The Michigan SOC:IAL Cohort (Surviving Ovarian Cancer: Innovation, Advancement, and Living Well): Improving Outcomes for Women with Ovarian Cancer
Abstract
Ovarian cancer and its treatment have short- and long-term effects that can reduce physical, mental, emotional, and social function. For example, studies have shown that ovarian cancer survivors with depression and lower quality of life are more likely to have shorter survival. While nearly 15 years have passed since the Institute of Medicine emphasized that care for cancer survivors should focus on physical, mental, and emotional factors that influence women diagnosed with cancer, there have been minimal high-quality data on these factors for ovarian cancer survivors. In this proposed study, we seek to understand the impact of newer treatment, lifestyle factors, repeat stress, and short-and long term effects on outcomes that are of paramount importance to women with ovarian cancer: quality of life; physical, mental, emotional, and social wellbeing; recurrence; and survival. To answer these questions, we are proposing to recruit approximately 500 women aged 18-79 years who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the State of Michigan to build the Michigan SOC:IAL Cohort (Surviving Ovarian Cancer: Innovation, Advancement and Living well). Doctors who treat ovarian cancer across the State of Michigan will inform their patients about the study and provide information about how to participate. The ability to easily recruit ovarian cancer survivors in this way is part of a unique partnership established by gynecologic oncology practices in the state. In addition, the Michigan Cancer Surveillance Program (cancer registry) will identify and contact women who were recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer and are eligible to participate. Using both approaches to recruitment, we will be able to reach all women with ovarian cancer in Michigan. Participants will answer questionnaires, allow us to access their medical records, and provide blood and saliva samples. We will examine the relationship between their treatment; its side effects; lifestyle factors before and after diagnosis; repeated stress for a long time; quality of life; physical, mental, emotional, and social function; recurrence; and survival among women in the Michigan SOC:IAL cohort. At the conclusion of our study, we expect to contribute to understanding of the factors that influence the quality of life; physical, mental, emotional, and social function; recurrence; and survival among women with ovarian cancer. Our goal is to understand the steps that can be taken to improve the wellbeing of women with ovarian cancer. This will help us to identify ways in which women diagnosed with ovarian cancers can live not only longer, but also better. Our research will help to develop intervention studies to improve these outcomes for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer, develop clinical guidelines, and understand disease management. Michigan SOC:IAL will include women living in rural communities, those who are socioeconomically disadvantaged, and Arab-American women who are often not included in other studies. Although our study is being carried out in Michigan, the results can be applied to all women diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the United States because the characteristics of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer from across Michigan are extremely similar to survivors across the United States. Finally, we expect that Michigan SOC:IAL will serve as a model for similar studies among women diagnosed with ovarian cancer around the world.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Dec 28, 2022
- Source ID
- W81XWH2210240
Entities
People
- Celeste Pearce
Organizations
- United States Army
- University of Michigan