnitude of benefit that we might see with treatment strategy, in this case, combination of PARP inhibitor plus bevacizumab (Avastin) or PARP inhibitor alone. So these treatment strategies have been proven to improve clinical outcomes. And knowing HRD test status and knowing whether you have a germline mutation is pivotal to putting context around a conversation surrounding maintenance treatment approaches. And understanding the profile is what drives your ability to make an informed decision about your maintenance treatment strategies.
And it can be quite nuanced. For example, if a patient is HRD test-negative, they would have to make a decision about what kind of maintenance therapy with their provider. Do I do maintenance treatment? Should I do bevacizumab alone? Should I do a PARP inhibitor alone? And what might I anticipate with either of these approaches, and what are the pros and the cons? And an HRD test-positive patient, there is clear data supporting the use of PARP inhibitors or PARP inhibitors plus bevacizumab in combination.
So you want to be informed of those data as you look to make a decision. And this to me is germane to the care of patients with ovarian cancer. Every patient should know their status and in a similar manner when we talk about endometrial cancer, I would just like to elaborate that it’s critical to know what is the finding of the testing on the tumor for the endometrial cancer? Is this a mismatch repair-deficient or mismatch repair-proficient endometrial cancer and testing that was done?
Lisa Hatfield:
That’s a lot of information. So I just want to clarify a couple of comments that you made. So when you talk about the germline testing of germline mutations, that has to do with mutations that are present in a patient’s, all the cells in a patient’s body. Is that correct? So like the BRCA1 and 2 genes?
Dr. Ramez Eskander:
That’s correct.
Lisa Hatfield:
And then there are the other types of mutations, some people call them somatic mutations that are just have to do with the DNA sequencing of the actual tumor or cancer cells. So is HRD then, is that a germline mutation, or is that more of a somatic?
Dr. Ramez Eskander:
Perfect question. So HRD itself isn’t a mutation. HRD is looking at changes in the tumor DNA, but you bring up a perfect point. A germline mutation is inherited, meaning that it is in every cell, and it’s a predisposition and increase in cancer risk. Somatic mutations are not inherited. Somatic mutations are mutations in the tumor unique to that cancer. That’s why we talk about informing your family or relatives with a germline mutation, because that was inherited. And other people in the family may have the same inherited mutation. Somatic mutations are not inherited. They arise in the cancer, and they require tumor testing to inform.
Homologous recombination deficiency isn’t looking for a specific mutation, but it’s rather examining the tumor DNA to look for something we call genomic scarring. The analogy I gave is if I’m driving on the freeway and I’m stuck in traffic, I know that I’m stuck in traffic, but I don’t know exactly why. Is there construction on the freeway? Is there an accident? It’s unclear. So the HRD is looking at the genomic signature, and it needs tumor samples to do that, but it’s not honing in on a specific mutation.
I know it can get a little bit complicated. I’ll just add this, A patient who has a germline BRCA mutation, if you test their tumor, the near vast majority are going to have an HRD test-positive signature, because it drives that. So that’s like saying, I know the reason that there’s that genomic instability, it’s a BRCA mutation, but there are patients we call beyond BRCA. There are many things that may cause this independent of BRCA that we may not know of right now, but we can identify the genomic scar, and that qualifies patients as having a homologous recombination deficiency test-positive tumor.
So my tip is every patient with ovarian cancer needs to know their BRCA status and needs to know their molecular tumor testing status. Feel empowered to ask these questions. It is data that you should have at hand as you make informed decisions.
Share Your Feedback
PARP Inhibitors in Ovarian Cancer Treatment: Understanding Side Effects
Ovarian cancer treatment may cause side effects, so what should patients be aware of? Expert Dr. Ramez Eskander from UC San Diego Health discusses common ovarian cancer treatment side effects, management of side effects, and proactive patient advice for optimal care.
[ACT]IVATION TIP
“…make sure you’re asking appropriate questions, that you’re educated about treatment-related side effects as they relate to PARP inhibitors. And then lastly, to understand that dose interruptions or dose reductions are an expected part of treatment with really any anti-cancer directed therapy, including PARP inhibitors, with a goal to keep patients on therapy, because they’re benefiting from this treatment.”
