Research Strategy & Policy
Building a Saudi research network for women's cancers.
SSGO is committed to advancing high-quality, ethical, and collaborative research that improves the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of gynecologic cancers in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SSGO) is committed to advancing high-quality, ethical, and collaborative research that improves the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of gynecologic cancers in Saudi Arabia.
SSGO aims to build a strong national research network that connects clinicians, researchers, trainees, and institutions; promotes innovation and evidence-based practice; and generates research that addresses the needs of women with gynecologic cancers in Saudi Arabia and the region.
Our vision
To position SSGO as the leading national platform for collaborative gynecologic oncology research — generating evidence that improves cancer care and outcomes for women in Saudi Arabia and contributes to gynecologic oncology knowledge regionally and internationally.
Eight objectives guiding the Society's research agenda.
Promote Excellence in Research
Encourage high-quality clinical, epidemiological, translational, and outcomes research across all areas of gynecologic oncology.
Strengthen National Collaboration
Develop a national multicenter research network connecting gynecologic oncology centers and investigators across Saudi Arabia.
Define National Research Priorities
Identify and address important research questions based on the burden, characteristics, and outcomes of gynecologic cancers in Saudi Arabia.
Support Clinical Trials and Innovation
Facilitate participation in national and international clinical trials and encourage innovative and precision-oncology research. Currently, the Society is not able to fund research directly.
Develop Future Researchers
Support residents, fellows, junior specialists, and early-career investigators through mentorship, research education, and collaborative studies.
Registries & Real-World Evidence
Encourage national gynecologic cancer registries and collaborative databases to evaluate patterns of care, treatment outcomes, and quality indicators.
Promote Research Integrity
Support ethical, scientifically rigorous, and transparent research in accordance with national regulations and international standards.
Expand Partnerships & Impact
Build collaborations with national and international institutions and promote the publication and presentation of Saudi gynecologic oncology research.
Areas of national and health priority.
These priorities are reviewed by the Scientific Committee every three years, or as needed, and approved by the Board of Directors.
- 01Epidemiology and prevalence rates of cervical, ovarian, uterine, vulvar, and vaginal cancers in the Kingdom.
- 02Early-detection and prevention programmes, such as cervical cancer screening and HPV vaccination.
- 03Outcomes of surgical, medical, and radiation treatment, and quality of life after treatment.
- 04Genomics and precision medicine in gynecologic oncology.
- 05Gaps in national health records and data related to gynecologic cancers.
Clear roles across the Society's research structure.
Scientific / Research Committee
A standing committee established by the Board of Directors: approves strategic research priorities, reviews proposals scientifically and methodologically, confirms ethics approvals, monitors progress, and adjudicates conflict-of-interest and integrity cases.
Board of Directors
The final decision-making authority for approving this policy and its amendments, and for adjudicating substantive matters referred by the Scientific Committee, including serious violations of research integrity.
Principal Investigator
Bears full responsibility for compliance with the policy, accuracy of data, integrity of informed-consent procedures, and sound management of the research team.
Ethics, privacy, publication and integrity.
Research Ethics
- IRB approval accredited by the SFDA before any data collection or recruitment.
- Written informed consent, with exemptions determined by the ethics committee.
- Declaration of Helsinki as the international ethical reference framework.
- Interventional research registered in a recognised clinical trials registry.
Data Management & Privacy
- Secure, encrypted storage with identifiers separated from research data.
- Full compliance with the Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL).
- Retention periods set by the approving ethics committee.
- No external data sharing without explicit ethics-committee approval.
Authorship & Publication
- ICMJE authorship criteria applied in full to every author.
- The Society acknowledged in all research arising from its activities.
- Publication encouraged in reputable peer-reviewed journals.
- Publication in predatory journals is prohibited.
Integrity & Conflict of Interest
- Zero tolerance for fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or duplicate publication.
- Written disclosure of any financial or non-financial conflict of interest.
- Committee members recused from reviewing proposals they participate in.
- Confidential mechanism for reporting and investigating misconduct.
Five stages from concept note to implementation.
01
Concept note
Submission of a concept note to the Scientific Committee using the approved template.
02
Initial review
Review to confirm alignment with the Society's priorities and research methodology.
03
Protocol & IRB
Submission of the detailed protocol accompanied by research ethics committee (IRB) approval.
04
Final approval
Approval by the Scientific Committee and documentation in the Society's research project registry.
05
Implementation
Commencement of implementation with periodic progress reports, at least semi-annual.
Leading the research portfolio.
Professor Nisreen Anfinan
Consultant Gynecology Oncology
King Abdulaziz University
Dr. Ahmed Alhakami
Consultant Gynecology Oncology
Jazan Specialist Hospital