Skip to Main Content

Updates in Gynecologic Cancers

April 05, 2021
  • 00:00I'm Elena Ratner.
  • 00:01I'm the division director.
  • 00:03She went to college, EPL,
  • 00:05and we're so thrilled to be with you tonight.
  • 00:09I'm joined by the most excellent providers,
  • 00:13which I'm so proud to have his
  • 00:16colleagues that the Mitchell Clark,
  • 00:19who is Joanne ecologist who is
  • 00:23practicing currently at Water Ford at
  • 00:26Lawrence Memorial and join the Dario
  • 00:29who is the director and who runs
  • 00:33multiple programs within our practice.
  • 00:35Most notably so that for
  • 00:38early cancer detection.
  • 00:40Call discovery to cure.
  • 00:42And then ********* intimacy
  • 00:44and menopause program,
  • 00:46which is a survivorship program
  • 00:49that we offer for patients with
  • 00:51cancer that has to do specifically
  • 00:54with menopause and with *********.
  • 00:58So we are so excited to be with
  • 01:00you today to share with you
  • 01:03the updates and Joanna Kalaji.
  • 01:05So much has changed in the field of
  • 01:08Joanna Kalaji over the past decade.
  • 01:11You know we no longer treat
  • 01:13the cancer is the same.
  • 01:15You know we no longer treat the women
  • 01:18the same way just because they have
  • 01:21a certain kind of kind of cancer.
  • 01:24We truly now offer a personalized
  • 01:26approach every woman.
  • 01:27Tomorrow get studied and understood
  • 01:30an we truly offer a targeted,
  • 01:33personalized approach.
  • 01:34Not only cancer, but to every patient.
  • 01:37We believe wholeheartedly
  • 01:39in preventative medicine.
  • 01:41Joanna will talk today about the role
  • 01:44of genetics and the role of Previvor ship.
  • 01:48You know, we have struggled over generations
  • 01:51for to find cure for bearing cancer.
  • 01:55Few of ovarian cancer is very complex.
  • 01:58There's a lot of chemotherapy resistance.
  • 02:01There's a lot of reasons why.
  • 02:04Unfortunately,
  • 02:05these cancers recur and hands
  • 02:07with concentrated.
  • 02:08Work for generations on early detection
  • 02:10and so much work and research is
  • 02:13being done in early detection,
  • 02:15but the future of ovarian cancer is
  • 02:17probably not even early detection.
  • 02:19The future,
  • 02:20maybe with the present is just prevention.
  • 02:23Finding the women who are at higher
  • 02:26risk for these cancers and then
  • 02:28preventing cancers in them in the
  • 02:311st place so that early detection
  • 02:33or cancer cure is not even an
  • 02:36entity that this cancers can be
  • 02:39prevented before they even happen.
  • 02:41So that's the Clark today
  • 02:43will share with us updates,
  • 02:45enjoy mycology again.
  • 02:46Kind of concentrating with this
  • 02:48kind of personalized approach
  • 02:49that we offer very much within
  • 02:52Lawrence Memorial and within here
  • 02:54within the Yale Health System.
  • 02:55And then join,
  • 02:56I will talk to you about Providership
  • 02:59and how important it is to find these
  • 03:02women record high risk for these
  • 03:04cancers and how important is to
  • 03:07really have comprehensive approach.
  • 03:08You know,
  • 03:09it is so important to remember that this
  • 03:12genetic mutations do not just affect.
  • 03:14The ovary or the breast that all of
  • 03:16them are intertwined and this is not
  • 03:19just something that affects women.
  • 03:21This is something that affects
  • 03:23women and man for generations and
  • 03:25it is so important that we are
  • 03:27offering this kind of a care to
  • 03:30our patients and their families.
  • 03:31So again,
  • 03:32thank you and welcome and we're so
  • 03:35thrilled to be with you on this Webex.
  • 03:37But really even more so.
  • 03:39We're so thrilled to be part
  • 03:41of your community and to be
  • 03:43providing Joanna Kalaji care.
  • 03:45At Lawrence Memorial Dr Clark.
  • 03:47Yes thank you
  • 03:48so much. I'm just gonna switch over
  • 03:51and share my screen with everyone.
  • 03:56All race. Alright, so thank you so
  • 04:00much Doctor Ratner for the excellent
  • 04:01introduction and thanks everyone
  • 04:03for joining us tonight on this
  • 04:05sort of rainy Wednesday evening.
  • 04:06For those who, I haven't had
  • 04:08a chance to meet you.
  • 04:09My name is Doctor Mitchell Clark.
  • 04:11I'm within the division of dynamic
  • 04:12at Yale and my clinical practice is
  • 04:15focused here at Lawrence and Memorial
  • 04:16and at the Water for Care Center.
  • 04:18And we're going to start tonight
  • 04:20session by talking about updates and
  • 04:22ovarian cancer which Doctor Ratner has
  • 04:24alluded to is very exciting right now.
  • 04:26I don't have any disclosures,
  • 04:27either financial or use of any off
  • 04:29label medication in this talk.
  • 04:31So just some objectives for what I
  • 04:33hope to cover in a quick discussion
  • 04:35on these highlights is talk a little
  • 04:37bit how the proposed origins ovarian
  • 04:39cancer have changed and how this impacts
  • 04:42early prevention and early diagnosis.
  • 04:43Review some of the data on opportunistic
  • 04:46salpingectomy and then risk reducing
  • 04:48surgery for women who are identified
  • 04:50it being a particularly high
  • 04:51risk and then in those women who
  • 04:53do go on to develop a cancer.
  • 04:55How we've increased our
  • 04:57use of new management,
  • 04:58chemotherapy and special interval
  • 04:59surgical techniques for these women
  • 05:01to help manage their advanced disease.
  • 05:03And then probably most exciting of all,
  • 05:05is to discuss some of the
  • 05:07emerging data on maintenance,
  • 05:09treatment,
  • 05:09and so how we can extend the
  • 05:11survival of our survivors of ovarian
  • 05:13cancer for years down the road.
  • 05:16So my practice is primarily focused
  • 05:18here in the water for Care Center.
  • 05:20Like I mentioned before,
  • 05:21we feel full range of gynecological
  • 05:23malignancy's as well.
  • 05:25If complex joint surgical care as
  • 05:27well as patients who are either
  • 05:29thought to have or known to have a
  • 05:31hereditary cancer syndrome which.
  • 05:33Joanna will expand a little
  • 05:35bit on later on this evening.
  • 05:37This data is and is not new for many of you.
  • 05:40Most of you are aware that this is
  • 05:42the second most common gynecological
  • 05:44malignancy that we see in the US,
  • 05:47but it certainly accounts for far
  • 05:49more death and unfortunately in
  • 05:512020 / 21,000 women were diagnosed
  • 05:52with this disease and 13,000 of
  • 05:54them succumb to their illness,
  • 05:56and we've alluded to the problem for decades.
  • 05:59Has been that most of these women
  • 06:01presented a very advanced stage,
  • 06:02and as we would expect from with
  • 06:05all cancers or survival outcomes.
  • 06:07Certainly decrease as stage increases,
  • 06:08but we know now through advances in
  • 06:11molecular testing and things that
  • 06:12will talk about further on that.
  • 06:14These are not just all the same
  • 06:17ovarian cancer and the site is very
  • 06:19busy and there's no quiz at the end,
  • 06:22but just to highlight the real
  • 06:24heterogeneous grouping of histologic
  • 06:26subtypes and how important it is
  • 06:27that we expand our knowledge of how
  • 06:30each of these relate to diagnosis
  • 06:32into treatment and to survivorship.
  • 06:34This is a picture taken out of
  • 06:36a book that you know many of us
  • 06:39have probably seen in our
  • 06:40training, highlighting the survivorship
  • 06:42and lifetime experience of women with
  • 06:44ovarian cancer that really shows a sort
  • 06:47of antiquated experience that many of
  • 06:48us have been dealing with for years,
  • 06:50which is survival measured in
  • 06:52many months and not many years.
  • 06:54And I hope we can circle back to this
  • 06:56figure at the end of the talk and
  • 06:58show how these advances in ovarian
  • 07:00cancer have really LED us to believe
  • 07:03that we're going to pull this graph.
  • 07:05From side to side and really expand the
  • 07:08Survivor ship time and disease free time
  • 07:10that our patients are able to experience.
  • 07:12So what came first?
  • 07:13The chicken or the egg?
  • 07:15And you know where did this cancer come from?
  • 07:18Some of you may be aware of the data
  • 07:20that is emerging to suggest that maybe
  • 07:22the most common types of ovarian cancer
  • 07:25actually started in the tube for years.
  • 07:27We thought that it was this obligatory
  • 07:29rupture on the surface of the ring
  • 07:31that was causing these mutations,
  • 07:33and cancer would go on to develop.
  • 07:35But now there's some really exciting.
  • 07:37Research and and special pathology
  • 07:39techniques were identifying these lesions
  • 07:41at a very early stage or what is called
  • 07:43the stick lesion or the precursor lesion,
  • 07:46and through this work and
  • 07:47some very exciting science,
  • 07:49we actually think that the most likely
  • 07:51mechanism is that these these cancers
  • 07:53probably start in the tube and then
  • 07:55migrate into the peritoneal cavity
  • 07:57and spread in the in the way that
  • 08:00we know ovarian cancer to behave,
  • 08:02and so that brings up the opportunity of a
  • 08:05salpingectomy for our women who are average.
  • 08:07Age, risk and what is an
  • 08:09opportunistic salpingectomy?
  • 08:10When are these opportunities?
  • 08:11If you're telling me the cancer
  • 08:13is starting in the tube,
  • 08:15well,
  • 08:15let's take them out so this can
  • 08:16be at times when women are having
  • 08:19hysterectomy for benign indications.
  • 08:21Women who are undergoing cesarean section,
  • 08:22desire surgical sterilization or
  • 08:24perhaps women who are searching,
  • 08:25searching for surgical sterilization.
  • 08:27Outside of pregnancy.