See More from [ACT]IVATED Ovarian Cancer
Related Resources:
|
Optimizing Ovarian Cancer Care: Genetic Testing and Treatment Approaches |
Essential Genetic Testing for Personalized Gynecologic Cancer Treatment |
|
Transcript:
Lisa Hatfield:
Dr. Eskander, what are some common side effects of ovarian cancer treatments, particularly with long-term use of PARP inhibitors, and how can patients manage these side effects and maintain their quality of life during treatment?
Dr. Ramez Eskander:
PARP inhibitors, Lisa, are a very important part of the management of patients with advanced stage ovarian cancer. They have become a commonly used treatment in the first line we call it therapy or when patients are initially diagnosed as a maintenance treatment strategy and those PARP inhibitors can be given alone or the PARP inhibitors can be given in combination with another drug called bevacizumab (Avastin) as maintenance therapy. PARP inhibitors is a class I like to say are drugs that can be well tolerated.
One of the most important things that we face as providers is we are responsible to make sure our patients are educated. When we are able to have a conversation with a patient and educate them about potential treatment-related side effects and they feel empowered in managing those side effects, we’re able to make sure that patients can stay on treatment, tolerate, and of course, most importantly, benefit from this study-directed therapy for management of their cancer. As a class, some of the more common side effects of PARP inhibitors are fatigue. It’s actually one of the most common side effects.
We can see gastrointestinal side effects. They can be varied, but it can be constipation or diarrhea or abdominal cramping. We can also see hematologic side effects, which means impact on the blood counts. It can cause anemia, lowering the red blood cell count, lowering the white blood cell count, and in some instances, lowering the platelet count. There are rare, when I say rare in the front line, if you look across trials, less than about 1-1/2 percent of patients can develop a secondary malignancy of the bone marrow that’s called myelodysplastic syndrome or acute myeloid leukemia. Those are very uncommon, but they have been described when we use PARP inhibitors as a maintenance strategy in the front line.
So in these circumstances, again, it’s about education. It’s about making sure that you’re asking your provider, what might I experience, and how are we going to be proactive about mitigating these side effects? And I would like to emphasize that it’s okay when needed, to have a dose interruption, meaning pause the medication for a period of time, or a dose reduction, reduce the dose.
Because by doing so, we can make sure that a patient can stay on a treatment that they tolerate. And so managing these side effects is multi-pronged. It’s your clinician, your treatment team, of course, because it goes beyond the clinician who’s caring for you. It’s about understanding that an interruption in treatment may be needed, or reduction in the dose may be required, because that helps us keep patients on treatment.
Lisa Hatfield:
So if I understand correctly then, PARP inhibitors are something that a patient remains on until disease recurrence. That’s not a limited duration therapy, but it can be interrupted if needed a little bit of a break. So is that correct that it’s until disease recurrence?
Dr. Ramez Eskander:
In the front line when we’re talking about maintenance treatment strategy with PARP inhibitors, there’s actually a defined time period, but that defined time period is quite long on the order of two years. So you’re on a medication for a long period of time. Now, if you get to that two years, and thankfully there’s no evidence of cancer recurrence or active disease, you may be able to discontinue the PARP inhibitor.
The different trials had different durations of maintenance therapy. So you can imagine that there can be some fluctuation between trials two years or three years. But needless to say, it’s still a long period of time that you’re on an anti-cancer directed maintenance therapy. When you get to the end of that, however, you would be able to potentially discontinue treatment in conversation with your provider.
So here, in my opinion, the [ACT]IVATION tip is make sure you’re asking appropriate questions, that you’re educated about treatment-related side effects as they relate to PARP inhibitors. And then lastly, to understand that dose interruptions or dose reductions are an expected part of treatment with really any anti-cancer directed therapy, including PARP inhibitors, with a goal to keep patients on therapy, because they’re benefiting from this treatment.
