Iowa will be taking part in a project to improve ovarian cancer care. The Centers for Disease Control has selected the Iowa Department of Public Health, along with Rhode Island, Michigan and the South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency to be part of a project called “Implementing Health Systems and Environmental Changes to Improve Ovarian Cancer Care.” Iowa is in the top 10 states in the U.S. for ovarian cancer mortality rates.

Ovarian cancer is the fifth-leading cause of cancer deaths among women and there is no effective screening or early detection tools. According to IDPH, with the lack of early detection, effective treatment has emerged as an evidence-based mechanism for reducing ovarian cancer mortality with effective treatment from a gynecologic oncologist. IDPH states that the Midwest has high ovarian cancer mortality rates paired with a limited number of gynecologic oncologists. The entire state of Iowa has six, and five of those are at the same medical center.

IDPH is working with the Iowa Cancer Registry, the Iowa Cancer Consortium, and the University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center to develop a further understanding of referral patterns in Iowa and inform health systems and environmental changes. Investigators from the University of Iowa are conducting interviews on gynecologic oncologists, obstetrician-gynecologists, medical oncologists and hospital administrators throughout Iowa to learn more about challenges to ovarian cancer care, so as to improve the standard care of treatment for ovarian cancer.