When patients become professors

Women diagnosed with ovarian cancer today have about the same survival chances as they did three decades ago. It’s no wonder that ovarian cancer has the sixth highest mortality rate of all cancers among women in Australia.

Just two out of five women diagnosed will survive five years from diagnosis, and the incidence of ovarian cancer is still rising – a 23.3% increase since 2011.

Survivors Teaching Students® (STS) is a volunteer-led program that brings the faces and voices of ovarian cancer survivors and caregivers into the classrooms of medical and nursing students. It aims to raise awareness of the symptoms of the disease amongst our future diagnosticians and contribute to their developing communication skills. In Australia, the program is being led by the Australia New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group (ANZGOG).

Here is some recent feedback from a medical student in NSW: “Medical students often become very distant and apathetic (perhaps a coping mechanism); teaching like this anchors us back, thank you.”

The importance of awareness

Around 1,500 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year. Statistically, a GP is likely to see just one case of ovarian cancer in their whole career.

Early detection is an ongoing challenge. There are common symptoms of ovarian cancer: bloating, eating – feeling full quickly or loss of appetite, abdominal pain and trouble with urination (BEAT) but these can be overlooked, assumed to be part of the female experience or often diagnosed as symptoms of other more prevalent conditions, like IBS.

A national study conducted in 2015 by national support and advocacy organisation Ovarian Cancer Australia identified that the majority (93%) of women experienced more than three of the common symptoms of ovarian cancer before their diagnosis, and that the majority of diagnoses were prompted by these concerns (75%).

Yet, 47% of diagnoses required two or more visits to the GP, while 21% involved three or more visits and 18% were emergency room presentations.

Timely diagnosis is a critical area of need as there is no early detection test. Knowing about ovarian cancer could improve time to diagnosis, reduce the number of GP visits and minimise hospital emergency presentations.

The National Framework for Gynaecological Cancer Control (2016), Priority Area 5 – “Enhancing Health Promotion and Public Awareness” identifies “greater awareness of symptoms of gynaecological cancer and timely investigation and referral of a woman who may have symptoms of gynaecological cancer, may improve earlier detection, enabling more timely treatment and improving the chances of long-term survival.”

About Survivors Teaching Students

Survivors Teaching Students (STS) was started in the US by the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance (OCRFA) in 2002 and has since expanded into Canada, the UK and through ANZGOG in Australia.

The US program has 811 active consumers, working in over 100 medical schools (plus nursing and allied health schools). In 2015, they educated 10,266 students and an additional 303 in the UK. The STS 2015 data showed medical students demonstrated a 21.4% increase in knowledge of ovarian cancer and all others demonstrated 40.45% increase.

The emphasis of presentations is on the need to listen well to women presenting with gynaecological symptoms, recognise the need for early detection, investigation, diagnosis and appropriate referral for best treatment.

Volunteers presenting their story become part of a network that is supported by the program and provides ovarian cancer survivors with additional peer support.

The program has been exceptionally well received by medical schools and people affected by ovarian cancer. Due to the nature of the disease its biggest challenge will be maintaining a pool of volunteers.

First presentations in New South Wales

Three presentations have been delivered in New South Wales at the University of Sydney reaching more than 200 students in Sydney, Orange, and Lismore in 2017.

By the end of 2020, the program is expected to have expanded into Queensland, Victoria, and Western Australia, with other states and New Zealand to be included soon after.

Caitlin, who is a volunteer with Survivors Teaching Students, described her involvement with ANZGOG’s Survivors Teaching Students: “Ovarian cancer is a scary and lonely disease. Not long after my diagnosis I vowed to help save the lives of women affected by ovarian cancer, and to make it a disease that is no longer silent. With STS, I feel as though I am saving lives, as our future doctors and nurses are learning more about ovarian cancer and the many different ways in which it presents, which could lead to earlier detection. It also helps to feel part of a community and to be doing something proactive, rather than waiting around worrying about if, and when, the cancer will come back.”

About ANZGOG

The Australia New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group (ANZGOG) is the peak national gynaecological cancer research organisation. We are recognised as a world leader in clinical trials research. Our mission is to improve life for women with ovarian and other gynaecological cancers through research, cooperative clinical trials, information and awareness. ANZGOG’s research has changed clinical practice both locally and globally.

Get Involved

• Spread the word on social media, follow @anzgog and share our posts.
• Get STS flyers for your clinic or a patient.
• Enquire about making a booking – Survivors Teaching Students® is not only for medical students, if you have an audience you feel would appreciate a presentation you are welcome to contact us.

Website: www.anzgog.org.au/inform/survivorsteaching-students/
Email: sts@anzgog.org.au
Telephone: 02 8071 4885