  • 08:28You know,
  • 08:28I hear a lot of providers said to me,
  • 08:31you know,
  • 08:32I've been doing one technique for years.
  • 08:34I do the Pomeroy or the modified
  • 08:36Pomeroy very happy with it.
  • 08:38I'm very comfortable.
  • 08:39Is the data strong and what is the benefit?
  • 08:42And this just highlights some of the
  • 08:44exciting research that's come out of
  • 08:46some of the cancer registry showing
  • 08:48a 35% risk reduction for death from
  • 08:50ovarian cancer in women who underwent
  • 08:51an opportunistic self inject to me.
  • 08:53I hear a lot of people say.
  • 08:55Also, you know, I'm a little worried.
  • 08:58At the time of C-section.
  • 08:59Those tubes are really engorged
  • 09:01or I'm worried about blood loss,
  • 09:03but Jessica McAlpine,
  • 09:03who was a fellow here at Yale a
  • 09:06number of years ago and have gone
  • 09:08on to Vancouver and done amazing
  • 09:10research and work out there.
  • 09:12Show that in her series there was
  • 09:14no increase, blood transfusion,
  • 09:15hospital,
  • 09:16length of admission was the same
  • 09:17and no re emission rates.
  • 09:19Being higher for those who
  • 09:21underwent this procedure and really
  • 09:22only added to 10 to 15 minutes of
  • 09:25additional surgical time, so you know
  • 09:26that's our average age risk women,
  • 09:28but I've Joanne is going to talk about later.
  • 09:31What do we do for patients who are known
  • 09:34to harbor a mutation in one of these genes
  • 09:37that significantly increases their risk?
  • 09:39And we've traditionally been doing
  • 09:41risk reducing bilateral salpingo for
  • 09:43ectomy when women have made that
  • 09:45decision after information is shared,
  • 09:47decision making with their provider.
  • 09:49But there are complications related to
  • 09:51quality of life from surgical menopause.
  • 09:53These are important decisions
  • 09:54that women make,
  • 09:56balancing their quality of life
  • 09:58against the risk of cancer and so.
  • 10:00Two separate research groups have now
  • 10:02collaborated to explore the idea of well,
  • 10:04if this is in the tube,
  • 10:06why not just take out the two?
  • 10:09And so I want to caution you.
  • 10:11This is still an ongoing clinical trial,
  • 10:13but something I wanted to highlight
  • 10:15as emerging evidence that's
  • 10:16hopefully coming down the pipeline.
  • 10:18The Tubo whiffed study,
  • 10:19which is a combination of a an American
  • 10:22and European initiative that looks at
  • 10:24doing just the tube and delaying new
  • 10:26for ectomy for delaying that time again.
  • 10:28We don't have the data yet.
  • 10:30For this,
  • 10:31and we're hoping to see what
  • 10:32emerges from this trial,
  • 10:33but just to highlight the fact
  • 10:35that we're really are focused on
  • 10:37trying to prevent this ovarian
  • 10:38cancer before it even happens,
  • 10:40and finding ways that we can do that,
  • 10:42that balance of quality of life and
  • 10:44individual choices for women when they're
  • 10:46trying to decide what to do for themselves.
  • 10:48Unfortunately,
  • 10:49a number of women will go on to
  • 10:51develop an advanced ovarian cancer,
  • 10:53and I'm sure like many of you and your
  • 10:55guy knock rotation as resident you
  • 10:57were involved in these long complex
  • 11:00operations with lots of disease and we
  • 11:02are really complex surgical debulking
  • 11:04because for decades our knowledge
  • 11:06was that you know a big operation.
  • 11:08Removing all the visible cancer as
  • 11:10possible gives the best outcome to women,
  • 11:12but I'm sure you also saw a lot of
  • 11:15patients experience more bitteti summer.
  • 11:17Fortunately,
  • 11:17mortality and high complication
  • 11:19rates for those.
  • 11:20Who are universally treated with the
  • 11:21same approach so universally taken
  • 11:23to the OR without consideration
  • 11:25of individual life factors.
  • 11:26And so there have been a number of
  • 11:28trials exploring the use of how
  • 11:30we give some chemotherapy.
  • 11:31First, let's shrink this cancer down.
  • 11:33Let's try to have an operation that
  • 11:35maybe is a little less radical,
  • 11:37but can still provide the same
  • 11:39Uncle logic outcome for women.
  • 11:41And this is just one of those
  • 11:43trials that I wanted to highlight
  • 11:45which is the chorus trial.
  • 11:47These folks randomized advanced age
  • 11:48ovarian cancer to undergo either.
  • 11:50Upfront surgery followed by chemotherapy
  • 11:52or some chemotherapy first followed by
  • 11:54surgery followed by more chemotherapy
  • 11:57and therewithal show essentially
  • 11:58the same thing that both arms of
  • 12:00this study showed equal survival,
  • 12:02both overall and progression free
  • 12:04survival and we've now gone on to
  • 12:07further analyze and try to identify
  • 12:09for each individual woman who's
  • 12:11best served by a primary surgery,
  • 12:13who's best served by neoadjuvant
  • 12:15chemotherapy and really trying to
  • 12:17make sure that we're picking the
  • 12:19right thing for the right patient.
  • 12:21And not treating this as just one lump
  • 12:24category of disease and with that has come
  • 12:26the adoption of minimally invasive surgery.
  • 12:29For ovarian cancer,
  • 12:30you know, ten years ago,
  • 12:31this is something we would really
  • 12:33have not even considered or thought about.
  • 12:36But as we're treating more and more
  • 12:38women with neoadjuvant chemotherapy,
  • 12:40we're seeing more and more women who
  • 12:42may be good candidates to undergo
  • 12:44a minimally invasive approach.
  • 12:46So what is the role of robotic surgery?
  • 12:48Minimally invasive surgery?
  • 12:49In this disease, you know?
  • 12:51For women who are not able to
  • 12:53undergo that primary debulking
  • 12:55surgery did individualy factors,
  • 12:56there may be an opportunity to
  • 12:58offer them a surgery with all the
  • 13:00benefits of laparoscopy while still
  • 13:02maintaining the same oncologic outcomes.
  • 13:04And so we're very excited to see the
  • 13:07development of randomized control trials
  • 13:09that are going to answer this question.
  • 13:12These are ongoing,
  • 13:12but until then we continue to look for
  • 13:15patients who are excellent candidates who
  • 13:17may be able to benefit from a minimally
  • 13:20invasive approach when carefully.
  • 13:22Select it.
  • 13:24One additional exciting advance
  • 13:25in the way we do these interval
  • 13:27surgeries is the incorporation of
  • 13:29what is called heated or hyperthermic
  • 13:31intraperitoneal chemotherapy.
  • 13:32For those of you who've taken care
  • 13:35of patients with appendix feel
  • 13:37cancer with some of the other
  • 13:39GI cancers you may be aware of.
  • 13:41This technique for those diseases,
  • 13:43but we've seen randomized evidence
  • 13:44to show that in women who are
  • 13:47carefully selected and offered
  • 13:48this as part of their treatment,
  • 13:50they actually experienced an improvement
  • 13:52in their survival as well again.
  • 13:54All about making the right
  • 13:56selection for the right patient,
  • 13:58taking into account all those
  • 14:00individual life factors.
  • 14:01This is not a one or one solution for
  • 14:04every woman type of disease anymore.
  • 14:07And just to finish off of what I think
  • 14:10is probably some of the more exciting
  • 14:13evidence and will sort of lupus
  • 14:15into joann's discussion very nicely
  • 14:17is really the role of maintenance
  • 14:19therapy and how our understanding of
  • 14:21the biology of the tumor is critical
  • 14:24in assessing individualized treatment.
  • 14:26Patients complete their chemotherapy.
  • 14:27We know that.
  • 14:28Unfortunately,
  • 14:28most of our patients with advanced stage
  • 14:31disease will experience a recurrence
  • 14:33at some point in their cancer journey.
  • 14:35So how can we extend that time between
  • 14:38recurrences while maintaining excellent?
  • 14:40Quality of life.
  • 14:41I'm not going to get too much into
  • 14:44the field of molecular biology here,
  • 14:46but there are some very exciting
  • 14:49studies showing that almost half of
  • 14:51ovarian cancers are deficient in
  • 14:53mechanisms that allow for DNA repair
  • 14:56and without taking us all back to our
  • 14:58undergraduate molecular biology course.
  • 15:00Really.
  • 15:00To just summarize that we're
  • 15:02really exploiting the inherent
  • 15:04problems with these cancer cells
  • 15:06and turning them off themselves,
  • 15:07and so through some very
  • 15:09exciting preclinical and.
  • 15:11Clinical trials we seen that
  • 15:12these class of medications,
  • 15:14called PARP inhibitors,
  • 15:15which are an oral drug taken for two
  • 15:18to three years after chemotherapy.
  • 15:19I've had excellent results in
  • 15:21allowing patients to experience
  • 15:22a prolonged survival solo,
  • 15:24one which was just published a
  • 15:26couple of years ago with probably
  • 15:28the most exciting of these trials.
  • 15:30These were women exclusively with
  • 15:32the bracket one and bracket two
  • 15:35mutation either in their tumor or
  • 15:37in their all of their country,
  • 15:39or all their cells, or both.
  • 15:41The germ line and when given for two
  • 15:43years after they completed their treatment,
  • 15:46they had significantly longer
  • 15:48progression free survival than those
  • 15:50women who went on to take placebo.
  • 15:52And this is hot off the press from
  • 15:54the Fgo meeting about 10 days ago.
  • 15:57Really thrilling results to see the
  • 15:59five year updates of this trial,
  • 16:02and these are just numbers we never
  • 16:04dreamed of seeing an ovarian cancer with
  • 16:06patients were randomized to elaborate,
  • 16:08having a median progression
  • 16:10free survival of almost.
  • 16:11Five years and you know,
  • 16:13if we just think about the women,
  • 16:15we've carefully over the
  • 16:17years with ovarian cancer,
  • 16:18to imagine telling someone after
  • 16:20their initial treatment to expect a
  • 16:22five year progression free survival.
