In a recent position statement published by the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), a clear message was delivered: timely and equitable care for women with gynaecological cancers across Europe continues to be limited by structural barriers. In their paper, ESGO have called for a systemic reform and proposes the creation of an EU-wide ecosystem of Centres of Excellence for Women’s Health that will help close persistent gaps in prevention.
Counting the Cost of Gynaecological Cancer
The statement underscores the substantial socioeconomic burden associated with these diseases that is placed upon women. It cites analysis from the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, a key partner in the DISARM project, who estimate that the cost of ovarian cancer alone was USD 70 billion across 11 countries in 2022, further highlighting the case for wider societal and economic investment in earlier detection and improved care pathways.
Indeed, several of ESGO’s listed policy recommendations are in close alignment with the ambitions of the DISARM project. In particular, the call to secure sustainable financing and governance for women’s health services resonates with DISARM’s work to explore innovative financial schemes and develop an evidence-based roadmap that supports the adoption of early detection solutions within the frameworks of national health systems. By collaborating with health authorities and the generation of robust clinical data, DISARM is working to demonstrate pathways for implementation that are both practical and sustainable.
Furthermore, the statement’s emphasis on embedding equity and gender sensitivity also reflects the priorities of DISARM work to map inequalities in early ovarian cancer detection and developing recommendations for socially effective screening strategies, thus directly addressing the disparities ESGO highlights.
A further shared priority outlined in the paper is workforce capacity. What ESGO calls for is stronger recognition and training in gynaecological oncology, while DISARM is contributing through advanced training and awareness activities in personalised ovarian cancer risk assessment. In parallel, a key ambition of DISARM to generate high-quality clinical and real-world data supports ESGO’s recommendation to build robust research and learning systems that are centred on women’s needs.
Turning Ambition into Impact
Taken together, ESGO’s position statement reinforces the urgency of coordinated, evidence-based action in women’s cancers. DISARM represents a tangible example of how EU-funded research, with support from the European Health and Digital Executive Agency, is already contributing to this purposeful goal.
As Europe works to translate policy ambition into real-world impact, continued collaboration between clinical societies, patient organisations, and research initiatives like DISARM will be essential to ensure that every woman benefits from earlier detection, more equitable care, and greater investment in ovarian cancer research.
This work received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No 101214318 (DISARM). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA). Neither the European Union nor HaDEA can be held responsible for them.
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