Share Your Feedback
Optimizing Ovarian Cancer Care: Genetic Testing and Treatment Approaches
What’s vital for ovarian cancer patients to know about treatment options and approaches? Expert Dr. Ramez Eskander from UC San Diego Health discusses chemotherapy, surgery, the importance of molecular testing, treatment approaches for optimal outcomes, and proactive patient advice.
[ACT]IVATION TIP
“…ask the questions of your provider. Understand, did you have genetic testing? Did you have molecular tumor testing? And do the results of that genetic or molecular tumor testing impact the treatment recommendations for maintenance therapy? I want to make sure everybody feels empowered to ask those questions and have those answers.”
See More from [ACT]IVATED Ovarian Cancer
Related Resources:
Transcript:
Lisa Hatfield:
Dr. Eskander, for someone who is newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer, what are the most common treatment options available, and how can patients know which treatment plan is best suited for their specific situation?
Dr. Ramez Eskander:
Newly diagnosed ovarian cancer is managed utilizing chemotherapy and surgery. The order can vary depending on the specific patient, how they present, their cancer burden, whether you receive chemotherapy, surgery, followed by chemotherapy, or surgery and chemotherapy. The drugs, the backbone of treatment, are very similar, that is, two chemotherapy drugs called carboplatin (Paraplatin) and paclitaxel (Taxol). I will say that there are other drugs used in the front line. Another drug that’s commonly used is a drug called bevacizumab or Avastin. This is called an anti-angiogenic drug.
And we’ve also identified biomarkers that have really transformed front-line management. Any and every newly diagnosed ovarian cancer patient should have genetic testing because about 15 percent of ovarian cancers can have a genetic predisposition, meaning that you’ve inherited a gene that increased your risk of developing the cancer. And that’s critically important for the treatment of that patient, but also for any family members who would benefit from what we call cascade genetic testing, they would get tested. And if they were identified to have the gene, they could be followed and have risk-reducing surgery.
The reason this molecular testing of ovarian cancer and again, every patient should have genetic testing and molecular testing is critically important is it is informing maintenance treatment strategies. We’ve now conducted several clinical trials that show the utilization of a class of drug called PARP inhibitors. These are oral pills. When we use these medications in patients who have a BRCA mutation, there is a dramatic improvement in clinical outcome.
So every advanced stage ovarian cancer patient should be tested. And for those who have a BRCA mutation, every one of those patients should be treated with a maintenance PARP inhibitor. And maintenance meaning after you finish the chemotherapy drugs that I mentioned, you go on to that maintenance PARP inhibitor. And we’ve also had clinical trials that have expanded that opportunity, because not only are we looking at patients that have a BRCA mutation, but we’ve now expanded and incorporate into patients who are homologous recombination-deficient, or HRD test-positive.
Because studies have shown that when you give the PARP inhibitors in combination with bevacizumab, the drug that I alluded to a moment ago, you can again get a very significant improvement in clinical outcome including an improvement in overall survival. So biomarker testing, genetic testing, chemotherapy plus surgery is a backbone but importantly utilizing that molecular testing to inform maintenance treatment strategies which have clearly improved clinical outcomes, and these are all very critical conversations to have with the physician who’s taking care of you.
And for me, my [ACT]IVATION tip here is ask the questions of your provider. Understand, did you have genetic testing? Did you have molecular tumor testing? And do the results of that genetic or molecular tumor testing impact the treatment recommendations for maintenance therapy? I want to make sure everybody feels empowered to ask those questions and have those answers.
Share Your Feedback
Understanding Endometrial Cancer Risk: Factors Influencing Incidence and Mortality
Understanding Endometrial Cancer Risk: Factors Influencing Incidence and Mortality from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.
What are endometrial cancer risk factors for patients should know about? Expert Dr. Emily Hinchcliff from Northwestern Medicine discusses endometrial cancer risk factors, incidence and mortality rates, and patient advice to help guard against endometrial cancer.
[ACT]IVATION TIP
“…lifestyle modification is really important here. Obesity is a known risk factor for endometrial cancer. So working with your primary care physician to try to improve your health more generally, especially as it surrounds weight, is really important in terms of endometrial cancer prevention. I also think it’s important to know…that obesity and changing your obesity can impact your cancer’s response to certain therapies, especially with hormonal therapy.”