  • 16:23Let's just, you know,
  • 16:25really,
  • 16:25thrilling stuff that we could
  • 16:27have never imagined in the past.
  • 16:29There's still a role for these
  • 16:30types of medications and women
  • 16:32who are not bracket carriers.
  • 16:34Which is why we are very diligent
  • 16:36about testing tumors and understanding
  • 16:38the unique characteristics of
  • 16:39every woman's of varying cancer.
  • 16:41Earth data to support the use of these
  • 16:44drugs in all comers with ovarian cancer,
  • 16:46but the strength of those
  • 16:47recommendations in the data is
  • 16:49certainly less for those women who
  • 16:51don't have these inherent mutations
  • 16:52or changes in their tumor DNA.
  • 16:54So we take the time to really explore
  • 16:56that so we can offer women as much
  • 16:59education and data so they can make
  • 17:01a decision about how they want to,
  • 17:03how they want to manage their care.
  • 17:07This circle back to that figure that
  • 17:09we talked about in the beginning and
  • 17:11to just highlight some of the things
  • 17:13we've talked about tonight and how
  • 17:15we're trying to pull this graph from
  • 17:18side to side and extend the survival.
  • 17:20We hope through perhaps one day
  • 17:22being able to do self inject
  • 17:23to me or to continue doing BS.
  • 17:26So now we're able to prevent
  • 17:27ovarian cancer from developing,
  • 17:29were able to improve the treatment of
  • 17:31women when they are diagnosed with
  • 17:32their disease. Anthru PARP inhibition.
  • 17:34We hope to extend that survival for
  • 17:37women for many many years to come.
  • 17:39And so there's still a lot of
  • 17:41exciting work going on,
  • 17:42and I hope we can go back to you next
  • 17:45year with an update that just shows
  • 17:47that we're measuring the survival.
  • 17:49And many many many, many years.
  • 17:51So with that I thank you so much
  • 17:53for listening and will hand things
  • 17:55over to Joanna. Any questions.
  • 17:57Right now we can take them.
  • 17:59Otherwise we're going to have
  • 18:00a great Q&A session at
  • 18:02the end.
  • 18:07I don't think we have any questions to
  • 18:09Joanna. Maybe you want to lead us in sure.
  • 18:13You're my slides here.
  • 18:15Thank you so much, Doctor Clark for the
  • 18:17opportunity and for inviting me to join
  • 18:20you guys tonight and Doctor Ratner.
  • 18:22Thank you for the nice opening.
  • 18:24Welcome, and so I will certainly
  • 18:26try to keep my talk to 15 minutes.
  • 18:28But if there are any questions
  • 18:30at all during the presentation,
  • 18:32there is a Q&A.
  • 18:34Section at the bottom of your screen
  • 18:36and you can type in a question
  • 18:38and we will get to it either
  • 18:40during the presentation or after.
  • 18:42So I wanted to talk a little bit
  • 18:44more about genetics and Joanne
  • 18:46Oncology and my name is Joanna.
  • 18:48I am a physician assistant
  • 18:49trained at Quinnipiac University.
  • 18:50I graduated in 2008 and I've
  • 18:52been part of the practice at
  • 18:54Yale for about three years now,
  • 18:56so I'm thrilled to share
  • 18:57some information with you.
  • 18:58I have no disclosures tonight.
  • 19:01So we're learning more and more about the
  • 19:04genetics of gynaecologic cancers and so.
  • 19:07Of course,
  • 19:07for the for probably about
  • 19:0920 to 25 years now.
  • 19:11We've known about the bracket
  • 19:13one and bracket two genes,
  • 19:15but we're finding out about the
  • 19:17additional genes that are implicated
  • 19:19in gynaecologic cancers, pal B2,
  • 19:21brip one, the RAD 51 jeans,
  • 19:23and some other ones.
  • 19:25So these mostly lead to increased
  • 19:27risk of breast, ovarian,
  • 19:29fallopian tube, and peritoneal cancer,
  • 19:31as well as possibly pancreatic.
  • 19:32And prostate cancer.
  • 19:34And in bracket two specifically.
  • 19:36A risk of Melanoma.
  • 19:37You may know about the Lynch syndrome
  • 19:40genes or the DNA mismatch repair genes
  • 19:44that can lead to multiple cancers.
  • 19:47We often think about the GI cancers
  • 19:49like bowel or colorectal cancers,
  • 19:51but also endometrial Arian cancers.
  • 19:54Some of the less common genetic
  • 19:56syndromes that we learn about our
  • 19:58leaf from many syndrome or TP5.
  • 20:00The three mutations Cowden syndrome
  • 20:02or PTN and Pronunciator syndrome,
  • 20:04which is the STK 11 or LKB one jeans.
  • 20:08So these can have multiple different
  • 20:10types of cancer and even benign tumors
  • 20:14that affect women with put Seager syndrome.
  • 20:17When we think about the inherited
  • 20:19breast and ovarian cancer syndromes,
  • 20:21we think about about 15 to 20% of
  • 20:23ovarian cancers being caused by
  • 20:25a BRCA or or similar mutation and
  • 20:27about the same for breast cancer.
  • 20:29One of the differences is that
  • 20:31breast cancer also can have more
  • 20:33familial clustering where you can
  • 20:35see these families with multiple
  • 20:36cases of breast cancer but may not
  • 20:39have a specific gene identified,
  • 20:40and we can also see that in
  • 20:42ovarian cancer as well,
  • 20:44we do see women who have a couple different
  • 20:46family members with ovarian cancer.
  • 20:49But no gene identified yet.
  • 20:51So there's probably still more down the
  • 20:54road that we will learn about with the time.
  • 20:57The risks this is probably
  • 20:59a little outdated now.
  • 21:00Now this is from 2018,
  • 21:01but we are, you know,
  • 21:03learning more each year.
  • 21:04The risk with BRCA one and BRCA two
  • 21:07in regards to ovarian cancers is
  • 21:09about 40 to 50% risk but lots of
  • 21:11different numbers that we see for
  • 21:13Braca one anfar bracket two a
  • 21:15little bit lower risk and also a
  • 21:17little bit later in life than the
  • 21:19Bracco one risk for ovarian cancer.
  • 21:26I'm actually going to skip this slide
  • 21:28so it's a really important to test
  • 21:31for test for the BRCA mutations in are
  • 21:34any woman with an ovarian cancers,
  • 21:36especially high grade serous ovarian cancer.
  • 21:38But really now the recommendation is any
  • 21:41ovarian cancer type should have genetic
  • 21:43counseling and offer genetic testing not
  • 21:45only because it can help the patients
  • 21:48in regards to knowing their prognosis.
  • 21:50Knowing their decisions,
  • 21:51for example as Doctor Clark mentioned the.
  • 21:53Carpet hitters and also being able to
  • 21:55put the patient into long term remission
  • 21:58and at that point we sometimes now are
  • 22:00preventing other cancers that we do
  • 22:02have ovarian cancer survivors who are
  • 22:04doing well from their disease and are
  • 22:06now having a risk reducing mastectomy
  • 22:08to prevent breast cancer as well.
  • 22:10Of course,
  • 22:10it's important for the relatives to
  • 22:12know as well so that if there is a
  • 22:15mutation in the patient's DNA then
  • 22:17they can have cascade testing in
  • 22:19the rest of the family members and
  • 22:20who can also have risk reducing
  • 22:22or prevention strategies.
  • 22:26So again, the most common thing that we
  • 22:29like to talk about is hereditary breast,
  • 22:31ovarian and pancreatic cancer.
  • 22:33Specifically the BRCA one
  • 22:35and two genetic mutations.
  • 22:37More common than we used to think,
  • 22:39so depending on the source,
  • 22:41we're now learning that there
  • 22:43is a bracket mutation present in
  • 22:45about 1 in 200 people in general,
  • 22:47and in the Ashkenazi Jewish
  • 22:49population about one in 20 people
  • 22:51may carry a mutation in bracket
  • 22:53one or bracket two, so really,
  • 22:55really not as rare as we used to think.
  • 22:58Recommendation again from the
  • 22:59Cancer Network and this Society of
  • 23:02Joanne Oncology is for universal
  • 23:04genetic counseling and testing
  • 23:05for anyone with ovarian cancer.
  • 23:07Another important thing to remember
  • 23:09is that they are not the same,
  • 23:10so Braca one is not treated or
  • 23:12or prevention is not the same
  • 23:14as the bracket two patients.
  • 23:15So we have to take that into consideration.
  • 23:20Lynch syndrome is the same.
  • 23:21There are different genes,
  • 23:22and they're not all the same,
  • 23:24so we need to make sure that
  • 23:26we're not treating each Lynch
  • 23:27syndrome patient equally.
  • 23:28And I'll show you a nice sample of that.
  • 23:32On the next slide,
  • 23:34genetic testing is recommended
  • 23:35for women with endometrial cancer
  • 23:37or colorectal cancer as well,
  • 23:39men and remote colorectal cancer
  • 23:41who have evidence of what's called
  • 23:43microsatellite instability or
  • 23:44a loss of DNA mismatch repair
  • 23:46proteins on immunohistochemistry.
  • 23:48So this is where now every colon cancer,
  • 23:51an every endometrial cancer is getting.
  • 23:53This special testing the microsatellite,
  • 23:55testing the IHC an if it's
  • 23:58identified that they have an issue.
  • 24:00They will then go for genetic
  • 24:02testing and counseling to see if
  • 24:05they carry a germ line lynched.
  • 24:07Premutation so the the National
  • 24:11Comprehensive Cancer Network has
  • 24:12really nice tables and guidelines
  • 24:14for the prevention of cancer and
  • 24:16the risks of cancer in both the BRCA
  • 24:19mutations and the other mutations
  • 24:20as well for HBO See syndrome,
  • 24:22but also for Lynch syndrome.
  • 24:24So I'm just giving you one example
  • 24:27of the MLH,
  • 24:28one which is the one of the more
  • 24:30common Lynch syndrome genes and it
  • 24:32gives you a specific cancer risks,
  • 24:35or at least ranges of risk compared
  • 24:37to general population for each
  • 24:39of the associated cancers.
