Dr. Phung was awarded a pilot grant from the American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant Pilot Award competition at University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center (UWCCC). The project, Frailty Trajectories and Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Survival among Older Ovarian Cancer Patients, will start in the coming months.
Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecologic cancer, with survival rates particularly low among older patients compared to younger ones, and among Black patients compared to White patients. A significant proportion of older ovarian cancer patients experience frailty, a clinical condition characterized by reduced physiological reserves and increased vulnerability to stressors. Frailty is suspected to play a critical role in poor survival rates and disparities. This pilot study aims to assess the impacts of frailty on survival and racial/ethnic disparities in ovarian cancer outcomes. The findings from this study will support external funding applications focused on improving outcomes and promoting health equity for older ovarian cancer patients. Collaborators including Amy Trentham-Dietz, Ron Gangnon, and Lisa Barroilhet played a pivotal role in the success of this proposal.