Download Guide | Descargar Guía en Español
See More from [ACT]IVATED Endometrial Cancer
Related Resources:
Which Endometrial Cancer Clinical Trials Are Showing Promise? |
Overcoming Barriers: Empowering Underrepresented Groups With Endometrial Cancer |
|
Transcript:
Lisa:
Dr. Hinchcliff, for patients wondering about their risk, what are risk factors for endometrial cancer, and what should patients be aware of?
Dr. Emily Hinchcliff:
So I think that it’s really important to highlight that endometrial cancer is one of the few cancers that is actually increasing in both number and also mortality. The numbers from the American Cancer Society for 2024 are over 70,000 women, or around 70,000 women will be diagnosed, and around 13,000 women will die of their disease. And I think that unlike many cancers where we’re actually making progress, endometrial cancer, the incidence, how many people are getting it is rising. And it’s rising faster in non-white ethnicities and groups.
So as I think about risk factors, I think the important ones to highlight are certainly obesity. This I think is a large driver of why there is increasing incidence of endometrial cancer. This relates to kind of the hormonal regulation. Obesity results in increasing levels of estrogen that disproportionately affect the endometrium. And then similar to that, certain hormonal syndromes where women have irregular or infrequent periods like polycystic ovarian syndrome can also put them at higher risk. More globally, I think age, family history are also risk factors. And then as I mentioned, unfortunately, women who are non-white have a higher risk of endometrial cancer mortality, especially as relates to some of the higher risk endometrial cancer subtypes.
Lisa:
Do you have an activation tip for patients for that question?
Dr. Emily Hinchcliff:
Yeah, so I think that lifestyle modification is really important here. Obesity is a known risk factor for endometrial cancer. So working with your primary care physician to try to improve your health more generally, especially as it surrounds weight, is really important in terms of endometrial cancer prevention. I also think it’s important to know, given that this is often a patient audience that I’m speaking to, that obesity and changing your obesity can impact your cancer’s response to certain therapies, especially with hormonal therapy. So for women who are diagnosed with early stage endometrial cancer, for example, who may desire fertility preservation or may want to know what they can do to impact their own cancer care, I think that’s a really important point.
I guess I can also just bring up a quick one-liner regarding the recent publication of studies surrounding hair product use. So this is a question that we have been getting asked a lot after the publication of both the study and then the big New York Times article, but there was an NIH study that showed a potential association between hair product chemical straightener use and uterine cancer, especially for those who identify as frequent users. I think that the important key point here is that around 60 percent of the women who reported using hair products self-identified as Black and tend to initiate use earlier, so this is another risk factor that may be important.
Yeah, we’re still learning a lot more about that. Right now, there’s an unclear association in terms of what we should be doing about it.
Share Your Feedback
Which Endometrial Cancer Clinical Trials Are Showing Promise?
Which Endometrial Cancer Clinical Trials Are Showing Promise? from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.
Which endometrial cancer clinical trials are showing encouraging results? Expert Dr. Emily Hinchcliff from Northwestern Medicine shares insight about novel therapies and combinations and advice for patients to be proactive in their care.
[ACT]IVATION TIP
“…understand what clinical trials are available to your physician and to you at the place that you are currently getting treated. And then also understand more globally what other clinical trials might be out there. And that’s a great question to ask your physician.”
Download Guide | Descargar Guía en Español
See More from [ACT]IVATED Endometrial Cancer
Related Resources:
Understanding Endometrial Cancer Risk: Factors Influencing Incidence and Mortality |
Endometrial Cancer Care Disparities: The Impact of Rural Residence |
Overcoming Geographical Barriers in Endometrial Cancer Care |
Transcript:
Lisa:
What ongoing clinical trials are investigating novel therapies for advanced endometrial cancer? And can you provide some insights into any promising experimental treatments that have shown encouraging results in early phase trials?
