Cancer and the world's poor: What's a gynecologic cancer specialist to do?

Pilot of an International Collaboration to Build Capacity to Provide Gynecologic Oncology Surgery in Botswana

“…In 2016, the International Committee of the Society for Gynecologic Oncology called for their society members to take an active role in providing specialist service and education to resource-limited areas. 18 Several partnerships exist to support training in radical surgery and several fellowships in gynecologic oncology have been started in LMICs. 19 – 23 Existing collaborations have had similar emphases on curriculum and skill transfer, but each has developed in-line with its own resource context.…”

Pilot of an international collaboration to build capacity to provide gynecologic oncology surgery in Botswana

“…In 2016, the International Committee of the Society for Gynecologic Oncology called for their society members to take an active role in providing specialist service and education to resource-limited areas. 18 Several partnerships exist to support training in radical surgery and several fellowships in gynecologic oncology have been started in LMICs. 19Y23 Existing collaborations have had similar emphases on curriculum and skill transfer, but each has developed in-line with its own resource context.…”

Participation in global health delivery: Survey results from the Society of Gynecologic Oncology

“…According to The Lancet Oncology Commission, there will be 21.6 million new cancer cases worldwide in 2030, and 80% of these individuals will need surgery ( Sullivan et al, 2015 ). However, less than a quarter of these patients will receive the care they need due to inadequate investment in education and training of healthcare personnel, public surgical systems, and research ( Sullivan et al, 2015 ; Randall et al, 2016 ). The Commission estimates that <5% of patients in low-income countries and 22% of those in middle-income countries will have access to safe cancer surgeries ( Sullivan et al, 2015 ).…”

“…As specialists dedicated to medical and surgical treatment of gynecologic cancers, they offer unique expertise in developing treatments tailored to the resources available and in providing specialized cancer care. Clinical outcomes of gynecologic cancers are better when patients are treated by trained sub-specialists ( Sullivan et al, 2015 ; Randall et al, 2016 ) and when surgery is performed by gynecologic oncologists ( Li et al, 2016 ; Engelen et al, 2006 ; Roland et al, 2004 ; Chan et al, 2011 ). Studies of cervical cancer have shown better compliance with surgical guidelines and fewer operative complications when radical hysterectomies were performed by gynecologic oncologists and that recurrence-free survival and cancer-specific survival was higher following treatment by a gynecologic oncologist ( Li et al, 2016 ).…”

“…There has been increasing emphasis on the specific and important role of gynecologic oncologists in improving cancer outcomes worldwide ( Randall et al, 2016 ), yet published literature has focused on non-surgical specialties. Gynecologic oncologists are key to direct provision of care, training medical personnel, advocating for increased funding and recognition of work done in LMICs, and building systems to facilitate access to safe, evidence-based care.…”