What's New in Ovarian Cancer Research?

There is a lot of research being conducted on ovarian cancer. Read more about all the different approaches that researchers are taking:

Risk factors and causes


Researchers continue to study the genes involved in ovarian cancer -- how they normally work and how changes can lead to cancer. In the future, this research could lead to new drugs to prevent and treat certain types of ovarian cancer.


Prevention


New knowledge about how much BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene changes increase ovarian cancer risk is helping women make decisions about prevention. For instance, there are mathematical models that help estimate how many years of life an average woman with a BRCA gene change might gain by having both ovaries and fallopian tubes removed to prevent ovarian cancer from starting. But it should be kept in mind that although doctors can predict the average outcome of a group of many women, they still can't predict the outcome for any one woman.


Other studies are testing new drugs to reduce ovarian cancer risk. Researchers are always looking for clues such as lifestyle, diet, and medicines that may alter the risk of ovarian cancer.


Finding ovarian cancer early


Better methods for finding ovarian cancer early could have a great impact on the cure rate. A national "bank" for blood and tissue samples from women with ovarian cancer is being set up. This will allow researchers to look for patterns of blood proteins in women with ovarian cancer. This might help them find new ways to screen for ovarian cancer.


Two large studies of screening tests were done in the United States and the United Kingdom. Both studies looked at using the CA-125 blood test along with ovarian ultrasound to find ovarian cancer. These studies have found early cancers in some women. But it is not known whether the outcomes for these women have been improved compared with women who haven't had the screening.


A test called OVA1 is meant to be used in women who have an ovarian tumor. It measures the levels of certain proteins in the blood. The levels of these proteins, when looked at together, are used to put women with tumors into 2 groups: low risk and high risk. The women who are labeled low risk are not likely to have cancer. The women who are called high risk are more likely to have a cancer, and so should have surgery done by an expert (a gynecologic oncologist). This test is NOT a screening test - it is only meant for use in women who have an ovarian tumor.


Tumor markers


Some women with epithelial ovarian cancer have normal levels of the tumor marker CA125. In these women, the only way to tell whether treatment is working (or to see if the cancer has come back) is to do tests like CT scans. Experts have found that in many women with ovarian cancer, the blood level of a protein called HE4 is increased. If you have ovarian cancer and a normal CA125 level, your doctor may decide to check the HE4 level. If it is high, it can be used instead of CA125 to guide treatment.


Treatment


Research into treatment includes testing methods now in use as well as finding new treatments.


New chemo combinations which may help treat cancers that resist current treatments are always being studied. Studies are also looking at using targeted therapy drugs to fight ovarian cancer.


There are enzymes that have been found that act to control cell survival and cell death. Drugs that work against these enzymes help fight cancers caused by mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2. These drugs may make cancers in women without BRCA mutations respond better to radiation treatment and some kinds of chemo. Clinical trials are in going on to find out whether these drugs will improve outcomes for ovarian cancers in women without BRCA mutations.


Other treatments are being studied. These include ways to slow down the growth of the cancer cells. Another approach is to make tumor vaccines that program the immune system to better spot cancer cells. Also, monoclonal antibodies that find and attack ovarian cancer cells are being developed. Monoclonal antibodies are like the antibodies our bodies make to fight infection. But these are made in the lab and are aimed at the cancer cells.


Treatments that are given after first line therapy to prevent the cancer from coming back (this is called consolidation therapy) are being studied in clinical trials. Some of these on-going studies are testing chemo, growth factor inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies.

Read more http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/OvarianCancer/OverviewGuide/ovarian-cancer-overview-new-research