Dr. Emily Hinchcliff:
Absolutely. So I think that the use of immunotherapy in endometrial cancer has been a true game changer. It has changed the landscape of how we think about treating this disease. I think the cutting edge now is to try and understand whether immunotherapy in combination with our more traditional chemotherapy, cytotoxic chemotherapies that basically kill cells rapidly dividing as compared to immunotherapy, which helps to kill cancer cells by using the immune system. So should we be using immunotherapy in addition to, or even instead of some of those traditional chemotherapy options? There are also many, many clinical trials that are investigating novel combinations and novel targeted agents, especially for the high-risk tumor subsets.
So endometrial cancer is a broad umbrella term for many different subtypes. And the higher risk subtypes often are those that are harder to treat with our standard therapies. And so many trials are specifically trying to target better options for these patients. I think that one trial that I will just highlight in addition to some of the immunotherapies are immune therapy combinations with what are called anti-angiogenics. So drugs that try to prevent the tumor from growing its own blood supply.
And then also immunotherapy in combination with another class of drugs called PARP inhibitors which are more commonly used in ovarian cancer but which in combination with immunotherapy may be a new avenue for effective treatment.
Lisa:
And do you have an activation tip for patients for that question?
Dr. Emily Hinchcliff:
Absolutely, so I think that my activation tip for patients surrounding novel therapies in endometrial cancer is to understand what clinical trials are available to your physician and to you at the place that you are currently getting treated. And then also understand more globally what other clinical trials might be out there.
And that’s a great question to ask your physician. I think that your physician can help you to decide is a standard of care therapy the right choice for you at this point in your treatment, in your cancer journey, or are you at a point where a clinical trial may be of benefit either because of the expected efficacy of the standard of care, or because of the potential benefits of that clinical trial, or even because of the side effect profiles of either of those options.
Share Your Feedback
What Endometrial Cancer Patients Should Know About Clinical Trials
What Endometrial Cancer Patients Should Know About Clinical Trials from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.
What do endometrial cancer patients need to know about clinical trials? Expert Dr. Ebony Hoskins explains the importance of clinical trial participation for all patients and shares advice for patients to improve their clinical trial access.
Dr. Ebony Hoskins is a board-certified gynecologic oncologist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and assistant professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at Georgetown University Medical Center.
[ACT]IVATION TIP
“…asking their provider, one, are clinicals trial offered at their institution. And second, if it’s not offered at the institution, do you think that, are there any other institutions that may offer trials for the patient?”
Download Guide | Descargar Guía en Español
See More from [ACT]IVATED Endometrial Cancer
Related Resources:
Emerging Endometrial Cancer Treatments | Promising Data and Challenges |
Endometrial Cancer Treatment Options for Patients to Consider |
|
Transcript:
Mikki:
Dr. Hoskins, why is clinical trial participation so important in endometrial cancer? What advice do you have for patients considering a clinical trial?
Dr. Ebony Hoskins:
So I think clinical trial participation is important in endometrial cancer. Number one, the rate of Black women getting advanced and aggressive endometrial cancer is on the rise. The representation in these trials are different. What’s different is not only the patient, the tumor type is different. How do we know that these same patients that’s not in the trials are going to respond to this treatment? That’s what I always ask. I’m like, maybe they don’t respond as well, because that’s a different disease type, right?
So we recently looked at a trial where most of the patients had an endometrioid type of endometrial cancer, whereas I, in my practice, I see a lot of Black women who don’t have endometrioid type. They may have a serous type, which is a more aggressive type or a carcinosarcoma. So I don’t know if I can really apply that to this, to that the medication.
That’s all I have, but how do I know that she’s going to respond in the same way? So I think it’s definitely important. I recently had a patient that I referred to a clinical trial. And she really was struggling with whether she should do it or not. And one of the things that I said to her is, “I think it’s important. One, you’re going to have access to advanced treatment options that are not there now.” And I said, also I said, “Not that she has to take it for a whole group, but we need to have more information on the type of cancer you have.” And I was like, “And Black women are dying, and we need this information to know if this is the same.” And she instantly was like, “I’m going, I’m doing it.” And I mean, not that she has to take, but we need to know more. And I think it’s very important that we have patients with access to trials.
Mikki:
Yes. Do you have an activation tip for those patients that you see?
