December 11, 2024 Final #gyncsm chat - Advances in Cervical Cancer Treatment

We had sixteen participants join us for our final #gyncsm chat. We were pleased to have our community's long term supporter, Cervivor (@IamCervivor) as our guest. Thank you Morgan Newman for representing Cervivor. You may find the chat transcript here and analytics here. 

        T1: Before we dive into treatment advancements, let's cover some important                         #cervicalcancer basics: 

What are the current cervical cancer screening guidelines?

Did you know? New draft guidelines were published by the USPSTF this week. Check them out here:  https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/sites/default/files/file/supporting_documents/cervical-cancer-screening-draft-rec-bulletin_0.pdf. Stay informed and stay empowered!

Know your options! Some individuals may need more frequent screening or different tests. Talk to your healthcare provider about your individual needs!

 

What are the recommendations for receiving the HPV vaccine?

Get vaccinated! The HPV vaccine is recommended for all kids by age 11 or 12 (even as early as age 9), but adults up to 45 can also get vaccinated! 

Let's prevent #cervicalcancer together! 

T2: What are some of the recent advances in the treatment of #cervicalcancer in the areas of immunotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation therapy, etc?

Breakthroughs in #cervicalcancer treatment: Concurrent immunotherapy and chemoradiation improves survival for stage III-IVA disease

@ASCO  https://bit.ly/4iy0tG7. #Cervivor #immunotherapy

Targeted therapy is also making waves! New meds are targeting specific cancer cells, reducing side effects. Radiation therapy advances include more precise targeting and fewer sessions. #Cervivor #TargetedTherapy #RadiationTherapy

But that's not all! Other advances include minimally invasive surgeries, robotic surgeries, and new chemo combos. Treatment is always evolving and we are staying hopeful! #Cervivor #CervicalCancer

T3: Have there been advancements in the treatment of recurrent #cervicalcancer?

Recurrent #cervicalcancer treatment has new options! Immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and precision medicine are offering new hope. 

Clinical trials are crucial and often extend patients' lives! They offer access to the latest cutting-edge treatments. To patients on the fence, please ask your doctor about trials! #ClinicalTrials

But treatment isn't just about meds! Palliative care, pain management, and emotional support are vital to quality of life. Discussions on this have been becoming more visible which is important!

T4: How can #cervicalcancer patients stay up-to-date on the latest treatments and what is the best way to find a clinical trial? 

Our advice is to follow reputable sources like @NIH for the latest on #cervicalcancer treatments and clinical trials. Start a conversation with your care team to decide what's best for you! 

Did you know? https://clinicaltrials.gov is a comprehensive database of clinical trials for #cervicalcancer. Search by location, condition, or intervention to find trials near you.

Stay ahead of the curve! Join our community to connect with other #cervicalcancer patients, survivors, advocates, and experts. Share knowledge, resources, and support. #Cervivor

T5: What are the WHO initiatives regarding #cervicalcancer and global efforts to reduce disparities and eradicate cervical cancer? What can we do locally to reduce disparities?

The 73rd World Health Assembly adopted a global strategy to eliminate #cervicalcancer as a public health problem by 2030! 

 Goals: 

90% of girls vaccinated against HPV by 15 

70% of women screened by 35 & 45 

90% of women with pre-cancer/cancer treated

Did you know?

@WHO's Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative focuses on improving access to life-saving services in low- and middle-income countries. Support global efforts to reduce disparities!

Local action = global impact! Join us in advocating for increased access to #cervicalcancer screening, treatment, and support in your community. Together, we can eliminate cervical cancer disparities.

T6: Please share #cervicalcancer resources that you have found helpful.

For some basics see the #gyncsm blog Resources section http://gyncsm.blogspot.com/p/resources_9.html

Empowered patients, empower their communities! Our website offers expert-approved info on #cervicalcancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. Explore and share with your networks: https://cervivor.org.  Connect with others who understand! Our online community and support groups offer a safe space to share experiences, ask questions, and find support. Join us: https://cervivor.org/support/. Follow our social media for personal stories, expert insights, and updates on #cervicalcancer support programming, events, and advocacy efforts: https://linktr.ee/Cervivor.  JOIN US: at our upcoming Cervical Cancer Summit: https://bit.ly/3YQm8BB. #Cervivor #GYNCSM

@GYNCancer has good resources too https://foundationforwomenscancer.org/gynecologic-cancers/gynecologic-cancer-types/cervical-cancer/ resources available in Spanish too .

 

We ended our chat with thank yous:  

Thank you Christina @btrfly12 for being my partner. You are the absolute best chat moderator and community partner I could have asked for. 

We want to thank our current and former moderators: 
@ShannonWestin @NitaKarnikLee @DrBeckerSchutte and @journeycancer ( 2013-2020) Don S. Dizon, MD (2013-2015) @DrMarkham (2013-2018) @temkins (2018- 2022) 

Then #gyncsm community is grateful for the strong support of @subatomicdoc ,  @SGO_org,  @smart_patients and tonight’s guests Cervivor @iamcervivor

We can’t forget the social media gurus who we joined with to study hashtag communities including @subatomicdoc @pfanderson @audvin @mtmdphd Dr Deanna Attai and others. See studies and publications involving cancer hashtag communities: http://gyncsm.blogspot.com/p/publications.html

Thank you Teresa Hagan Thomas,  @UPMC @HeidiSDonovan @LHavrilesky , & Lauren Cooper Hand for working with us and publishing the studies on the needs of women w/ ovarian cancer, the needs of caregivers and PARP decision making http://gyncsm.blogspot.com/p/publications.html

We appreciate the numerous guests - individuals and organizations - who have shared their expertise on gyn cancers through the years. #gyncsm https://x.com/i/lists/197793

Thank you to the numerous #gyncsm patients, survivors, caregivers that have joined our chats the past 11 years. You are why we started this community. We hope we have provided a safe place to share, ask questions and learn.

Thanks to the countless gyn, med, & rad oncs, nurses, social workers, therapists and other health care providers who participated in the chats sharing knowledge. We appreciate the info you shared from @ASCO @SGO_org and other annual meetings.

A special shout out to all the researchers who have shared their published journal articles , answered questions and listened to the patients/survivors in our community.

You can continue discussing Cervical Cancer and other gyn cancers by joining Smart Patients at www.smartpatients.com/partners/gyncsm . Our blog  http://gyncsm.blogspot.com will remain open so that our community can have access to its resources and chat summaries. Dee will continue to share information using the #gyncsm hashtag and @gyncsm handle. 

Wishing wellness and safety for all. It has been an honor and a privilege to be in community with all our participants and supporters. 

Dee and Christina

Co-founder and Co-moderators #gyncsm chat