Women with ovarian cancer are less likely to die from their disease if they are treated by specialist gynaecological oncologists than if they are cared for by general gynaecologists, according to the results of a study carried out in Scotland, UK, and reported at this week’s 16th International Meeting of the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO) in Belgrade, Serbia.

An analysis of survival data from a cohort of 912 ovarian cancer patients treated in the West of Scotland Managed Clinical Network showed a 24% lower risk of death in women treated by gynaecological oncologists who specialise in the treatment of gynaecological cancer than by general gynaecologists who treat the full range of gynaecological problems that women can experience.

Reporting her findings at a late breaker session of the congress, Dr Alex Stirling, from the West of Scotland Cancer Surveillance Unit, explained that recent reorganisation of cancer services in Scotland was designed to provide equal standards of care for patients wherever they lived. However, some women continue to be treated away from larger cancer centres, and do not therefore have access to gynaecological oncologists.

Dr Stirling added that, by the end of the year, cancer services in the area will be centralised, and selection of cases for surgery will be decided by a specialist multidisciplinary team – hopefully helping to reduce remaining inequalities of care and ensuring that more difficult cases are treated by gynaecological oncologists.