Gynecologic cancers affect more than 100,000 women in the U.S. each year, yet remain among the most under-researched and underfunded cancer types. As a result, many women with cervical, ovarian, uterine, vaginal, or vulvar cancer face inadequate options for early detection and treatment. Beyond gaps in research, patients face a second, systemic shortfall across the care continuum, marked by delayed diagnosis, fragmented care, limited community support, and low public and clinical visibility.
The scale of this problem is often hidden in plain sight. Dr. Ginger Gardner, Vice Chair of the Department of Surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and panelist at a recent STAT-hosted summit, emphasized this under recognition: “How many of us are aware that every five minutes in this country, another patient will be diagnosed with one of the five gynecologic cancers? That totals 115,000 new diagnoses a year and 1 million globally.”
“The numbers are staggering,” added Leslie Amendola, Senior Vice President and U.S. General Manager of Genmab. “30,000, unfortunately, will lose their battle. That is unacceptable.”
Gardner and Amendola joined Maimah Karmo, President and CEO of the Tigerlily Foundation, on the panel examining why gynecologic cancers continue to lag behind, and what it will take to close the gap. Together, they emphasized that lived experiences of people with cancer and their support networks must be part of the conversation, alongside meaningful collaboration among industry, clinicians, researchers, and policymakers. Real progress requires a comprehensive approach, they stressed, with increased investment across research, education, access, awareness, and support.
Aligning innovation with patient need
Gardner, Amendola, and Karmo emphasized that scientific advances can only deliver meaningful impact when they meet real-world patient needs. New therapies hold promise, but access is critical, as is an ecosystem that supports early detection, timely diagnosis, and informed, patient-centered decision making.
The barriers are deeply familiar to Karmo, who was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer at age 31 after being repeatedly ignored by clinicians. “I was told I was too young … and dismissed by doctors for almost a year,” she said. “My tumor doubled in size, and I kept getting told, ‘Wait till you’re 40 or 50’ … Women are still hearing the same story today.”
Her experience, she said, reflects a broader pattern of delayed diagnosis and dismissal that continues to affect women across cancer types. Karmo highlighted the challenges many patients face beyond the disease itself, including fertility decisions, family responsibilities, and limited support during complex, life-altering treatment decisions. “Navigating cancer is hard,” she said, explaining that people come to her foundation and their ANGEL Advocate program as “an anchor … Someone to say ‘I got you. I’m going to hold your hand and you’re safe.’”
Her message to health systems, researchers, and industry was clear: patients must be partners. “Whatever is being built has to be with the patient,” she said. “Every patient is a world in his or herself that could have ideas to transform health care. Listen to us … lean into us, learn from us, and let us lead.”
Dr. Gardner reinforced the importance of elevating the central voice of patients and the patient experience, while also providing pivotal patient education, awareness and support through the Foundation for Women’s Cancer (FWC). The FWC is a national organization for outreach and support, where the patient voice is elevated with physicians and researchers who are dedicated to charting new solutions.
Listening to patients’ voices
Amendola agreed that industry has a responsibility to learn from women living with cancer. “Authentically listening to those lived experiences of patients is really important, and this is at the heart of everything that we do at Genmab — from research and development all the way through commercialization.”
Through Genmab’s Patient Advisory Council, oncology patients and survivors have a seat at the table and help shape decisions — offering guidance on what’s needed and how best to support people with cancer.
“We’ve built trust through those engagements and oftentimes have found better solutions as a result. So, we’re quite excited about what we’re building and how we can really stay connected to the broader community,” Amendola said.
New scientific pathways
Both Genmab and the Foundation for Women’s Cancer (which Gardner chairs) are focused on advancing less radical and less invasive treatment approaches for gynecologic cancer.
Genmab has a treatment available for advanced-stage cervical cancer and an investigational therapy in ovarian and endometrial cancer — work that Amendola said is a critical step in moving the field forward. But she continued to emphasize that innovation only matters if people can access it.
Gardner said the research her organization is supporting is truly revolutionary. “Rather than it being one disease or another, we’re seeing new classes of agents come to the field that have an impact across tumor types and evaluating how we can best support patients,” Gardner said.
Each gynecologic cancer has multiple histologic subtypes with their own underlying biology. “And yet, we’re seeing underlying markers of activity that connect these diseases,” she said, mentioning antibody-drug conjugates, PARP inhibitors, and genetic drivers of disease.
“It’s a watershed moment in our field,” Gardner said. “We are at a pivotal moment for gynecologic cancer treatment and discovery, and so I’m very excited about where we stand and what our opportunity holds with a community and collaboration together.”
“It’s an opportunity for all of us to work together to change — primarily increasing research funding — so we can ensure that there are better treatments for patients across the journey, regardless of their stage of diagnosis,” Amendola added.
To learn more, visit us.genmab.com.
