Caring for Women with Ovarian Cancer, Part 2: Living with Ovarian Cancer, Palliative and End of Life Care
Duration: 60 minutes
Program ID: 910b
Ovarian cancer is one of the most serious forms of cancer affecting women. This is because, for the majority of women, the cancer has already spread by the time they are diagnosed. Despite significant advances in diagnosing and managing gynaecological cancer in recent times, every year in Australia around 1500 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer and more than 850 women die from the disease. Only 42 per cent of women with ovarian cancer survive beyond five years. However, the earlier the diagnosis, the greater the chance of survival from ovarian cancer. Eighty-six per cent of women who are diagnosed before the cancer has spread will be alive five years after diagnosis.
This statistic stresses how essential it is that clinicians who care for these women are aware of what can be done to alleviate suffering. There are many challenges for clinicians caring for women with gynaecological cancer across a wide range of settings. Not only do clinicians provide physical care, but they also address the psychological, social and spiritual needs of women throughout the entire disease trajectory.
This is part two of a series following the patient journey of women with ovarian cancer. The program discusses the challenges of living with gynaecological cancer, and the unique and very specific palliative care needs of women with advanced gynaecological cancer. These issues are demonstrated through expert panel discussions and through the use of clinical vignettes. Part One explored diagnosis and initial treatment.
Program Presenters
- Chair: Dr Norman Swan - Presenter of the Health Report on ABC Radio National
- Dr Sally Baron-Hay - Medical Oncologist
- Dr Katy Clark - Palliative Care Physician, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney
- Dr Chris Dalrymple - Gynaecological Oncologist
- Ms Claudia Giugni - Palliative Care Nurse
- Associate Professor Peter Grant - Gynaecological Oncologist, Mercy Hospital for Women, Melbourne
- Ms Kim Hobbs - Social Worker Gynaecology
- Dr Katharine Hodgkinson - Clinical Psychologist
- Dr Diane Kavanagh - Rural GP
- Associate Professor Judy Kirk - Director Familial Cancer Service
- Dr Liz Marles - General Practitioner
- Dr Cathy Mason - Psychiatrist
- Ms Kath Nattress - Cancer Nurse Coordinator, Sydney Cancer Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
- Dr Karuna Raja - Gynaecologist
Learning Outcomes
- Identify the challenges for women living with ovarian cancer
- Implement supportive palliative care in a flexible and responsive manner, in the context of a collaborative interdisciplinary approach
- Evaluate the end of life issues associated with caring for a patient with ovarian cancer
Broadcast Dates
This program was first broadcast on the Foundation's satellite network on Tuesday 16 June 2009.
Funding Bodies
Produced by GSB Productions with funding support from the Greater Metropolitan Clinical Taskforce and The Cancer Institute of NSW
Accreditation
This program is accredited or endorsed for CPD/CPE by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia, the Royal College of Nursing Australia and the Australian Physiotherapy Association.
