Specialists from all over the world gathered together at IEO for a two-day summit on the new frontiers that genetics can open up for treating ovarian cancer.
The surgeons came on January 30th and 31st from many different hospitals and cancer centers - Mayo Clinic, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Massachusetts General Hospital, Irvine Medical Center in United States and Kliniken Essen Mitte in Germany - to took part to a first Summit on the subject of treating ovarian cancer, the most fearsome cancer for women patients.
«The ovarian tumor can be a very complex one and with devastating consequences not only for the body but also for the mind of the woman - explains Nicoletta Colombo, Director of the Gynecologic Program at IEO - Women must know that molecular medicine can offer new concrete opportunities if not to cure the cancer at least to gain a longer life expectancy and a better quality of the time they have left.
Genetics test results can now allow us to propose focused pharmacological treatments, personalized on the patients' clinical situation.
Up to discussion in this summit is now the idea that genetic/molecul screening might also lead in the near future to a more personalized surgery: the goal is to better identify which patients could benedit more froma surgery approach and which one could instead take more advantage from a chemotherapy treatment. Our final target will be creating a routine molecular analysis able to define for each patient the best personalized approach 360 degrees».
Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynaecological cancer and it is the fifth most common cancer in the female population in developed countries. Each year, it is estimated that 65,000 cases are diagnosed in Europe, including almost 5,000 in Italy. Despite the relatively low incidence of ovarian cancer, it is burdened by high mortality. Ovarian cancer affects all ages with greater frequency between 50 and 65 years.
«All the major cancer centers in the world agreed to send here their best specialist here at IEO, recognizing our primary role in the fight against ovarina cancer and in our role as both treatment and education center - underlines Angelo Maggioni, Director of IEO Gynecologic Cancer Surgery Division - we can't and will not work as an isolated center: IEO wants to be a role model for all the others Ovarian Cancer Center of Excellence and to collaborate with them in winning the battle against ovarian cancer ».