  • 24:40And what's really important to know
  • 24:42is that MLH one has a higher risk
  • 24:45of many cancers than for example,
  • 24:47PMS two.
  • 24:48So it's not just Lynch syndrome
  • 24:50is 1 size fits all.
  • 24:55So what are the guidelines for
  • 24:56identifying who should be screened
  • 24:58for genetic cancer syndromes?
  • 25:00Well, I'm just going to go over
  • 25:02briefly in the next 10 minutes or so.
  • 25:05The guidelines from ACOG,
  • 25:07the National Comprehensive
  • 25:08Cancer Network, the USPS TF,
  • 25:10and Society of Duane Oncology.
  • 25:14In a committee opinion piece from 2011,
  • 25:17there were just very general guidelines
  • 25:19that women should have family
  • 25:21history evaluation as a screening
  • 25:23tool should be reviewed and updated
  • 25:26regularly and when appropriate,
  • 25:28further evaluation should be considered
  • 25:30and referral to genetics as needed.
  • 25:32That was updated with a lot
  • 25:35more information in 2019.
  • 25:36So this is kind of talking about you
  • 25:39know every patient in your practice.
  • 25:42In general, Obi Wan should have
  • 25:45a hereditary risk assessment.
  • 25:46Taking a good family history and
  • 25:49if there's suggested that there's
  • 25:51an increased risk of a hereditary
  • 25:53syndrome referring to a specialist,
  • 25:55or if you have the expertise in genetics,
  • 25:58then or someone in your practice.
  • 26:00For example,
  • 26:01a practice nurse can give that counseling
  • 26:03and make an educated decision about
  • 26:06genetic testing for the patient
  • 26:08or the appropriate family member.
  • 26:12We are now doing more multigene testing,
  • 26:14so this is panel testing as opposed to
  • 26:16just the Braca one and bracket two test.
  • 26:19It's much more affordable than
  • 26:20it used to be and the tests are
  • 26:22better than they used to be,
  • 26:24so we also recommend that people
  • 26:26who had genetic testing before
  • 26:27about 2012 be offered updated
  • 26:29panel testing to make sure that we
  • 26:31didn't miss anything back then.
  • 26:35Another guideline talks about the importance
  • 26:37of pre test and post test counseling,
  • 26:39so I know these are busy slides,
  • 26:41but talking about you know what it
  • 26:43means to have genetic testing what
  • 26:45the result might be and what it might
  • 26:48mean for their family for themselves
  • 26:50for their medical insurance and life
  • 26:52insurance and how to communicate those
  • 26:54results to the patient and counsel
  • 26:56them after the test results are back.
  • 27:02If there is a clinically significant
  • 27:04mutation, patients should really be
  • 27:05encouraged to share the results with
  • 27:07their family members and recommend
  • 27:08that the family members also be tested
  • 27:10and that can be really hard to manage.
  • 27:12The question is, am I then as the provider
  • 27:15responsible for the family members?
  • 27:16And that's sometimes where a
  • 27:18genetic counselor can really help
  • 27:19you by drafting a letter,
  • 27:20the patient can give the letter to
  • 27:22their family members and they can
  • 27:24help share the information for how
  • 27:26everybody in the family can get tested.
  • 27:30The USPS TF recommendations were
  • 27:32updated about a year and a half ago,
  • 27:35and this was in 2019 and one of
  • 27:37the biggest changes to this was
  • 27:39when collecting a family history
  • 27:41to also collect information about
  • 27:43any Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry.
  • 27:45So really, that should be one of
  • 27:47your questions on the screening
  • 27:49for family history.
  • 27:50Do you have any family history of cancer?
  • 27:53What types of cancer, what relatives? And?
  • 27:56Is there any Jewish ancestry in your family?
  • 27:59So that's one of the biggest.
  • 28:01Updates in the guidelines.
  • 28:04Again, the is talking about
  • 28:06integrating services,
  • 28:07individualizing your questions,
  • 28:08and plan for genetic testing for
  • 28:11your patients to optimize the
  • 28:13benefit and minimize the harm.
  • 28:17So that the USPS TF report was published
  • 28:21in JAMA about a year and a half ago.
  • 28:24Again, talking about identifying
  • 28:26appropriate candidates for genetic testing
  • 28:28and then what type of tests to order.
  • 28:31So there's lots of different
  • 28:33steps in the process about what
  • 28:35are the harms of asking?
  • 28:37What are the harms of testing?
  • 28:40What are the harms of
  • 28:42intervention after we test?
  • 28:47I do see a question in the Q&A
  • 28:49that will try to get to shortly.
  • 28:51So the USPSTF recommendation does give
  • 28:54a B recommendation that primary care.
  • 28:56Clinicians, including Obi Wans,
  • 28:58assess women with a personal or
  • 29:00family history of breast, ovarian,
  • 29:02tubal or peritoneal cancers,
  • 29:04who have any ancestry associated with
  • 29:06BRCA mutations with an appropriate risk
  • 29:09tool and they do give some options
  • 29:11for different tools to use and if
  • 29:14there's a positive result on the tool,
  • 29:17they should receive genetic
  • 29:19counseling and potentially genetic
  • 29:21testing if they're interested.
  • 29:23They do not recommend.
  • 29:26Counseling for women whose ancestry is
  • 29:28not associated with a potential mutation.
  • 29:31So we're not sending everybody
  • 29:33every woman for genetic testing.
  • 29:38One of the examples is a seven
  • 29:41question family history screening,
  • 29:43others included Ontario
  • 29:44Family History Assessment,
  • 29:45Manchester Scoring System,
  • 29:47the referral screening tool,
  • 29:48a pedigree assessment tool
  • 29:50and the tire acoustic model,
  • 29:52which is good for breast cancer risk.
  • 29:55So these are just short screening
  • 29:57models that can be used in your
  • 29:59practice for regular annual visits.
  • 30:03Shifting gears to the SGO,
  • 30:04SGO again recommends genetic
  • 30:06counseling and testing for women who
  • 30:08are at risk of having a hereditary
  • 30:10breast and ovarian cancer syndrome.
  • 30:12They are recommending more
  • 30:13and more now to again,
  • 30:15have somebody help you with that,
  • 30:17or as a primary provider to have
  • 30:19the expertise and I'll show you
  • 30:21some ways that we can gain that
  • 30:23expertise to provide genetic
  • 30:24counseling for our patients.
  • 30:26It is always important to have experts
  • 30:29available after tests to help you know,
  • 30:31interpret the tests and recommend
  • 30:33the treatment plan.
  • 30:35Important to have an interdisciplinary
  • 30:36team and I'll show you who the
  • 30:38team members might be for somebody
  • 30:39who has a hereditary cancer risk.
  • 30:45This talks about their women's personal
  • 30:47cancer history and the family cancer
  • 30:50history and who should be offered
  • 30:52genetic counseling and testing.
  • 30:54So there's anybody with a high grade ovarian
  • 30:57cancer of breast cancer early in life,
  • 30:59pre menopausal women who have a limit that
  • 31:02family history or family history is unknown.
  • 31:05Women who have a pancreatic cancer,
  • 31:07family history or prostate cancer.
  • 31:09Women who have a triple
  • 31:11negative breast cancer.
  • 31:13Women who have breast cancer with
  • 31:15Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, etc.
  • 31:19And then there may also be situations
  • 31:21where you'd want to refer for
  • 31:23genetic counseling even if you
  • 31:25don't know the family history.
  • 31:27So for example, if someone
  • 31:28has very few female relatives,
  • 31:30many relatives had hysterectomy at
  • 31:32a young age for unknown reasons,
  • 31:34or there's adoption in the lineages and
  • 31:36you may not know also for Lynch syndrome.
  • 31:39Again, mutations anyone with an
  • 31:41endometrial or colorectal cancer
  • 31:42has the mismatch repair genes
  • 31:44or microsatellite instability.
  • 31:45Or again, depending on the
  • 31:47family history of colorectal.
  • 31:49Are gynecological cancers?
  • 31:54If you don't have access
  • 31:56to the NCC and guidelines,
  • 31:58I would certainly encourage you to sign up.
  • 32:01It's a free membership for NCC N.
  • 32:04To access the guidelines for prevention and
  • 32:07cancer risk reduction an A couple years ago.
  • 32:10Now, this was changed from breast
  • 32:12and ovarian cancer, now to breast,
  • 32:14ovarian and pancreatic cancer syndrome,
  • 32:16so pancreatic cancer is becoming more
  • 32:18recognized as part of this cancer history
  • 32:21syndrome syndrome and pancreatic cancer.
  • 32:24Is now an indication for genetic counseling
  • 32:26and testing as well as any first degree
  • 32:28relative of a pancreatic cancer patient.
  • 32:30Should have genetic testing if
  • 32:33that person is no longer living.
  • 32:36So, NCCN recommends that pretest
  • 32:38counseling be done prior to testing.
  • 32:40Consideration of the most appropriate
  • 32:42test to order and then post test
  • 32:45counseling when the results are disclosed.
  • 32:47So then anybody who again has that
  • 32:50experience and expertise in cancer
  • 32:53genetics should be involved at each stage.
  • 32:56And so there's some good algorithms
  • 32:58to help with how we do this,
  • 33:00how we help the family and what the
  • 33:03outcomes might mean for our patients.
  • 33:06The NCCN also has some really nice
  • 33:08tables about what the cancer risks
  • 33:10are and what the recommendations are,
  • 33:12so this is just one page of the guidelines,
  • 33:15but there are actually 3 pages that
  • 33:17include each of the different mutations
  • 33:20that your patient might carry.
  • 33:22And of course,
  • 33:23they're not all treated the same.
  • 33:25So for example,
  • 33:26we've seen patients in our office who
  • 33:28understood or heard that that he or
  • 33:30she carries a mutation in the bracket
  • 33:32gene and they come to us saying,
  • 33:34I have the Angelina Jolie gene,
  • 33:36and then we find out that on their
  • 33:38genetic testing they actually carry brip,
  • 33:41one which has a much lower risk and is
  • 33:43managed very differently than brocco,
  • 33:45so it's important for us.