Dr. Ebony Hoskins:
I think asking their provider, one, are clinical trials offered at their institution. And second, if it’s not offered at the institution, do you think that, are there any other institutions that may offer trials for the patient? There are sometimes where patients don’t have the opportunity to travel elsewhere and need to be in their community for work, family, etcetera. So I understand the asking.
Share Your Feedback:
Create your own user feedback survey
Endometrial Cancer Treatment Options for Patients to Consider
Endometrial Cancer Treatment Options for Patients to Consider from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.
What do endometrial cancer patients need to consider for treatment options? Expert Dr. Ebony Hoskins explains key factors that play into treatment decisions and recommended questions for patients to ask their doctor.
Dr. Ebony Hoskins is a board-certified gynecologic oncologist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and assistant professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at Georgetown University Medical Center.
[ACT]IVATION TIP
“…asking the right questions in terms of “How effective is this treatment that you’re recommending? Do you think it’s worth the side effects? Is my quality of life going to be affected? Can I still travel?”
Download Guide | Descargar Guía en Español
See More from [ACT]IVATED Endometrial Cancer
Related Resources:
|
Emerging Endometrial Cancer Treatments | Promising Data and Challenges |
What Endometrial Cancer Patients Should Know About Clinical Trials |
|
Transcript:
Mikki:
Dr. Hoskins, how do you work with your patients to make treatment decisions and what increase in treatment options, what should endometrial cancer patients consider when deciding on treatment?
Dr. Ebony Hoskins:
So I think this is a good question. In terms of patients up front, I think we follow kind of certain guidelines, if you will and providing standard of care and the first frontline therapy is pretty standard, right? In terms of advanced treatment, when patients recur and we have to look at alternate treatment therapies, I always look at the patient, I always look at what their medical problems are or any side effects. And, of course, the data to see how well are they going to do what side effects and quality of life?
There are numerous factors that are not just something looking in a book and say, “Okay, I’ll take A,” right? Like I think we have to look at all of that and make a decision with our patients over undergoing the side effects, the efficacy, all of these things that are in mind when we talk to patients. So my activation tip for patients would be being involved in the decision-making, asking the right questions in terms of “How effective is this treatment that you’re recommending? Do you think it’s worth the side effects? Is my quality of life going to be affected? Can I still travel?” Those are questions like, we want to live, right? And I don’t think anybody wants to be stuck every three weeks getting treatment or…so those are questions to ask in terms of like, quality of life. And so those are questions that I would recommend you ask your doctor when you’re deciding what treatments.
Share Your Feedback:
Create your own user feedback survey
Emerging Endometrial Cancer Treatments | Promising Data and Challenges
Emerging Endometrial Cancer Treatments | Promising Data and Challenges from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.
What is the latest in endometrial cancer treatment updates? Expert Dr. Ebony Hoskins shares updates from the RUBY study and one NRG study and provides advice for patients.
Dr. Ebony Hoskins is a board-certified gynecologic oncologist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and assistant professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at Georgetown University Medical Center.
[ACT]IVATION TIP
“…if someone’s diagnosed with endometrial cancer, ‘Am I a candidate for a clinical trial to be a part of this new frontier, if you will, for endometrial cancer?’”
Download Guide | Descargar Guía en Español
See More from [ACT]IVATED Endometrial Cancer
Related Resources:
|
Endometrial Cancer Treatment Options for Patients to Consider |
What Endometrial Cancer Patients Should Know About Clinical Trials |
|
Transcript:
Mikki:
Dr. Hoskins, what endometrial cancer data and studies coming out of major medical conferences are you most excited about? And can you speak to those kinks and challenges or promises of emerging treatments?
Dr. Ebony Hoskins:
Well, Mikki, I’m very excited. The SGO 2023 in Tampa, Florida, we had new data that came out from one of the NRG studies as well as another study called the RUBY Study. And both were looking at up-front carboplatin (Paraplatin) and paclitaxel (Abraxane) with the addition of immunotherapy. And we saw improved progression-free survival. So that means when the disease is no longer there, how long are patients living without it recurring, and that has increased. So this is a big deal.
