| The Ovarian Cancer National Alliance is a survivor-led, | | | | decreases due to acquired drug resistance. |
| national umbrella organization that was established in | | | | Increasingly, new tools are becoming available to |
| 1997 with the goal of uniting ovarian cancer survivors | | | | individualize and optimize treatment decisions. These |
| and their families, women’s health advocates, | | | | include chemosensitivity and resistance tests or drug |
| health care providers, researchers and the general | | | | response markers that individualize cancer care by |
| public in the battle against ovarian cancer. Our mission | | | | providing a decision support tool. These test results |
| is to conquer ovarian cancer by uniting individuals and | | | | help physicians, in consultation with their patients, to |
| organizations in a national movement. | | | | select the most effective chemotherapy regimen for |
| In the United States this year, approximately 22,000 | | | | each patient. We believe it is important for patients |
| women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and the | | | | and doctors to have access to tools that improve |
| vast majority of them will be diagnosed in late stages | | | | quality and efficacy of treatment, thereby increasing |
| of the disease. Unfortunately, the five year survival | | | | a patient’s probability of survival and quality of |
| rates for ovarian cancer have not significantly | | | | life. |
| increased in the last 30 years, and less than 50 | | | | We are asking you to ensure that the decision to |
| percent of women will live five years from diagnosis. | | | | use these drug response markers stays with the |
| The majority of patients with advanced disease will | | | | oncologist. Most physicians that treat gynecologic |
| undergo chemotherapy, and while the response rates | | | | cancers have used these types of tests in the |
| for primary treatment are fairly high, more than 70 | | | | treatment of their patients. Furthermore, Medicare |
| percent of women will have at least one recurrence | | | | currently covers these tests. It seems only |
| of her ovarian cancer. Once a patient recurs, there | | | | reasonable and principled that patients have access |
| are many choices of chemotherapy drugs, however | | | | to technologies that assist the oncologist in |
| response rates are typically below 50%. Regardless | | | | personalizing cancer treatments. We encourage you |
| of response, all of these women, will incur the side | | | | to provide coverage of chemosensitivity and |
| effects of chemotherapy. Additionally, with each | | | | resistance tests for all gynecologic cancers. |
| round, the probability of finding a responsive drug | | | | |