  • 33:46We like to see the patients genetic
  • 33:49testing results with our very
  • 33:50own eyes before we start to make
  • 33:52management recommendations.
  • 33:53So just to kind of move on here,
  • 33:56this is what's really
  • 33:57important for our patients.
  • 33:59It is a long process.
  • 34:00We need to 1st identify the risk,
  • 34:02give some counseling,
  • 34:03identify who the best person in the
  • 34:05family would be for genetic testing.
  • 34:07Have that person tested.
  • 34:09Do the post test counseling.
  • 34:10So what does it mean?
  • 34:12If it's a positive or negative test result,
  • 34:14offer testing for the rest
  • 34:16of the family members.
  • 34:17That's called cascade testing.
  • 34:19Provide emotional support and that
  • 34:20really is part of the entire process,
  • 34:22not just a single step in the process.
  • 34:25We have to emotionally support our
  • 34:27patients with this complex disc.
  • 34:28Asian making referrer as
  • 34:30appropriate for breast surveillance
  • 34:32on gynecological surveillance,
  • 34:34pancreatic surveillance skin exams,
  • 34:36all the different referrals
  • 34:39that are necessary.
  • 34:41Support them in fertility decisions
  • 34:44about their children if they are young.
  • 34:48And then provide the cancer surveillance
  • 34:51and cancer prevention if we can.
  • 34:53So it is a lot of work.
  • 34:55There are a lot of questions
  • 34:57that we can ask
  • 34:58ourselves. Do I do I have time to
  • 35:00collect a full family pedigree?
  • 35:02Do I remember how to do that?
  • 35:04Does the patient know their family history
  • 35:06or do we need to go back and gather more
  • 35:09information from other family members?
  • 35:11Do I? How do I know what test to order?
  • 35:13Does my patient, you know,
  • 35:15have the emotional readiness for the testing?
  • 35:17Will they be OK with the result?
  • 35:19Do they want to be tested or do they
  • 35:21want not want to know their genetics?
  • 35:24Should I recommend or?
  • 35:25If my patient asks about things like 23
  • 35:28andme or the direct to consumer testing,
  • 35:30do I know how to help him
  • 35:32or her interpret that test?
  • 35:35Who is the right person to be test tested?
  • 35:37Am I ordering the right test?
  • 35:39Am I ordering from the right company?
  • 35:41What is the test mean?
  • 35:42You know this is not just
  • 35:44positive or negative anymore.
  • 35:45It's now likely pathogenic,
  • 35:46pathogenic, likely benign or benign,
  • 35:48and then in the middle there's
  • 35:50this variant where we know
  • 35:51there's a change in the gene,
  • 35:53but we don't know if it's
  • 35:55necessarily cancer causing.
  • 35:57How do we proceed with the family members?
  • 35:59Do I have to follow up all the
  • 36:01family members testing and how well
  • 36:03does it affect my patient as far
  • 36:05as insurability and general health?
  • 36:08So there's a lot of things that we may
  • 36:10not know how to help our patient with,
  • 36:12and we need to know where to
  • 36:14refer them to if needed.
  • 36:15This is what I was talking about
  • 36:17with a different test results
  • 36:18that can occur on testing.
  • 36:22And if you've ever come into, you know,
  • 36:25finding a test result or coming into a
  • 36:27conundrum where you didn't know the answer.
  • 36:30You're not alone, and there's actually
  • 36:31a series of articles from some of our
  • 36:34Yale genetic counseling colleagues.
  • 36:36Karina Byerly, who's one
  • 36:37of our genetic counselors?
  • 36:38Danielle Bonadies,
  • 36:39Danielle Campfield was her maiden name,
  • 36:41who is one of our genetic counselors
  • 36:43who's no longer at Yale but has
  • 36:45done some great work and talking
  • 36:47about the errors that can happen.
  • 36:49The wrong test is ordered.
  • 36:51The test result is misinterpreted,
  • 36:53or there's not enough patients.
  • 36:55Follow up so it happens.
  • 36:56It's not common.
  • 36:57It's not uncommon for the test
  • 36:59to be interpreted incorrectly,
  • 37:01and that's where our genetic counseling
  • 37:04colleagues can really help us.
  • 37:07It certainly takes a village
  • 37:09to support these patients,
  • 37:10so whether your patient has a
  • 37:12mutation or has a family history.
  • 37:14First of all, she's probably seen cancer,
  • 37:17and she's probably experienced
  • 37:18a loved one who's been diagnosed
  • 37:20and treated for cancer,
  • 37:22and there's trauma involved in that.
  • 37:24The patient probably has a lot of
  • 37:26questions and concerns about her family,
  • 37:28her children,
  • 37:29what it means for her health,
  • 37:31and so it takes a lot of people to
  • 37:34really help support this patient in
  • 37:36making sure she gets the best care.
  • 37:41A smile has some great resources.
  • 37:43The cancer genetics and Prevention program,
  • 37:46which is available also by telemedicine.
  • 37:48These days there's a lot of resources
  • 37:50from ACOG that are available online.
  • 37:53Jackson laboratory up at UConn has some
  • 37:56modules that I'll show you shortly
  • 37:58SGO has some information and there is
  • 38:01a fee if you're really interested.
  • 38:03A certificate program that's online in
  • 38:06clinical genetics and genomics and this
  • 38:08program is actually for physicians or nurses,
  • 38:10or. PSA PRNS who are interested in learning
  • 38:13more about genetics and want to, you know,
  • 38:16help advance their care, and it's all.
  • 38:19It's a one year online program.
  • 38:22The Jackson Laboratory genetics modules
  • 38:24are great because they're 15 minutes
  • 38:26case based and they do give you CME
  • 38:29credits so those are available at
  • 38:31Jackson Lab which is part of UConn and
  • 38:33there are 11 cases in that in those
  • 38:36modules and the Society of Joanna
  • 38:38Kalaji also has a genetics tool kit
  • 38:40that has seven case based modules
  • 38:43that's available for providers on line.
  • 38:47Yale's cancer Genetics and Prevention
  • 38:48program is at the Saint Rayfield
  • 38:51campus in New Haven. It's Co.
  • 38:53Directed by Doctor Hofstetter and Doctor
  • 38:55Your who managed Breast and GI Oncology,
  • 38:57Doctor Bale is the genetic scientific
  • 38:59director and there are many great
  • 39:01genetic counselors available to
  • 39:03answer any questions that we have.
  • 39:05And of course, Dr Ratner and
  • 39:07myself are there to support women.
  • 39:09And Doctor Ferrell helps with
  • 39:12pancreatic cancer surveillance.
  • 39:14Genetics can be referd through
  • 39:16epic or by calling 201 DNA.
  • 39:21And with that I will stop and
  • 39:22take questions or we can move
  • 39:24on to the next presentation.
  • 39:25Please feel free to contact
  • 39:26us anytime you can email.
  • 39:28Call me and we're happy to
  • 39:29help see patients or help with
  • 39:31answering any questions or getting
  • 39:32you to the right people.
  • 39:33So thank you so much I will hand it
  • 39:35back over to Doctor Clark and we
  • 39:37can take questions if we need to.
  • 39:41Thanks Joanna. I think you know,
  • 39:42I think this is a great question by Kim.
  • 39:45Thanks Kim for for sharing your personal
  • 39:47experience with the meeting and maybe
  • 39:49I'll just read out Kim's comments,
  • 39:51slash question and maybe you
  • 39:53can give us a little bit of
  • 39:55guidance from your perspective.
  • 39:56Joanna so Kim writes just to say
  • 39:58that it was recommended to me.
  • 40:01When I received a breast cancer
  • 40:03diagnosis in prior to genetic testing
  • 40:04to go ahead and secure life insurance,
  • 40:07if a mutation is identified,
  • 40:08it can make it difficult and
  • 40:10or impossible to get coverage.
  • 40:11I thought this was a great idea and
  • 40:15share that with my patients now.
  • 40:17So what's your experience or or is this
  • 40:20a question that you get from patients
  • 40:23who come through the Genics program
  • 40:25that you oversee June? We absolutely do,
  • 40:28and so if you haven't learned about it,
  • 40:31there's something called the genetic
  • 40:33Information Nondiscrimination Act or Gina
  • 40:36and Gina prevents people with a genetic
  • 40:39predisposition to cancer from being.
  • 40:41Denied a job or health insurance.
  • 40:43Unfortunately Gina does not protect people
  • 40:45from being denied life insurance coverage,
  • 40:48so life insurance certainly is
  • 40:50something to consider before
  • 40:52people undergo genetic testing.
  • 40:53If that's important to you and the
  • 40:56genetic counselors are pretty good
  • 40:58at talking about that as well.
  • 41:01But for health insurance and for employment,
  • 41:03there is some legal protection from
  • 41:07discrimination for people who have.
  • 41:09A predisposition to cancer
  • 41:11re thank you. Alright, so we'll just move
  • 41:13on to our final session for the evening.
  • 41:16We're going to switch gears a little
  • 41:19bit away from ovarian cancer and
  • 41:21genetics and how that relates to
  • 41:23gynecological cancers and talk a
  • 41:25little bit about cervical cancer,
  • 41:27both prevention and detection.
  • 41:28I think we have a great group tonight
  • 41:31that ranges from gynecologist to
  • 41:33those who do a lot more primary care,
  • 41:36so I thought this would be a relevant.
  • 41:39Discussion to talk a little bit of
  • 41:42the updates from the SCCP will talk
  • 41:44a little bit about HPV vaccination
  • 41:47and understanding the role of HPV,
  • 41:49and so I'm just going to switch
  • 41:53over my slides here. OK. Great.
  • 41:57And it's the same me talking.
  • 42:01We're just going to shuffle over
  • 42:04to physical cancer prevention.
  • 42:06And.
  • 42:08So we're going to review a little
  • 42:10bit The Who global strategy
  • 42:11to eliminate cervical cancer,
  • 42:13which has been recently put forward and
  • 42:15discussed heavily at the recent fgo meeting.
