Activity Rationale and Purpose

According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 40,000 new cases of uterine and ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in 2005. Many of these cases will be diagnosed in the advanced stages. Most patients with ovarian cancer have disseminated disease at diagnosis because symptoms do not appear until late in the disease course. In spite of many improvements in the treatment of advanced gynecologic cancers, early diagnosis, accurate assessment, and sound therapeutic decision making are essential in obtaining the best patient outcome. For clinicians, the ultimate goals of treatment are to preserve life, stop disease progression, and minimize the side effects of therapeutic regimens, but clinicians must also strive to promote approaches that enhance patients’ lives and diminish suffering as patients continue to live with advanced cancer.

The purpose of this educational activity is to provide a broad foundation of evidence-based medicine, an interdisciplinary approach, and expert clinical perspectives to the management of challenging cases in advanced gynecologic cancers through the familiar platform of a tumor board. The overall objective is to provide a program that will reflect best practices in the treatment of advanced and relapsed cervical, ovarian, and uterine cancer. Physicians, nurses, and pharmacists need to know the latest information on how best to treat those living with advanced gynecologic cancers.