The Management of Recurrent Ovarian Cancer

Article Outline

• Statement of Need
• Who Should Participate
• Learning Objectives
• Activity Description
• Accreditation
• How to Obtain CME Credit
• Disclaimer
• Grantor Acknowledgement
• Activity Chairperson
• Activity Authors
• Disclosure
• References

Release Date: May 25, 2007

Expiration Date: May 25, 2008

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Statement of Need 

According to the American Cancer Society,¹ ovarian cancer is the eighth most common cancer among women. It is projected that 22,400 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in 2007, and it ranks fifth in cancer-related deaths among women in the United States. Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate of all gynecological cancers, with a 5-year survival rate of just 30% for distant disease.

Given the low survival rate, much research has focused on improving therapeutic options for women with ovarian cancer refractory to current therapies or with recurrent ovarian cancer. The process of selecting the most appropriate management strategy for these women is a complex one, involving many factors. According to guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, treatment decisions are based on the stage of ovarian cancer, previous treatment courses, and the woman’s health status and preferences.² Treatment options include chemotherapy with either a taxane or platinum (or both), switching to a different type of therapy, radiation therapy, surgery, or simply providing palliative care. The specific option to be employed in this setting must be individualized, based on unique patient and tumor characteristics, and, most importantly, patient choice.

Staying abreast of rapid changes in therapeutic options and strategies is a challenge for health care practitioners caring for women with recurrent ovarian cancer. To help them meet that challenge, a need exists for high quality, CME-credited education regarding current strategies for managing these women, including an objective review of therapeutic options, the risk-benefit ratios of each, and specific patient-selection criteria. Through a knowledgeable approach to ovarian cancer and the use of current therapies, providers will be able to incorporate the latest research findings into their clinical practice and, thus, optimize patient outcomes.

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Who Should Participate 

This activity will benefit all clinicians who want to increase their knowledge of the management of recurrent ovarian cancer. This includes oncologists, OB/GYNs, primary care physicians, and others involved in the treatment of women at risk for recurrent ovarian cancer.

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Learning Objectives 

At the conclusion of this educational activity, participants will be able to:

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Activity Description 

This activity will include:

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Accreditation 

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation Center for Continuing Education is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation Center for Continuing Education designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

This activity may be submitted for American Osteopathic Association Continuing Medical Education credit in Category 2.

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How to Obtain CME Credit 

To obtain a maximum of 1.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)^™ for this activity:

System requirements: Internet browser, preferably Internet Explorer 4.0 or above.

For technical assistance, please call: (216) 297-7316 Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm ET.

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Disclaimer 

The information in this educational activity is provided for general medical education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical judgment of a physician relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient’s medical condition. The viewpoints expressed in this CME activity are those of the authors/faculty. They do not represent an endorsement by The Cleveland Clinic Foundation. In no event will The Cleveland Clinic Foundation be liable for any decision made or action taken in reliance upon the information provided through this CME activity.

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Grantor Acknowledgement 

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation Center for Continuing Education and the Partnership for Medical Education acknowledge an educational grant for support of this activity from Eli Lilly and Company.

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Activity Chairperson 

Dr Ronald Bukowski is the Director of the Experimental Therapeutics Program of The Cleveland Clinic Foundation Taussig Cancer Center and a Professor of Medicine at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University. He is an international opinion leader in the biology and therapy of renal cell carcinoma and the Medical Director of the Kidney Cancer Association.

Dr Bukowski attended Northwestern University School of Medicine and completed his training in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology at The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

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Activity Authors 

As Senior Vice President for Medical Science at Fox Chase Cancer Center, Dr Ozols oversees all of the Center’s patient care, clinical research, and medical science laboratory research. Internationally recognized for his expertise in ovarian cancer, Dr Ozols’ research focuses on how cancer cells develop resistance to anticancer drugs and on developing new chemotherapy regimens for ovarian cancer.

Dr Ozols received the 25th Annual Bristol-Myers Squibb Award for Distinguished Achievement in Cancer Research (shared with Robert C. Young, MD), the 1990 Cancer Research Award from the Milken Family Medical Foundation, and the Ninth Claude Jacquillat Award in Clinical Research.

The author of many scientific publications, Dr Ozols has served on numerous editorial boards, including those of the International Journal of Gynecologic Cancer, International Journal of Oncology, Cancer Research, Cancer Investigation, Journal of Experimental Therapeutics and Oncology, and Clinical Cancer Research.

Dr Ozols has served on the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee of the Food and Drug Administration (1992-1996). He is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Society of Clinical Investigation (ASCI), American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), and American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and he is a former Vice President of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society (IGCS). Dr Ozols has served on the Board of Directors of ASCO (2000-2003) and the American Association of Cancer Institutes (2001-2002). He is past chair of ASCO’s Cancer Research Committee and chair-elect of the Cancer Communications Committee.

Born in Latvia, Dr Ozols earned his bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Rochester in New York, where he later earned his PhD and MD in 1971 and 1974. He completed his medical training at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover, New Hampshire, and his medical oncology fellowship at the National Cancer Institute. He is certified in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Dr Maurie Markman is Vice President for Clinical Research at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. For more than 20 years, Dr Markman has been engaged in clinical research in the area of gynecologic malignancies, with a particular focus on new drug development and exploring novel management strategies in female pelvic cancers.

Dr Markman has been the primary author or co-author on more than 800 published peer-reviewed manuscripts, reviews, book chapters, editorials, or abstracts. He has edited or co-edited 10 books on various topics in the management of malignant disease, including Atlas of Oncology and the most recent edition of Principles and Practice of Gynecologic Oncology. In addition, he has served on numerous editorial boards, including the Journal of Clinical Oncology and Gynecologic Oncology, and he is the North American Editor of the Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology.

Dr Markman is currently Chairman of the Medical Oncology Committee of the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG), the United States National Cancer Institute-sponsored cooperative group focused on the management of female pelvic malignancies.

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Disclosure 

In accordance with the Standards for Commercial Support issued by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), The Cleveland Clinic Foundation Center for Continuing Education requires resolution of all faculty conflicts of interest to ensure CME activities are free of commercial bias.

The following faculty have indicated that they may have a relationship, which in the context of their section(s), could be perceived as a potential conflict of interest:

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References 

1. American Cancer Society. Cancer Facts and Figures 2007. Available at: http://www.cancer.org/downloads/STT/CAFF2007PWsecured.pdf (accessed April 30, 2007)
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2. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Clinical practice guidelines in oncology: ovarian cancer. Available at: http://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/ovarian.pdf (accessed September 17, 2006)
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