And then one of the studies showed again, the data is still maturing so it’s not completely out there yet. So we still have to wait on it, but there may be improved overall survival. And that’s kind of one of the study goals that we always want to do is improve overall survival. So I’m excited about that. There was also some new data looking at whether up-front patients with advanced endometrial cancer, whether they are treated with systemic chemotherapy versus systemic chemotherapy and radiation.
And this is a long ongoing survival data that said, patients basically did equally well with just chemotherapy alone without the addition of radiation. So that I think is very interesting, because we use radiation and chemotherapy in patients with advanced endometrial cancer. That certainly doesn’t mean that it’s not an option, just means that it may need to be more tailored and discussed and discussed with our radiation oncology colleagues.
In terms of what the challenges are, I think immunotherapy is a game changer. But it’s also what I use in terms of second-line treatment. So now I’m using it up front. What happens if a patient recurs while on it? What am I going to do now? That’s my question. What am I going to do next? And I’m not too worried because there are new treatment options that are out. Again, they are not necessarily standard now, but they’re ongoing in clinical trials. So I’m not too worried. But definitely some questions that cross my mind. My activation tip for this for patients is if someone’s diagnosed with endometrial cancer, “Am I a candidate for a clinical trial to be a part of this new frontier, if you will, for endometrial cancer?”
Share Your Feedback:
Create your own user feedback survey
What Is the Role of Immunotherapy in Endometrial Cancer?
What is the Role of Immunotherapy in Endometrial Cancer? from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.
What is the role of immunotherapy in endometrial cancer care? Expert Dr. Ebony Hoskins shares immunotherapy research updates from the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists and advice for patients.
Dr. Ebony Hoskins is a board-certified gynecologic oncologist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and assistant professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at Georgetown University Medical Center.
[ACT]IVATION TIP
“…asking the question, if someone is being recommended to start chemotherapy which is typically carboplatin paclitaxel, asking, “Am I a candidate for immunotherapy?’”
Download Guide | Descargar Guía en Español
See More from [ACT]IVATED Endometrial Cancer
Related Resources:
|
Endometrial Cancer Treatment Options for Patients to Consider |
What Endometrial Cancer Patients Should Know About Clinical Trials |
Emerging Endometrial Cancer Treatments | Promising Data and Challenges |
Transcript:
Mikki:
Dr. Hoskins, what is the role for immunotherapy for patients with advanced endometrial cancer?
Dr. Hoskins:
Well, I’m not sure if you have heard, Mikki, both this year at our 2023 Society of Gynecologic Oncologists, there are two research studies that show immunotherapy improved progression-free survival in patients with metastatic or advanced endometrial cancer. One of the studies even showed improvement in overall survival. And this data is still ongoing and collected and needs more maturity.
But this is a big deal that we can now offer not just chemotherapy but immunotherapy up front, meaning up front now to patients and improved progression-free survival and possibly overall survival. Again, the data is still maturing. So, to know that, but this is something that I didn’t offer one year ago to my patients, that now I can offer. So this is a big deal. If you haven’t figured that out, it’s a big deal.
So in terms of my activation tip for this question, I think asking the question, if someone is being recommended to start chemotherapy which is typically carboplatin paclitaxel (Paraplatin Abraxane), asking, “Am I a candidate for immunotherapy?’ May or may not be, but I think that’s the question. “Am I a candidate?” That’s what I would ask.
Share Your Feedback:
Create your own user feedback survey
What Treatment Options Are Available for Advanced Endometrial Cancer?
What Treatment Options Are Available for Advanced Endometrial Cancer? from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.
What are the latest advanced endometrial cancer treatment options? Expert Dr. Ebony Hoskins shares updates about research advances and advice for newly diagnosed patients to be proactive in their care.
Dr. Ebony Hoskins is a board-certified gynecologic oncologist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and assistant professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at Georgetown University Medical Center.
[ACT]IVATION TIP
“…if a patient is newly diagnosed with endometrial cancer, is going in, knowing that we have more molecular markers, ‘Hey, are you going to send my tumor for next-generation sequencing, or are you going to be looking at the tumor for more information about targets that we could use for treatment?’
