A meeting of the minds this week at the Morehouse School of Medicine is putting women's health front and center. And the results are likely to be significant for ovarian cancer patients.

At the 14th annual HeLa Women's Health Conference, clinicians, scientists and medical practitioners from across the nation will gather in Atlanta to discuss the latest in women's cancer news and trends, from early screening to racial disparities. The theme of this year's conference, which will be held Sept. 25, is "Cancer and Reproductive Health." It's a comprehensive undertaking that couldn't be better timed.

September is not only gynecological cancer awareness month but also ovarian cancer awareness month. And while the conference is focused less on the specifics of individual diseases affecting women, Dr. Roland Matthews, chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at MSM, says it will highlight the links between them and provide a forum to discuss key issues that apply across the board.

"We're looking at cancer as a basic science," Matthews said. "What we're trying to do is present cutting-edge research. We're going to talk about breast cancer, fertility and cancer, cervical cancer, HPV. Our conversations can apply to any cancer, and they're certainly relevant for women being treated for ovarian cancer."

There's an entire session, for example, devoted to BRCA1, a gene mutation associated with an increased risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancers. Only about 1 in 800 women carry the gene, but it's a crucial genetic test for those who have a family history of either disease.

Another session will focus on clinical trials -- research studies in which patients test out the latest drugs and procedures. Matthews predicts that this discussion, which is designed to increase participation among minority communities, will be among the more anticipated, as trials typically lead to improved treatments for cancer patients -- particularly ovarian cancer patients, who often experience recurrences -- but rarely involve blacks or other ethnic groups. According to the Comprehensive Center for Health Disparity, the number of African Americans who join clinical trials is shockingly low, about 1 percent.

Dr. Roland Pattillo, HeLa Conference chair and a professor in MSM's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, says minorities are often reluctant to take part in "experimental treatments" due to a mistrust of medical professionals. This lack of trust invariably leads to lower screening rates and worse survival outcomes, reports the American Association for Cancer Research.

"We are all aware of the great injury caused by the famous Tuskegee Experiment, in which the trust of the patients was breached," Pattillo said. "It's important to develop that trust again. It's necessary in order to promote diversity in clinical trials. We have to ensure that all populations are represented as part of a new strategy that will lead to new developments."

The conference, which is named for Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman with cervical cancer who, in 1951, unknowingly donated her cells to advance cancer research, will also address holistic approaches to health maintenance, stem cell research and best practices.

For more information on the HeLa Conference, click here.