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Barriers to Quality Care in Ovarian Cancer Overview

Ovarian cancer ranks fifth in cancer deaths among U.S. women. According to American Cancer Society estimates, in 2021, more than 21,000 people were diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and nearly 14,000 people died from the disease. Ovarian cancer mostly develops in older people; approximately half of those diagnosed are age 63 or older. A person’s risk of getting ovarian cancer in their lifetime is about one in 78.

When identified and treated at an early stage, the five-year survival rate is approximately 94 percent. Unfortunately, most ovarian cancers are not identified until at an advanced stage, when they are more difficult to treat. Multiple factors make early diagnosis a challenge, including a lack of symptoms in the early stages and the fact that symptoms may not appear to be specific to a cancer diagnosis. Additionally, there is currently no reliable screening test for ovarian cancer.

In 2019, ACCC launched a multi-phase initiative aimed at improving care for patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. The first phase, “Barriers to Quality Care in Ovarian Cancer,” focused on identifying existing barriers to treating patients with advanced ovarian cancer, determining the appropriate use and timing of guideline-concordant biomarker testing, and accessing solutions to optimize the diagnosis and treatment of patients.

In January 2022, ACCC launched the second phase in this effort: Advanced Ovarian Cancer Care Delivery. Since then, ACCC and its partner organizations—the Association for Molecular Pathology, the National Society of Genetic Counselors, and the Society of Gynecologic Oncology—have been conducting a quality initiative to identify and provide guidance on key issues related to the optimal care of patients diagnosed with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer across different practice settings. In addition to these goals, the project aims to:

Raise awareness about provider education needs
Educate the healthcare team about trends in ovarian cancer diagnosis and treatment
Aggregate vetted resources
Establish a strong network of advocacy and professional partners

For more information on this project, please contact the ACCC Provider Education department.

In this quality improvement study, professionals from across the ovarian cancer care team collaborated to develop a comprehensive resource guide for multidisciplinary teams seeking to provide quality-directed cancer care for patients with ovarian cancer. This improvement study was a top downloaded resource for 2023.
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On-Demand Webinars

Provision of High-Quality Ovarian Cancer Care Delivery Through Multidisciplinary Coordination and Communication

View this on-demand recording to explore the impact of ACCC’s quality improvement initiative on several ovarian cancer care programs and learn about the ovarian quality of care self-assessment tool.
From Process to Quality Improvement: Lessons Learned on Addressing Quality Care in Ovarian Cancer

Now available on-demand: Watch the recording of a recently live webinar to review key highlights learned during prior phases of an ovarian cancer care quality improvement initiative.

From the ACCCBuzz Blog

ACCC Recognizes Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
August 14, 2023
ACCC recognizes September as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in an upcoming webinar series.
Enhancing Advanced Ovarian Cancer Care Delivery
August 30, 2022
September is Ovarian Cancer and Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month. In recognition, ACCC shares how its Barriers to Quality Care in Ovarian Cancer Phase II will test the model developed in the previous phase to optimize care for patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.
Providing High-Quality Ovarian Cancer Care
December 20, 2021
Given the difficulty of managing patients with a high disease burden who are often undergoing toxic treatment regimens and managing multiple office visits, maintaining high-quality ovarian cancer care can be a challenge.

From Oncology Issues

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Improving the Quality of Care for Persons with Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Premal H. Thanker, MD, MS, et al.

More than 20,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year in the United States, most with advanced stage disease. With five year cause-specific survival of 47 percent, ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States. However, outcomes vary significantly by tumor stage, histologic type, and socio-demographic factors. Disparities in outcomes may be attributable to many factors, including sub-optimal quality of care. In the United States, fewer than one-third of patients with this disease currently receive guideline-concordant care. Recent advancements in curative intent therapeutic options for patients with ovarian cancer put a renewed emphasis on the need for high-quality care delivery.