  • 42:17As this is a priority for The Who,
  • 42:20but then loop that back to how does that
  • 42:22affect us here at home in Connecticut?
  • 42:25In the United States,
  • 42:26will talk quite extensively about
  • 42:28the data on HPV vaccination as well
  • 42:30as the indications and how that has
  • 42:32evolved overtime and then learn to
  • 42:34apply technique for how we can improve
  • 42:36our vaccination rates here at home.
  • 42:38Specifically related to what?
  • 42:40We're kind of coining the catch up cohort,
  • 42:42and then we'll segue into a little bit
  • 42:45of a discussion on the updated 2019
  • 42:47AFC CP guidelines and how the newly
  • 42:50developed app that can be downloaded
  • 42:52from the Android or iTunes Store.
  • 42:55It can really help you guide your
  • 42:57decision making and provide women the
  • 43:00most individualized risk assessment
  • 43:01when trying to decide how to manage
  • 43:04abnormal cytology or biopsy results.
  • 43:06I don't have any financial disclosures
  • 43:08were not talking about anything off label,
  • 43:11but I do want to just acknowledge
  • 43:13and thank Merck for providing some
  • 43:15of the infographics and informatics
  • 43:17on HPV data as it relates to the
  • 43:20cervical and head and neck cancer.
  • 43:23We're going to talk extensively about today.
  • 43:26So again,
  • 43:27I think this is all very
  • 43:29familiar information,
  • 43:30but worthwhile to remember that cervical
  • 43:32cancer is really a global burden.
  • 43:34It's the fourth most common cause
  • 43:36of cancer in women worldwide,
  • 43:38and in 2018,
  • 43:39/ 1/2 A million women were diagnosed with
  • 43:42this disease and over 300,000 of women died.
  • 43:45Almost all cervical cancers are
  • 43:47related to an HPV infection,
  • 43:49and what we see here on the top is a
  • 43:52figure that highlights the incidence
  • 43:54of cervical cancer worldwide,
  • 43:56where we see a disproportionate burden.
  • 43:59African countries as well as
  • 44:01certain South American countries.
  • 44:02And then when we juxtapose
  • 44:04that against the bottom image,
  • 44:06showing the implementation of
  • 44:08publicly funded HPV vaccine programs,
  • 44:10we really see how HPV vaccination
  • 44:12and prevention through primary
  • 44:14prevention methods have been effective.
  • 44:16And it's just unfortunately not
  • 44:17available in the region of the world
  • 44:20where this disease is prevalent,
  • 44:21as it is here, the devil would show
  • 44:23is really taking a multi prong public
  • 44:25health approach to try to reduce the
  • 44:28burden of physical cancer worldwide.
  • 44:30And the best way to do that
  • 44:32is through prevention.
  • 44:33Primary prevention through
  • 44:34vaccination efforts,
  • 44:34and I'm not going to all of the
  • 44:37details of their of their plan.
  • 44:39But what I do want to highlight is
  • 44:41that you know as much as we talk
  • 44:44about this as a global problem.
  • 44:46We really have an opportunity for
  • 44:49improvement closer to home and
  • 44:51this is the CDC data on vaccination
  • 44:54rates as of 2018 for HPV vaccine,
  • 44:56and we see that for girls age 13 to
  • 44:5917 and boys age 13 to 17 are rates of
  • 45:03vaccination were approximately 50%.
  • 45:06That's pretty low when we compare
  • 45:08that to other vaccines given in
  • 45:11the same age category.
  • 45:12So we think Mcninja cockle,
  • 45:15which has a 90 to 95% vaccination uptake.
  • 45:18Great,
  • 45:18there really is an opportunity to
  • 45:20improve here and I hope at the end
  • 45:22of this will have highlighted some
  • 45:23techniques in ways that you can
  • 45:25improve that in your own practice.
  • 45:28Just want to go through sort of the
  • 45:30impact of HPV and again I want to
  • 45:33thank Mark for providing some of
  • 45:35this information or these graphics
  • 45:37which really depict the burden
  • 45:39that HPV has on the lower genital
  • 45:41tract and head and neck disease.
  • 45:44They are over 14 million new HPV infections,
  • 45:46nearly an almost half of these
  • 45:49are in people aged 15 to 24.
  • 45:51These HPV infections will go on to
  • 45:53account for **** genital diseases,
  • 45:55including cervical, vulvar,
  • 45:56and vaginal cancer, but also a high number.
  • 45:59**** cancers as well that will
  • 46:01affect both men and women,
  • 46:02and I think that will should really
  • 46:04be a theme throughout is really the
  • 46:06impact that is also happening on men,
  • 46:08especially for our audience who
  • 46:10may have a practice where they
  • 46:12see both men and women.
  • 46:13But if their efficacy in
  • 46:15this vaccine and how?
  • 46:17What is the data show in terms of
  • 46:20the prevention of these cancers?
  • 46:21And we see that in people aged
  • 46:2416 to 23 in multiple studies,
  • 46:26those cancers that were HPV related.
  • 46:28Specifically,
  • 46:29there were significant efficacy in
  • 46:31reducing the burden of HPV related
  • 46:33malignancies as well in student awards,
  • 46:35which are significant burden on
  • 46:37both our patients but also in our
  • 46:39health care system and millions of
  • 46:41dollars expense annually on managing
  • 46:43these diseases that are really
  • 46:45preventable through primary prevention.
  • 46:47So what are the indications according
  • 46:50to the FDA and half of right now it
  • 46:53is indicated for girls and women
  • 46:559 through 45 and talk about the
  • 46:58expansion to 45 for the prevention
  • 47:00of the following diseases.
  • 47:01So this is cervical, vulvar,
  • 47:03vaginal, **** oropharyngeal,
  • 47:04another head and neck,
  • 47:06cancers related to HPV,
  • 47:07as well as the benign but bothersome
  • 47:10genital warts that are caused by the
  • 47:136:11 subtype as well as prevention
  • 47:15of the pre invasive disease of
  • 47:17the lower channel.
  • 47:19Tract is a very similar recommendation for
  • 47:22boys. However, obviously know CI Nbin vein,
  • 47:26but otherwise I'm very similar.
  • 47:30Recommendation indication there?
  • 47:31So where does the data come that helps
  • 47:34us guide our decision making regarding
  • 47:36the expansion of the vaccine towards
  • 47:38people who are 24 to 45 and so in this
  • 47:40study and this is a sort of end of study.
  • 47:44Follow up paper looking at this age
  • 47:46group specifically in women and they
  • 47:48use the quadrivalent vaccine and we
  • 47:50have no reason to believe that the
  • 47:52efficacy will not be as good in the
  • 47:55nano valent vaccine Gardasil Nine.
  • 47:56They looked at a number of
  • 47:58outcomes related to HPV.
  • 48:00Section and here in the per protocol name.
  • 48:02Besides that, because the intention
  • 48:04to treat is a little bit different,
  • 48:06we look at the observed efficacy of the
  • 48:09vaccine in preventing a number of different.
  • 48:12Outcomes and when we look at overall
  • 48:15persistent infection or CNN or other
  • 48:17disease of lower genital tract,
  • 48:19the efficacy was about 88% a little better
  • 48:22in those who are younger and a little less,
  • 48:26and those who are older.
  • 48:28However,
  • 48:28the the impact CIN two or three or worse.
  • 48:32Although listed as 83.
  • 48:34Unfortunately those confident
  • 48:35interval do cross one and so the the
  • 48:39impact there may not be as strong.
  • 48:41However you know.
  • 48:42I've had many patients who come
  • 48:44into my office.
  • 48:45Not a lot of questions about this
  • 48:47and they fit in that age category
  • 48:48and we'll talk about how to address
  • 48:50that on a very individualized
  • 48:52individual risk assessment so that
  • 48:54we can help women make informed
  • 48:56decisions with the data that we have.
  • 48:59So currently the CDC recommends
  • 49:01that as of 2019,
  • 49:03harmonization of catch up vaccination
  • 49:06for appropriate persons through
  • 49:08age 26 should be undertaken and the
  • 49:11that group from 27 on 245 is really
  • 49:14shared clinical decision making.
  • 49:16So I saw a young woman recently
  • 49:18in my practice who have been in
  • 49:22a monogamist relationship since
  • 49:24their first ****** encounter.
  • 49:26She's now 2829 years old.
  • 49:28Unfortunately,
  • 49:29she.
  • 49:30Gone through into 4th and it's
  • 49:32reentering the dating and had
  • 49:34questions about the efficacy of
  • 49:36this and so we talked about that and
  • 49:39through shared clinical decision
  • 49:41making she decided to proceed
  • 49:43with getting the vaccination.
  • 49:44Now that's not to say that that
  • 49:46is going to provide her the same
  • 49:49efficacy of someone at the younger age
  • 49:52category of the FDA recommendations,
  • 49:54but she still falls within the CDC
  • 49:57and the FDA recommendations and.
  • 49:59I would encourage you to have those.
  • 50:00Conversations with patients on
  • 50:03a very individualized level.
  • 50:05So there are a number of women
  • 50:07nationwide still could benefit
  • 50:09from updating their vaccination
  • 50:10status through this catch up cohort
  • 50:13and even more importantly,
  • 50:14are a number of men and so for those
  • 50:17of you who also take care of a
  • 50:19man in your primary care practice,
  • 50:22I would encourage you to consider
  • 50:25this and when speaking with them about
  • 50:28their overall primary prevention.
  • 50:30We can't go through a talk in this
  • 50:31time period without discussing
  • 50:33safety of vaccine.
  • 50:34It's on everybody's mind
  • 50:35with the covid vaccine,
  • 50:36but just to highlight that this is a
  • 50:39very safe vaccine with very minimal
  • 50:41side effects and low grade toxicities.
  • 50:43So what can we do to increase vaccination
  • 50:46rates here in Connecticut to try to prevent
  • 50:48all of these HPV related infections?
