Abstract
813 Background: According to the World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer, globally gastrointestinal (GI) cancers account for 1 in 4 cancer cases and 1 in 3 cancer deaths, with an estimated 4.8 million new cases and 3.4 million GI cancer deaths reported annually. Understanding the global burden of GI cancers and the importance of understanding the real-world impact of a GI cancer diagnosis, the GI Cancers Alliance (GICA) conducted a 12-month patient-reported outcomes (PRO) research initiative that included a workshop at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting. In addition, our PRO research was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (J Clin Oncol 42, 2024 suppl 3; abstr 731) with a poster presented at the 2024 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium. Methods: Based on our 2022-2023 PRO research of 1,122 patients highlighting the unmet needs and critical gaps in services of the GI cancers community, we developed a series of follow-up initiatives. Nutrition education 17%, biomarker/precision medicine education 19%, patient-centered care education 11% and caregiver support 16% were four of the highest levels of unmet need based on our global research. Subsequently, in 2023 we created the ‘GI Cancers Patient & Caregiver Advisory Board’ representing all GI cancers. The board hosts educational forums supporting patients and caregivers throughout the care continuum. Our pilot nutrition program launched at the 2024 ASCO annual meeting, consisting of in-person and online video components, and an extensive nutrition guide with recipes tailored for GI cancer patients. In 2024, we partnered with our gastric cancer advocates to develop ‘Test Your Biomarkers’ enhancing education and awareness of biomarker testing and precision medicine. Results: Implementing direct patient feedback from our published research, we are creating actionable solutions to unmet needs and gaps in services. Our ‘Patient & Caregiver Advisory Board’ continues to amplify the patient and caregiver voice participating in global engagement opportunities. GICA provided 10,000 nutrition guides to community oncology centers, and our online messaging reached 250,000 individuals across digital platforms and partner websites in the first three months from launch. In the first six months of the ‘Test Your Biomarkers’ campaign our messaging reached 1.7 million individuals across all digital platforms, campaign, and partner websites. Conclusions: Our PRO research provides the roadmap for new initiatives and programming to meet the needs of our GI cancer community. The GI Cancers Alliance will proceed to collaborate with our 100+ partner organizations to activate change by targeting the needs of our patient community while eliminating critical gaps in services. By doing so, we will continue to provide greater patient impact through the amplification of the patient voice.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call