To address this lack of knowledge, we set up the Womb Cancer Alliance [http://research.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/wombcanceralliance] in October 2014.
The Womb Cancer Alliance is a group of patients, clinicians and charity representatives with an interest in womb cancer. Under guidance from the James Lind Alliance [http://www.jla.nihr.ac.uk/about-the-james-lind-alliance/], our mission was to conduct a nationwide survey to identify the top ten unanswered research questions in womb cancer. Since time is short and money is limited, it is essential that research prioritises important questions. The Womb Cancer Alliance asked patients, their families and the clinicians who look after them what research questions are most important.
We received hundreds of suggestions from healthcare professionals and the public. A long list was whittled down to a short list by our Womb Cancer Alliance steering commitee. Then we held a meeting where the top 30 questions were ranked [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxDYpJDQWFE&feature=em-upload_owner].
This allowed us to agree on a final ‘top ten’ most important unanswered research questions in womb cancer.
These are:
* Can we develop a personalised score that predicts a person’s individual risk of developing womb cancer?
* Which women with abnormal bleeding need specialist referral?
* What are the most effective treatments for womb cancer that has spread and what new treatments may be useful?
* Who will benefit from chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy?
* Can a blood test tell us who will do well after treatment and who won’t?
* How can we raise public awareness about womb cancer?
* What is the psychological impact of a womb cancer diagnosis?
* What causes womb cancer?
* Can we predict which womb cancers will respond to hormone treatment?
* Do lifestyle changes, including weight loss, improve the outlook for women who have been diagnosed with womb cancer?
For more information, see
http://www.gynecologiconcology-online.net/article/S0090-8258(16)31360-9/pdf
We hope to encourage the public, researchers and research funders to work together to answer some of these important questions. We think this is vital if we are to improve the lives of women affected by womb cancer.
Emma Crosbie
Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist
Division of Molecular & Clinical Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, 5th Floor - Research, St Mary’s Hospital, Manchester, M13 9WL, UK.
Email. [email protected]