  • 50:51And more importantly,
  • 50:52is HPV related building that sees and
  • 50:54we want to assess the immunization
  • 50:56status and for patients at each
  • 50:58clinical encounter and then what I
  • 51:00think is probably the most important
  • 51:02is the recommendation of the provider
  • 51:04and patients very much rely on
  • 51:06your opinion in your and value your
  • 51:08input into their decision making
  • 51:10and so by educating yourself about
  • 51:12this data in these recommendations.
  • 51:14You'll be able to provide a strong
  • 51:17recommendation is appropriate
  • 51:18for that patient.
  • 51:19We want to either administer within
  • 51:21our own practices or refer onto a
  • 51:23either a pharmacy or clinic that can
  • 51:26provide vaccination and to ensure that
  • 51:28our vaccination status is updated and
  • 51:31documented for all of our patients.
  • 51:33These measures are supported by
  • 51:35ACOG and encouraged and there are
  • 51:37a number of opportunities that you
  • 51:39could look at in the evolution of
  • 51:42their relationship with your patients.
  • 51:44Beginning is when they transition
  • 51:46from care from the pediatricians
  • 51:48office into gynecological care,
  • 51:50and so perhaps they did not or
  • 51:52not offered or or did not accept
  • 51:55vaccination in that earlier cohort
  • 51:57than nine nine years and up.
  • 52:00And so this transition into care
  • 52:02interview I am practice is an
  • 52:04opportunity to re address the data
  • 52:06and and discuss that opportunity
  • 52:08with patients when we're giving
  • 52:11other vaccines brings up another
  • 52:13opportunity to discuss.
  • 52:14The increased use of HPV vaccination
  • 52:16and we talked before a little bit
  • 52:19about how Mcninja cockle vaccine
  • 52:21given at a very similar age have
  • 52:23very high rates of uptake.
  • 52:25But we do not see that same experience
  • 52:27with HPV and so by including HPV
  • 52:29vaccination in the discussion at
  • 52:31the same time will provide an
  • 52:33opportunity hopefully to see increased
  • 52:36rates of vaccination.
  • 52:38As people are heading off to college,
  • 52:40this provides another
  • 52:42opportunity for counseling,
  • 52:43either in combination with other counseling
  • 52:45efforts regarding perhaps birth control,
  • 52:47or pap smears,
  • 52:48but this is another opportunity
  • 52:50where you may be able to provide an
  • 52:53opportunity for man or woman to become
  • 52:56vaccinated prior to heading off to college.
  • 53:00And like I said before,
  • 53:01the greatest predictor in this
  • 53:02affectionate and a lot of studies
  • 53:04is really the recommendation
  • 53:05of the health care provider,
  • 53:07and so take that to heart and and
  • 53:10patience really value that we're trying
  • 53:12to make a decision on what to do.
  • 53:15I'm definitely gonna laryngologist
  • 53:16or any anti through my.
  • 53:18I want to highlight how we're really
  • 53:20trying to expand the messaging
  • 53:21around vaccination to not just
  • 53:23be related to cervical cancer,
  • 53:25but the word in the HPV has on
  • 53:28the number of other head and neck
  • 53:30cancers into frame.
  • 53:31Our discussions,
  • 53:32more around HPV vaccination as a way
  • 53:34to hopefully prevent a malignancy
  • 53:36and less around the HPV infection
  • 53:38itself and the stigma that may be associated
  • 53:41with that for one reason or another.
  • 53:43We see that there is a relationship between.
  • 53:46HPV and cancers of the head and neck.
  • 53:48And we see that the prevalence of different
  • 53:51HPV types is very similar to what we
  • 53:53see in our cervical cancer patients.
  • 53:56Very interesting Lee.
  • 53:57We've seen a decline of
  • 53:59cervical cancer over the years,
  • 54:00but are beginning to see an increased
  • 54:03rate of oral, pharyngeal cancer,
  • 54:05especially among men,
  • 54:06and there are significantly more or
  • 54:08fragile cancers diagnosed annually,
  • 54:09which just brings even more
  • 54:11importance to why we need to include
  • 54:14that as part of our counseling.
  • 54:16And when we're discussing the benefits
  • 54:18that we can expect from HPV vaccination,
  • 54:21males are affected 5 times more than females
  • 54:24when it comes to these types of cancers.
  • 54:27And so it really is behooves us to discuss
  • 54:29these benefits at every clinical encounter.
  • 54:32So if you're carrying for a mother who
  • 54:34has a male child who is perhaps of the age
  • 54:37that he could benefit from HPV vaccination,
  • 54:41that's an important discussion that you
  • 54:43can have as the primary care provider
  • 54:45of the mother of the grandmother,
  • 54:47whoever it is,
  • 54:48and the more that we move this
  • 54:50conversation towards HBF and infection.
  • 54:52And HPV vaccination as a cancer
  • 54:55prevention strategy.
  • 54:55We hope to see increased rates
  • 54:58of vaccination.
  • 54:59And again, I think again, you know,
  • 55:02I can't phrase it out any other
  • 55:04way than just we have to try to,
  • 55:06you know,
  • 55:07provide our patients with all of the
  • 55:09data in all of the information on the
  • 55:11potential benefits of this cancer
  • 55:13prevention strategy and hope that
  • 55:14through that we can remove some of the
  • 55:17stigma associated with HPV vaccination.
  • 55:18And it highlights the importance
  • 55:21for both men and for women.
  • 55:23So with that in mind,
  • 55:25and having you know,
  • 55:26talked on and on about the importance of
  • 55:28HPV and how it relates to cervical cancer,
  • 55:31I do want to talk a little bit of both.
  • 55:35The updated ASEP management
  • 55:36guidelines and how they are really
  • 55:38well summarized in what I think is
  • 55:40a pretty easy to use app that you
  • 55:43may consider incorporating into your
  • 55:44practice and and as a way to help
  • 55:46with stratify and provide patients
  • 55:48with the most up-to-date information
  • 55:50on the risk of cervical cancer.
  • 55:52And so this app reflects the 2019.
  • 55:55Updated guidelines and once in the
  • 55:57greatest shift is it really highlights
  • 55:59the incorporation in the important of
  • 56:01test history into calculating risk.
  • 56:04So you'll see and will provide an
  • 56:06example tonight of how it looks,
  • 56:09but it's not just about that one.
  • 56:12Single smears a snapshot in time.
  • 56:14The data is really supporting the use
  • 56:16of understanding a woman's history of
  • 56:19dysplasia in history of HPV infection.
  • 56:21In order to really understand what is
  • 56:25her individualized risk assessment.
  • 56:27And so we've known for a number of years now.
  • 56:31The HPV based testing strategies are
  • 56:33certainly superior to cytology alone.
  • 56:35This is really a Sentinel paper
  • 56:37that highlighted that showing
  • 56:39that on the bottom here we can
  • 56:41see HPV and HPV Co testing in
  • 56:44the incidence of Cinc predicted.
  • 56:45The incidence of CI and three or more above
  • 56:49in the pop history is well really matters.
  • 56:52This is a paper currently impressing
  • 56:54highlighted at the recent FGO meeting.
  • 56:57Just highlighting the real importance
  • 56:58in understanding the multiple
  • 57:00prior screening events that a
  • 57:02woman has undergone and trying to
  • 57:04assess her individual life risk.
  • 57:05And that's what this app really
  • 57:07provides a chance to individualize.
  • 57:09Some of the risk assessment so they
  • 57:12can make appropriate decisions for
  • 57:14themselves and so we see here on
  • 57:16the left that a woman with three
  • 57:19negative code tests really have a near
  • 57:21negligible risk of a CIN 3 or above.
  • 57:24Whereas someone who is HPV positive
  • 57:26or persistently HPV positive or
  • 57:28have had treatment for sin.
  • 57:30Three or above lesion,
  • 57:31certainly at higher risk than her well
  • 57:35tested and Co test negative counterpart.
  • 57:38And so this is reflected in the app
  • 57:40and those who do have use dinner or
  • 57:43review the guidelines can appreciate the
  • 57:45differences in the recommendations and how
  • 57:48things are looking compared to before,
  • 57:50but it's really all about risk assessment
  • 57:53as opposed to direct indications
  • 57:55and recommendations on what to do
  • 57:57next for treatment or or testing.
  • 57:59So this is just a little example of how
  • 58:02the app looks so on the left hand panel
  • 58:05we've selected perhaps a woman who.
  • 58:08Is 25 to 29.
  • 58:09Although not a great example,
  • 58:11'cause we should probably be focused
  • 58:13on 30 to 65 if we're looking at
  • 58:16the importance of HPV and then we
  • 58:18select that and then we go down to
  • 58:21indicate that we're interested in the
  • 58:23management of routine screening results,
  • 58:24and then we are able to select
  • 58:26all of these different.
  • 58:28All these different variables that
  • 58:30will go into helping predict risk
  • 58:32and what's new and important is the
  • 58:34question of whether or not patient has
  • 58:37previous screening results that could be.
  • 58:39Input it into this algorithm to
  • 58:41help us understand what to do next,
  • 58:44and so our patient.
  • 58:45Yes,
  • 58:46she has been compliant with their
  • 58:47screening and so we have entered
  • 58:50her previous screening history.
  • 58:52And so we go on now to include those
  • 58:54prior test results in our recommendation.
  • 58:57Based on what we've entered.
  • 58:59If for one year follow-up,
  • 59:01what's nice,
  • 59:02and I think it's really helpful for patients
  • 59:04in ourselves to understand the overall risk,
  • 59:07is this second image.
  • 59:09Which is the risk of CIN 3 or above,
  • 59:13and with that we're able to
  • 59:16appropriately treat her to next steps.
  • 59:19So,
  • 59:20just to summarize,
  • 59:21I you know we've covered a lot,
  • 59:23but I think really it's important to
  • 59:26consider education and counseling
  • 59:27on the benefits of vaccination.
  • 59:30At each clinical encounter,
  • 59:31as well as to stress the importance
  • 59:33of a strong recommendation for those
  • 59:36who are eligible really to emphasize
  • 59:38the importance of this intervention
  • 59:40as a cancer prevention strategy and
  • 59:43to identify someone within your
  • 59:45practice or your Community practice
  • 59:46who can really champion this effort
  • 59:49and then routinely reassess your strategies.
