ASACO and MSD-AstraZeneca demand precision treatment for ovarian cancer

More than 3,700 new cases of ovarian cancer are expected to be diagnosed in our country during this year.

Ovarian Cancer – Five Different Types of Diseases

Association of People Affected by Ovarian and Other Gynecologic Cancers (ASACO), and MSD-AstraZeneca Alliance launched a campaign to celebrate World Ovarian Cancer Day Time to make your dreams come true to raise awareness of the importance of precision medicine and molecular biology knowledge in improving the management of patients with ovarian cancer. The initiative also focuses on the needs, experiences and hopes of patients and, in turn, providing quality information about the disease and a message of hope as more and more patients live with the disease.

Latest report Cancer rates in Spain in 2024prepared by the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM), warns that during this year, more than 3,700 new cases of ovarian cancer are expected to be diagnosed in our country, a disease whose total prevalence is estimated at 27,585 cases. it caused the death of more than 2,000 patients in 2022 alone.

However, despite these figures, Since 2002, survival has increased by approximately 9%., thanks to advances that have occurred in the knowledge of tumors, as well as in surgery and treatment. “Over the past 10 years, we have witnessed a breathtaking evolution in the treatment of ovarian cancer, which is not one disease, but we already know that there are at least five different types of disease,” the study detailed. Dr. Antonio GonzalezPresident of the Spanish Gynecological Cancer Research Group (GEICO) and Director of the Cancer Center Clínica Universidad de Navarra.

Such a significant number of subtypes of ovarian cancer require care for patients with this type of tumor. multidisciplinary team of expertsespecially when you consider that while survival rates are increasing, up to 80% of patients are diagnosed with disease that extends beyond the ovaries and even throughout the entire abdominal cavity.

“Treatment ovarian cancer without a multidisciplinary approach, and this is something that has been consolidated in recent years in an absolutely irrefutable manner,” commented Dr. Gonzalez, to highlight the importance of the work of pathologists in differentiating the subtypes of ovarian cancer; the ability for radiology and nuclear medicine specialists to know the stage of the tumor; gynecologists and oncological surgeons to perform the best operations and choose the best approach and finally, the oncologist, the oncology nurse, and other specialists such as nutritionists, exercise specialists, dermatologists, etc.

This work allows patients to be cared for as efficiently as possible, although in addition to the medical part, patients have other needs that also need to be taken into account, such as mental health, exercise or nutrition. This is where patient associations play an important role.

In this sense, Charo Hierro, President of ASACO, assured that adequate nutrition and exercise, adapted to each stage of the disease, together with psychological assistance play a role.”very important” about patients’ mental health and recovery. “This, and also the fact that all patients are treated in reference centers, which ensure optimal operation and a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of ovarian cancer are necessary factors to improve the prognosis of this type of cancer and improve the quality of life of patients,” he emphasized.

Time to make your dreams come true

With the goal of raising awareness about ovarian cancer and emphasizing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, especially among survivors and patients living with this disease, ASACO and the MSD-AstraZeneca Alliance They launched a campaign Time to make your dreams come true. “I would like to tell all patients that they will suffer during their diagnosis but they can come out of it and that if they need help they should seek it because it is necessary. Therefore, I ask you for two things: that you believe in medicine and hope in research,” the patient emphasized. Pepa Montenegro.

In this sense, Ana Peiro, The medical director of the oncology department of AstraZeneca emphasized “the importance of launching campaigns such as Time to make your dreams come true because they help raise public awareness and at the same time demonstrate the need we guarantee comprehensive care these patients to improve people’s quality of life.

“With this initiative, we want to convey to patients that we are on their side and that we will continue to work to offer them solutions that will improve the progression of the disease and their quality of life,” he added. Pedro Ferrermedical worker MSD Gynecologic Tumor Unit.