Ovarian Cancer

Despite the many advances in cancer care in recent decades, one aspect that hasn’t seen much improvement is the detection of ovarian cancer in its earliest stages. Finding the disease sooner could have a big impact on survival compared with what is experienced with later diagnoses.

“There has been a rapid expansion in the use of checkpoint inhibition in many solid tumor types,” lead author Emily Hinchcliff, M.D.

At the inaugural Ovarian Cancer Heroes gala, held in New Orleans ahead of the 49th Society of Gynecologic Oncology Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancers, four individuals — a physician, nurse navigator and two patient-turned-advocates — were awarded for the contributions they have made to increase awareness and advance research and education for ovarian cancer.

Oncologists explore neoadjuvant therapy, heated chemotherapy and PARP inhibitors to find the right treatment for women with ovarian cancer.

William J. Gradishar, M.D., discusses the potential surgical implications for a woman with breast cancer who tests positive for a BRCA mutation, and why it is important to be aware of this genetic information.

Chlamydia is the most commonly reported sexually transmitted infection in the United States, and women who contract it may be at an increased risk for developing ovarian cancer.

The agency determined the Personal Genome Service Genetic Health Risk (GHR) Report is accurate and can provide reproducible results.

In her talk, Hennessy will also emphasize the importance of educating patients about their cancers and care options, and of the need for physicians to consider treatments that go beyond the standard of care, including targeted medicines and clinical trials.

A drug that is used to treat leukemia may also have potential in treating an extremely rare kind of ovarian cancer called small cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT).

Finding her way into a clinical trial took a lot of research for one patient with ovarian cancer. Now, she’s guiding others.

Rick Boulay, a gynecologic oncologist and classically trained singer, will host a performance to raise money for cancer charities.

After a cancer diagnosis and treatment, one may question when they will actually start to feel “normal” again, whatever that may be. The Ovarian Cancer Prognosis and Lifestyle (OPAL) study set out to help women with ovarian cancer to understand just that.

Should women who are not known to have a hereditary risk for ovarian cancer get screened? The US Preventive Services Task Force says no.

PARP inhibitors have drastically changed the treatment landscape – and outcomes – of patients with ovarian cancer. However, despite promise shown among this class of drugs, it is still unclear which agent is the best to use in the maintenance setting.

My wife died on Valentine's Day, and I never thought that the holiday would be the same again.

If your chair was cold, I knew you were two floors down in the NICU cradling your only child – the only one I’d be able to give you – making sure his IV and nutrition lines were also connected and beeping lively and skipping at the same beat as mine.

Overall survival should not be the sole factor in determining whether a drug gets approved, according to Maurie Markman, M.D.

As genetic testing becomes more accessible with advanced technology and decreased costs, population-based testing for breast and ovarian cancer may be more cost effective in the long run, according to study results published in Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

“Obesity has been previously investigated for its role in cancer and promoting tumor growth, at least partially by inducing a chronic inflammatory state,” the authors wrote. “However, it’s unclear how this would play out in the era of immunotherapy, where inflammation has been linked to treatment response.”

“Adding HIPEC to interval debulking improved both recurrence free survival and overall survival without increasing morbidity,” said van Driel.

As costs decrease, and physicians move to address barriers to genetic testing, a panel of physicians, researchers and a patient advocate highlighted the importance for people to get tested.

Even when a patient thinks they may have exhausted their very last treatment option, the Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry (TAPUR) Study is just the thing they may need.

Some patients refer to this as their cancerversary. With two years in the rear-view mirror, I’m calling it my Everything-From-Here-On-Out-Is-Gravy Day.

Cristiana Sessa, M.D., of the Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, discusses the evolution of how PARP inhibitors are used to treat ovarian cancer.

To date, trials testing the use of immunotherapy in the treatment of ovarian cancer yielded disappointing results. However, researchers are not giving up. Instead, they’re investigating to see if immunotherapy drugs – such as PD1 and PDL-1 inhibitors – can be combined with other agents to benefit patients.

New discoveries happen often. Is there one for us?

“As the population of cancer survivors continues to grow, so does the importance of addressing the long-term sequelae of cancer treatment,” the authors wrote. “This hearing loss can result in multifaceted decrease in quality of life, and in pediatric patients it can impact social and academic development.”

Let's recognize time as the gift it is, and chart a course for making 2018 really count.