  • 59:51And look for areas to improve
  • 59:53effectiveness and I would encourage
  • 59:54you to consider this app as one tool
  • 59:56that you use in helping manage physical
  • 59:59cancer screening your practice.
  • 01:00:03So with that you know. Thank you so much.
  • 01:00:06We're going to stop the share and
  • 01:00:09open it up for questions either
  • 01:00:11regarding our cervical cancer talk
  • 01:00:13or anything that we've covered.
  • 01:00:15Otherwise, this evening and and
  • 01:00:17hope we can clarify any points
  • 01:00:19or or answer any questions.
  • 01:00:27I don't see anything in the chat right now,
  • 01:00:31but will give it a couple more minutes again.
  • 01:00:34If you have any questions I didn't put
  • 01:00:37my email address out there, but please
  • 01:00:40feel free to reach out to me directly.
  • 01:00:43It's my name mitchell.clark@yale.edu
  • 01:00:45and I'd be happy to help answer any
  • 01:00:48questions or help you navigate referral
  • 01:00:51process if if you're seeking tour
  • 01:00:53for your patient to smile Center.
  • 01:00:56For evaluation.
  • 01:01:00And I don't see anything else unless
  • 01:01:02China you have anything to add. Or yeah,
  • 01:01:04doctor Clark. Thank you.
  • 01:01:05I just wanted to give a shout
  • 01:01:07out to a couple of our patients.
  • 01:01:09I recognize some of our patients
  • 01:01:11that are on tonight as well.
  • 01:01:12And thank you for just being women who
  • 01:01:14have been champions in our program and
  • 01:01:17just getting the word out there that
  • 01:01:19we can detect cancer earlier we can,
  • 01:01:21you know, take really good care of you
  • 01:01:23and we want you to be part of our family.
  • 01:01:26So for the women who are out
  • 01:01:27there that are patients,
  • 01:01:29thank you for joining in.
  • 01:01:31For people who don't know yet,
  • 01:01:33we have something called discovery to cure,
  • 01:01:35which is one of our programs that focuses
  • 01:01:38on prevention and we do have a website.
  • 01:01:41We have a something called the teal times,
  • 01:01:44which is one of our newsletters that can
  • 01:01:46go out to providers or or women and patients.
  • 01:01:50So if you have any interest
  • 01:01:52in getting connected with us,
  • 01:01:54I'm happy to help connect you.
  • 01:01:57Great yeah, I agree I I you know,
  • 01:02:00really thank our patients for advocating
  • 01:02:02for themselves and for others in
  • 01:02:04the Community who aren't aware of
  • 01:02:05the resources that are out there.
  • 01:02:07And I think all of us are probably
  • 01:02:09going to speak with John,
  • 01:02:11but it's really our patients who
  • 01:02:13motivate us and in their journey
  • 01:02:15and their strength that is so
  • 01:02:17motivating for us to do what we do.
  • 01:02:19And it's such an honor to take care
  • 01:02:22of these strong women who really
  • 01:02:24are paving the way for future
  • 01:02:26treatments or participation in.
  • 01:02:28Trials and things like that.
  • 01:02:30We have one question here from someone
  • 01:02:33in the audience asking about any known
  • 01:02:36connection between vulvar cancer
  • 01:02:38in bracket two patients over 75.
  • 01:02:41Typically,
  • 01:02:42the older women with with bolvar
  • 01:02:44cancer is typically related to the
  • 01:02:47lichenoid diseases less related
  • 01:02:49to HPV infections and join,
  • 01:02:51and I don't think any strong
  • 01:02:54Association known between predatory
  • 01:02:56breast ovarian cancer genes.
  • 01:02:58Are the HR jeans and involve our cancer?
  • 01:03:02Now there's as far as we know,
  • 01:03:04there's no Association with vulvar or
  • 01:03:07vaginal cancers with genetics that only
  • 01:03:09the only thing that may cause cervical
  • 01:03:12cancer is one of the rare gene mutations.
  • 01:03:14But when we think about hereditary
  • 01:03:16breast and ovarian cancer syndrome,
  • 01:03:18or Lynch syndrome were thinking ovarian,
  • 01:03:20fallopian tube, and uterine cancers.
  • 01:03:25That's great, great question.
  • 01:03:26Thank you for bringing it to our
  • 01:03:29attention where you know we're learning
  • 01:03:31more and more about these and we look
  • 01:03:35forward to seeing expanded results from
  • 01:03:37years of experience in genetic testing.
  • 01:03:40And so this may involve overtime for sure.
  • 01:03:44Another great question from one of
  • 01:03:46our best practice nurses regarding
  • 01:03:48HPV vaccine and age.
  • 01:03:49Any studies showing benefit to vaccine
  • 01:03:52earlier at age 9 rather than 11?
  • 01:03:54You know I don't have the the sort
  • 01:03:57of original paper up in front of me,
  • 01:04:00whether or not they broke those groups
  • 01:04:03down like they did in the trial here,
  • 01:04:05showing benefit to 26 to 35 at
  • 01:04:08the post of 35 to 45.
  • 01:04:10I think really the overall
  • 01:04:12thinking is to try to get this.
  • 01:04:14In its earliest possible,
  • 01:04:17before any exposure to HPV.
  • 01:04:20And as soon as we can do that,
  • 01:04:23the better so that we do know that those
  • 01:04:26people who are enrolled in the trials
  • 01:04:29of HPV vaccination those who were.
  • 01:04:31HPV naive certainly had a better
  • 01:04:33response at clearing that infection.
  • 01:04:35And so while I don't have any data to
  • 01:04:38think 9 birth 11 off the top of my head,
  • 01:04:41I think as early as possible within
  • 01:04:44the recommendations of the FDA and CDC.
  • 01:04:49We have another great question from
  • 01:04:52someone asking about the role of
  • 01:04:55heated chemotherapy during surgery.
  • 01:04:57That's a great question and evolving topic.
  • 01:05:01This was one of the first RCT's that we
  • 01:05:04presented here tonight from one of the
  • 01:05:08European groups and we are excited to
  • 01:05:11offer this on selected patients through
  • 01:05:14Smilow who are meet good criteria
  • 01:05:18will have good performance status.
  • 01:05:20And who meet certain eligibility
  • 01:05:22eligibility criteria?
  • 01:05:23Sorry bout that everyone and that
  • 01:05:26is certainly something that should
  • 01:05:28be brought up with your treating
  • 01:05:30uin oncologist in order to determine
  • 01:05:32if you might be a good candidate
  • 01:05:35for that type of approach,
  • 01:05:37because there is early data that
  • 01:05:39signals there may be benefit for
  • 01:05:41those patients who who are deemed
  • 01:05:44eligible for that for that technique.
  • 01:05:49We have another great question
  • 01:05:50from someone talking about the
  • 01:05:52difficulty with carbon emitters.
  • 01:05:54Any recommendations on
  • 01:05:55improving patient tolerance?
  • 01:05:56That's a great question.
  • 01:05:57So in terms of carbon hitters,
  • 01:06:00what I tell most of my patients is those
  • 01:06:02first four to six weeks can be very
  • 01:06:05challenging and it's really the fatigue.
  • 01:06:08I find the most part that patients
  • 01:06:10struggle with a bit of the nausea
  • 01:06:13as well because of the fact
  • 01:06:15that this is an oral medication.
  • 01:06:17Most patients do.
  • 01:06:18Seem to get through the first four
  • 01:06:21to six weeks with either, you know,
  • 01:06:23watching the anemia to ensure
  • 01:06:25that that fatigue is not true.
  • 01:06:27I mean,
  • 01:06:27for watching the moment to make sure
  • 01:06:30that the fatigue is not anemia related,
  • 01:06:32but for those who don't make it through
  • 01:06:34that sort of introductory first couple
  • 01:06:36of months and still continue to struggle,
  • 01:06:39there has been some exploration of perhaps
  • 01:06:41switching from one partner to another.
  • 01:06:43We think overall the side effects
  • 01:06:45are somewhat of a class effect,
  • 01:06:47but there are some very small.
  • 01:06:49Series and experiences,
  • 01:06:50and perhaps going a lap criptana wrapper it,
  • 01:06:53or vice versa if you can get that approved
  • 01:06:55based on whatever genetic profile
  • 01:06:57you're dealing with in that patient.
  • 01:07:00But you know for some reason or another,
  • 01:07:02some patients just seem to tolerate one
  • 01:07:04better than the other, and so you know.
  • 01:07:07I tell my patients to hold,
  • 01:07:09hold out if they can,
  • 01:07:11and we try to support them through
  • 01:07:13the first four to six weeks.
  • 01:07:15But if there's persistent grade
  • 01:07:17three Grade 4 toxicity,
  • 01:07:18you could consider.
  • 01:07:19Perhaps switching to a different
  • 01:07:21a different formulation,
  • 01:07:23but again that would be depending on
  • 01:07:25approval and and and what molecular
  • 01:07:28characteristics here you're working with.
  • 01:07:36The great questions from everyone.
  • 01:07:38I really appreciate the discussion.
  • 01:07:43I think we're pretty much it for now,
  • 01:07:46so again, please feel free to reach
  • 01:07:48out if you have any questions regarding
  • 01:07:50the material we covered tonight or
  • 01:07:53you have a question in general,
  • 01:07:54will try to get that answer for you and we
  • 01:07:57really appreciate you joining us tonight.
  • 01:08:00We're really excited about
  • 01:08:01how things have evolved.
  • 01:08:02I could have never imagined even you know
  • 01:08:05when I decide to be human oncologist
  • 01:08:07that we will be talking about these
  • 01:08:09advances so quickly and we really
  • 01:08:11hope that we evolve things at a pace.
  • 01:08:15That keeps women alive longer
  • 01:08:16and joining back quality of life.
  • 01:08:18And until we can treat this like a
  • 01:08:21chronic disease like anything else.
  • 01:08:24Alright, so thank you so much for
  • 01:08:26everyone and we hope to see you soon.