Dr Shroff on Empowering Women in GI Oncology Research

"Diversity in designing clinical trials, writing clinical trials, running clinical trials, and presenting those data, leads to cross-pollination of ideas [which is ultimately] how we move the needle forward."

Rachna T. Shroff, MD, MS, FASCO, the associate director of clinical investigations and co-leader of the Gastrointestinal Clinical Research Team at the University of Arizona Comprehensive Cancer Center; a professor with tenure in the Department of Medicine, chief of the Division of Hematology and Oncology for the University of Arizona College of Medicine—Tucson; and medical director for the Oncology Service Line with Banner Health, highlighted what she described as a "sea change" in the empowerment of women within the field of gastrointestinal oncology.

Shroff began by emphasizing that diversity in clinical trial design—specifically the active participation of women in writing, running, and presenting research—is not merely a social objective, but is critical for improving the quality of scientific research.

By bringing varied perspectives to the table, the oncology community can develop more creative and robust strategies for overcoming traditional barriers in cancer treatment and advancing the standard of care, she reiterated.

Shroff credited partnerships between academic medical centers and the pharmaceutical industry for this progress, stating that they have become increasingly mindful of representing multiple voices and perspectives during the conceptualization of research projects, according to Shroff. She asserted that this intentionality leads to the "smartest trial designs," which ultimately provide the maximum benefit to the patients and investigators involved.

Additionally, women are increasingly serving as lead investigators for major trials involving targeted therapies, particularly in pancreatic cancer, Shroff noted. Ultimately, the growing leadership of women in oncology is a wonderful development that ensures the field continues to evolve in a way that benefits the entire medical community, she concluded.