TESARO Expands Our Way Forward Program for the Ovarian Cancer Community and Partners With Olympic Gymnast Shannon Miller
September 28 2017 - 4:30PM
TESARO, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSRO), an oncology-focused biopharmaceutical
company, announced today the availability of a number of new
support resources and services that address unmet educational needs
for women living with ovarian cancer. The new resources are part of
the expansion of the Our Way Forward platform – a program launched
earlier this year, which features the results of a national survey
that uncovered gaps in communication amongst patients and
physicians. The expanded website includes numerous resources and
tools for ovarian cancer patients and their loved ones, as well as
a series of local ovarian cancer educational programs, including a
special storytelling event with “The Moth” this fall.
World-champion gymnast and gold medalist, Shannon Miller, will join
TESARO to complement the Our Way Forward program and educate and
empower the ovarian cancer community, sharing her experience as an
ovarian cancer survivor.
“As the Our Way Forward survey indicated, we as
a community still have a long way to go to meet the needs of women
with ovarian cancer. As a company, we measure our success by the
number of patients and their loved ones that we impact in a
positive manner,” Mary Lynne Hedley, Ph.D., President and Chief
Operating Officer. “By offering expanded educational content that
emerged from perspectives and experiences of patients, survivors
and caregivers like Shannon, we are committed to addressing the
physical and emotional challenges that ovarian cancer brings to
women.”
The Our Way Forward website expansion used the
findings uncovered in the Our Way Forward survey to develop
informed resources and provide a call-to-action for patients, their
loved ones and physicians to rethink how they talk about advanced,
recurrent ovarian cancer. The Our Way Forward survey was
conducted online in the U.S. by Harris Poll on behalf of TESARO,
Inc. between April 2017 and May 2017, among 254 women living with
ovarian cancer and 232 physicians who treat ovarian cancer
patients. The updated website includes tailored content that
addresses the emotional support needs of the caregiver, self-care
and empowerment tips for women at any point during their personal
ovarian cancer experience, first-person perspectives from women
living with ovarian cancer and video content from “The Moth”
storytelling event.
“As an ovarian cancer survivor, I am well aware
of the anxiety and fear that goes along with an initial diagnosis,
as well as the fear of recurrence even after treatment. It’s
something that is always there. That’s why I am thrilled to join
TESARO to be a part of a program that directly addresses the unique
challenges of women after an ovarian cancer diagnosis and those
currently living with ovarian cancer,” said Mrs. Miller. “With Our
Way Forward, TESARO has demonstrated their commitment to women like
me – and their families and caregivers – who are faced with the
possibility of cancer returning. As new medicines become available
to treat women living with recurrent ovarian cancer, programs to
support women from an emotional and psycho-social standpoint remain
equally critical.”
Upcoming resources will include new content
created by Mrs. Miller, as she shares her personal ovarian cancer
story, including the risks one still faces with an ovarian cancer
diagnosis and treatment.
The Our Way Forward survey revealed that around
half (53 percent) of patients polled felt that ovarian cancer had a
severe or very severe impact on their lives. For patients who are
currently in treatment or who have been treated, about half (49
percent) admitted that they find not being sure of the path forward
after diagnosis to be very or extremely challenging. According to
the survey, more than two in five patients who are either currently
in treatment, or who have been treated, find not knowing what to
expect during treatment (46 percent) or after treatment (47
percent) to be very or extremely challenging.
Approximately 85 percent of women with advanced
ovarian cancer will experience recurrent disease after treatment.
Despite high response rates to chemotherapy, its effectiveness
diminishes over time. Many women have been told to “watch and wait”
– along with the healthcare professionals, monitoring the cancer
for recurrence. Until recently, before maintenance treatments were
available, after a response to platinum-based chemotherapy, women
had limited treatment options that would delay progression of the
disease. These treatments have been shown to extend patients’ time
in remission and increase progression-free survival rates.
About
the Our Way Forward SurveyThe Our Way
Forward survey was conducted online in the U.S. by Harris Poll
on behalf of TESARO, Inc. between April 13 and May 2, 2017, among
254 women 18+ years of age living in the U.S. who have been
diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Survey respondents were selected
from individuals who had agreed to participate in surveys through
the Harris Poll and their partners, or were recruited to
participate by patient advocacy organizations, NOCC and OCRFA.
Results are representative of only those surveyed. A parallel
survey was conducted between April 17 and May 5, 2017, among 232
physicians who treat ovarian cancer patients in the U.S.,
consisting of 201 medical oncologists and 31 gynecologic
oncologists. Survey respondents were selected from physicians who
had agreed to participate in surveys through the Harris Poll and
their partners. More information about the campaign, full survey
methods and survey findings, including important resources to
enhance conversations about ovarian cancer, are available on
the Our Way Forward website
at www.ourwayforward-oc.com and via NOCC at ovarian.org
and OCRFA at ocrfa.org.
About Ovarian Cancer
Approximately 22,000 women in the United States
are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year, many of whom will be
diagnosed with advanced disease; while more than 65,000 women are
diagnosed annually in Europe. In 2017 alone, 14,000 women will die
of ovarian cancer, as it is the fifth leading cause of cancer death
among women. Despite high-response rates to platinum-based
chemotherapy in the second-line advanced treatment setting,
approximately 85 percent of patients will experience recurrence
within two years.
About TESARO TESARO is an
oncology-focused biopharmaceutical company devoted to providing
transformative therapies to people bravely facing cancer. For more
information, visit www.tesarobio.com and follow us
on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Investor/Media Contact:Jennifer
DavisVice President, Corporate Communications & Investor
Relations+1.781.325.1116 or jdavis@tesarobio.com
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