Ovacome Summer 2014

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Photography: Daily Echo, Bournemouth news Singing to recovery Gareth Malone, the preppy choirmaster credited with reigniting our interest in choral singing through his BBC Two series The Choir, would be proud. For word is getting around about how uplifting being part of a singing group can be and the benefits are numerous when dealing with illness. Rising Voices - a community choir for people affected by cancer in Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire - has found in a study that members have benefited from being part of a mutually empathetic community, in which they were not treated as victims. Altogether Rising Voices: Noëline Young (fourth from left, front row). As well as getting enjoyment from singing as a group, members liked the social interaction at weekly rehearsals and the travel to events, which could be anywhere from a local shopping centre or Women’s Institute meeting to a twinned event in Cherbourg. Concentrated chemo A decision on whether to progress with a new method of chemotherapy for treating ovarian cancer could be made soon. PETROC is a study of the use of chemotherapy that is given into the peritoneal space (IP) for ovarian cancer, rather than into a vein (IV). This increases the concentration of the drug around the cancer and can increase its effectiveness. The study is for patients who need to complete their treatment after primary chemotherapy for three cycles and a successful interval operation. This technique was new to the UK while it had been tested previously in the USA. The early studies had a lot of problems with toxicity which delayed acceptance in the UK. However, medical staff have learnt how to give the treatment much more safely, and UK centres have been trained so that after the first 150 patients there was no difference in toxicity between the Carboplatin and Paclitaxel given in the IP arm or the control IV arm. There was a third arm in the study using IP Cisplatin instead of the Carboplatin, however the independent data monitoring committee recommended that this be stopped as it was no more effective and more toxic. Member and Ovacome trustee Noëline Young says that the established associations between music and health, both physical and spiritual, have been well documented and highlighted in a report by Cardiff University.* “Participation in music making has been shown to improve well being and music has the power to communicate with individuals at times of difficulty. This formed the background to the establishment of our survivors’ choir, Rising Voices,” says Noëline, an ovarian cancer survivor herself. “The intention was to encourage participation in singing to boost confidence and social interaction and promote wellbeing, as an aid to recovery from cancer.” The choir has been supported by a start-up grant from Macmillan Cancer Support and Dorset Cancer Network, but longer term it plans to be self-sufficient, supported through voluntary donations by members, friends, donations and money raised from public performances. If you are interested in joining Rising Voices, it rehearses weekly at St John’s Church in Parkstone, Poole. e-mail admin@risingvoices.org.uk or phone 07500 676083. *Gale NS, Enright S, Reagon C, Lewis I, van Deursen R. A pilot investigation of quality of life and lung function following choral singing in cancer survivors and their carers. Cancer, 2012; 6:261 The study has now been resubmitted to Cancer Research UK with the planned interim analysis to allow the number of centres giving IP treatment in the UK to increase from nine to 28 and to include a further 630 patients in the trial, to prove whether it increases survival. Dr Sean Kehoe, a gynae surgeon. has reviewed the medical stories on page 4 and 5 4 Phone Ovacome’s nurse led support line on 0845 371 0554 it together
Around the world support Cancer charities from across the globe united this summer in a powerful effort to raise awareness of the symptoms of the disease in the second World Ovarian Cancer Day. In a global movement, which took place on May 8, women pledged to tell at least five others about the most serious gynaecological cancer. Ovacome was delighted to take part in the UK, helping to build a sense of solidarity in the fight against the disease, says its chief executive, Louise Bayne: “We’re very proud to take part in World Ovarian Cancer Day in which all the ovarian cancer charities come together in a joint effort to raise awareness and to give women living with the disease a feeling of solidarity.” In the UK, the Department of Health has been investing in an awareness programme for ovarian cancer. It has undertaken a regional pilot for ovarian cancer symptoms Overcoming it together Improving survival rates, earlier diagnosis and access to appropriate treatments recommended by clinicians for ovarian cancer were among the key issues which Ovacome members have called for in a report which the charity presents to MPs this month. The charity has been polling its members to come up with priorities for improving ovarian cancer care, to give a series of recommendations to help news awareness in the North West and Borders as part of its Be Clear On Cancer campaign. Centred on the main message that if you feel bloated for three weeks or more you should see your GP, a television advert was included in the campaign. Ovacome awaits the pilot results to see what impact it has had in the regions. If the initiative has been successful, the charity will again call for ovarian cancer to be one of the cancers included in a national level campaign in 2015. To see the advert online visit: http://www.nhs.uk/be-clear-on-cancer/ovarian-cancer/home GSK withdraws Votrient application Initial hopes that the drug Votrient could be used in treating late stage ovarian cancer have been dashed, with GlaxoSmithKline withdrawing its application to the European Medicines Agency. It was found that the drug, also known as Pazopanib and licensed for kidney cancer and some types of soft cell sarcomas, did not give a positive the Government and the NHS achieve these goals. For despite positive steps to improve the quality of care and treatment, the survival of ovarian cancer patients living in the UK is still poorer than in comparable countries. The launch of the ‘Overcoming it together’ report at the parliamentary drop in event on 16 July, will give Ovacome members attending the ear of MPs. They benefit-risk scenario after further analysis of data from the late-stage trial. GSK said it was disappointed by the findings, which came after it found the drug caused an improvement in progression-free survival in its Phase III study. GSK’s director of patient relations, Geraint Thomas, says while the company is disappointed by the latest results, it will progress additional analyses which may will be able to talk about their personal experiences and give input on what would have made their journey easier. They will also hear from Fiona Mactaggart, MP (Slough), who will give a talk on how Ovacome members might engage effectively with politicians to raise areas of concern on a local and national level. Materials giving practical advice on this are available from Ovacome’s head office. add to the body of scientific evidence in this disease setting. “GSK remains committed to understanding the utility of pazopanib in relapsed ovarian cancer as more data become available through other studies,” he says. Ovacome’s chief executive Louise Bayne, says: “We are naturally disappointed.” it together Phone Ovacome’s nurse led support line on 0845 371 0554 5
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Page 7 and 8: ask the doctor It’s not over yet,
Page 9 and 10: A day of empowerment Some 40 member
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Page 13 and 14: postbag A safe place Meet Ovacome
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