Download Guide | Descargar Guía en Español
See More from [ACT]IVATED Endometrial Cancer
Related Resources:
Transcript:
Mikki:
Okay. Dr. Hoskins, fortunately, the endometrial cancer arsenal keeps expanding. What promising treatments are available to patients facing advanced endometrial cancer diagnosis?
Dr. Ebony Hoskins:
So, in recent years, we’ve had more research dollars into endometrial cancer that wasn’t there, say even five to 10 years ago. Some of the promising treatments that are coming about, are treatments that look at the molecular markers, meaning when we look at the tumor, and determining what proteins that are upregulated or down, now we have treatments that can more target, if you will, the specific cancer. So I think, these are definitely promising.
Other promising things that are occurring is that we are having more clinical trials that are offered for patients with advanced endometrial cancer that I know in my earlier years in practice or even in training, that just were not there. So I think this is a good time in the advancement in terms of endometrial cancer.
So my activation tip for this would be if a patient is newly diagnosed with endometrial cancer, is going in, knowing that we have more molecular markers, “Hey, are you going to send my tumor for next-generation sequencing, or are you going to be looking at the tumor for more information about targets that we could use for treatment?”
So those are questions that as a patient you can ask, because now these treatments are covered, and the testing is covered. And so we’re in a different realm than we were say, even five to 10 years ago.
Share Your Feedback:
Create your own user feedback survey
How Can Endometrial Cancer Patients Advocate for Better Care?
How Can Endometrial Cancer Patients Advocate for Better Care? from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.
How can endometrial cancer patients empower themselves for better care? Dr. Ebony Hoskins shares advice for patients who feel dismissed or unheard when seeing their care provider.
Dr. Ebony Hoskins is a board-certified gynecologic oncologist at MedStar Washington Hospital Center and assistant professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology at Georgetown University Medical Center.
[ACT]IVATION TIP
“…seek alternate care or another opinion. I think it’s very important that patients have a doctor that they trust and feel like they can ask questions for. I don’t, I really don’t think it’s okay to be dismissed.”
Download Guide | Descargar Guía en Español
See More from [ACT]IVATED Endometrial Cancer
Related Resources:
Transcript:
Mikki:
Dr. Hoskins, what is your message to women who speak up and their concerns are dismissed and aren’t taken seriously?
Dr. Ebony Hoskins:
Well, Mikki, do you want to know my real answer? I don’t think you do. But I’m going to tell you anyway. So anytime I hear a patient that say they did not feel heard, I always say, “You understand that you can get a different provider, right?” So that also means that if a patient does not have the trust anytime you don’t have trust, you don’t have a relationship, and that it’s okay to find a different provider, or a doctor to make sure that you’re heard. And I have seen women who don’t have any type of gynecologic cancer who have come to my office for a second opinion. And when it, and I say, well, “Why are you here?” And they said, “Well, I was really looking for someone that looked like me that I could trust to tell me, because when I asked these questions, I was dismissed.”
And so I was happy to give the opinion, but really sad that this particular patient had to travel to see someone that they really didn’t need to see, to get an answer that she was actually looking for, and not looking for the wrong answer. She just wasn’t, her question wasn’t being answered. And so I think if you don’t have the trust, there are other providers in our communities and getting those names from either a primary care provider you know, and I always hit or miss on the online thing from family members, friends about doctors that they like or that have a good reputation in terms of listening to their patients.
Mikki:
I also have one patient, I mean not a patient. I have a connect that dealt with this, this right here. And she went to several doctors before she got her diagnosis and which means time had spanned in between that time and her trying to look and saying, “Hey, this is what’s wrong. This is what I’m feeling. I know it can’t be this.” And she’s just going from doctor to doctor. And in between that time she missed some care that she had needed in that time. So what would be your activation tip for someone like that?
Dr. Ebony Hoskins:
I think, just like I said before, seek alternate care or another opinion. I think it’s very important that patients have a doctor that they trust and feel like they can ask questions for. I don’t, I really don’t think it’s okay to be dismissed.
Mikki:
Thank you so much.
Share Your Feedback:
Create your own user feedback survey
