Congratulations to WHRI Scientific advisory board member Dr. Gillian Hanley on being invited to contribute to the Lancet Commission on Ovarian Cancer!
The Lancet Commission is a multidisciplinary group of accomplished academics, clinicians, advocates and policymakers convened to review existing gaps in policy and health systems, utilizing scientific knowledge and technological advancements and applying them to real-world solutions that improve the lives of people around the world.
With the Ovarian Cancer Commission, the Lancet recognizes ovarian cancer as a key global health issue. Though ovarian cancer has a relatively low incidence (1 to 2 percent at baseline) it ranks as the 5th leading cause of cancer-related death in females. Moreover, its incidence is set to increase over the coming decades as our population ages.
The commission identifies two opportunities that hold promise for mitigating the societal impact of ovarian cancer:
- Identifying and engaging those at increased risk for developing ovarian cancer, to ensure better awareness of prevention strategies.
- Expanding access to preventive treatments such as risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (for those at high risk) and opportunistic salpingectomy (for those at average risk).
The Lancet Commission also seeks to close a “persistent evidence-to-action gap” in the landscape of ovarian cancer research and care, where promising interventions have emerged in scientific research that have yet to be meaningfully implemented in patient care settings.
To facilitate this important work, the Commission is seeking funding partners to enable patient and public involvement activities, generate new evidence, and share the Commission report.
Interested parties are encouraged to contact Sophie King at the Centre Léon Bérard in Lyon, France.