[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 54 (Monday, March 21, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-6575]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: March 21, 1994]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
 

Consensus Development Conference On Ovarian Cancer: Screening, 
Treatment, and Follow-Up

    Notice is hereby given of the NIH Consensus Development Conference 
on ``Ovarian Cancer: Screening, Treatment, and Follow-up,'' which will 
be held April 5-7, 1994, in the Masur Auditorium of the National 
Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland 20892. 
This conference is sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and the 
NIH Office of Medical Applications of Research. The conference begins 
at 8:30 a.m. on April 5 and 6 and at 9 a.m. on April 7.
    Each year approximately 20,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian 
cancer. It is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancies; 
12,000 deaths occur each year secondary to ovarian cancer.
    Because diagnosis at early stages is difficult, major efforts are 
underway to identify appropriate screening tests for ovarian cancer. 
Advances in imaging and in the development of serum markers suggest 
that screening for ovarian cancer may one day be possible. In addition, 
minimal-access surgical techniques, specifically laparoscopy, may 
increase in importance for diagnosing and identifying the stages of 
ovarian cancer.
    Recent studies have sought to define the benefit of adjuvant 
chemotherapy and radiotherapy in patients with early-stage ovarian 
cancer. Adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy given after surgery has 
been shown to be effective in prolonging disease-free survival. A new 
class of chemotherapeutic agents, the taxenes, have also demonstrated 
activity in patients with ovarian cancer.
    In certain situations, conservative surgery, which preserves an 
individual's fertility, may be safe. Success in primary debulking 
surgery in patients with advanced disease appears to confer a survival 
benefit. The role of salvage therapy, including surgery and 
chemotherapy, in patients with persistent or recurrent ovarian cancer 
has not yet been defined. How best to maintain the patient's quality of 
life with advanced ovarian cancer remains an issue of critical 
importance.
    One in a continuing series of NIH Consensus Development 
Conferences, this conference will examine what is known about 
screening, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of ovarian cancer. The 
conference will bring together epidemiologists, obstetrician/
gynecologists, and gynecologic, medical, and radiation oncologists as 
well as representatives of the public to review available data and make 
recommendations both for current management and for future research.
    Following 1\1/2\ days of presentations and discussion by the 
audience, an independent, non-Federal consensus panel will weigh the 
scientific evidence and write a draft statement in response to the 
following key questions:
     What is the current status of screening and prevention in 
ovarian cancer?
     What is the appropriate management of early-stage ovarian 
cancer?
     What is the appropriate management of advanced epithelial 
ovarian cancer?
     What is the appropriate follow-up after primary therapy?
     What are the directions for future research?
    On the final day of the meeting, the consensus panel chairman will 
read the draft statement to the conference audience and invite comments 
and questions.
    This is the 96th Consensus Development Conference held by NIH since 
the establishment of the Consensus Development Program in 1977.
    Advance information on the conference program and conference 
registration materials may be obtained from: Laura Hazan, Technical 
Resources, Inc., 3202 Tower Oaks Blvd., suite 200, Rockville, Maryland 
20852, (301) 770-3153.
    The consensus statement will be submitted for publication in 
professional journals and other publications. In addition, the 
consensus statement will be available beginning April 7, 1994, from the 
NIH Consensus Program Information Service, P.O. Box 2577, Kensington, 
Maryland 20891, phone 1-800-NIH-OMAR (1-800-644-6627).

    Dated: March 11, 1994.
Ruth L. Kirschstein,
Deputy Director, NIH.
[FR Doc. 94-6575 Filed 3-18-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4140-01-M