Dr. Ron Buckanovich, an OCRA grantee, uses a metaphor to describe his work. “If I’m trying to get into Chicago and the highways that get me into the city are blocked off, no matter how important my job is, I’m not going to get there.” He’s talking about immunotherapy and the fact that the cells … Continued
What do the fur patterns of tigers have to do with advances in ovarian cancer treatment? Juan Cubillos-Ruiz, PhD, an OCRA grantee, grew up on a farm near Bogota, Colombia. He spent his younger years looking at the world around him, questioning everything. Why was corn white, yellow or purple? Why did foods vary in … Continued
(February 13, 2020) PARP inhibitors have shown to be a promising treatment option for a subset of ovarian cancer patients. As of February 2020, there are currently 3 FDA-approved PARP inhibitors for ovarian cancer: olaparib (Lynparza), niraparib (Zejula), and rucaparib (Rubraca). In an interview with OncLive, Dr. Robert Coleman, a member of OCRA’s Scientific Advisory … Continued
(January 15, 2020) A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found no statistically significant association between self-reported use of powder in the genital area and subsequent risk of developing ovarian cancer. Published earlier this month, the study used a pooled analysis of 4 large US cohorts, including 252,745 women with … Continued
(January 13, 2020) Thanks to your support, 22 top scientists at 19 eminent medical centers across the world will delve into important topics across the ovarian cancer landscape. In 2020, along with our other ongoing grants and programs, OCRA is investing nearly $9 million in the fight against ovarian cancer. These grants, awarded internationally for … Continued
(December 23, 2019) OCRA-funded scientist Dr. Sarah Gitto is making strides toward better harnessing the immune system to fight ovarian cancer. As reported recently in Gynecologic Oncology, Dr. Gitto and her colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania successfully created patient “avatars,” which mimic a patient’s biological profile based on a number of factors. Using these … Continued
OCRA-funded scientists have been hard at work this year, uncovering breakthroughs in ovarian cancer prevention, diagnostics, and treatment that can save women’s lives. Our grantees have made incredible progress toward better understanding and eradicating ovarian cancer. Their findings will have real-life impact for women and families battling this disease — and these stunning advancements would … Continued
(December 3, 2019) The origins of high grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is a debated topic in the scientific community. Prior research has suggested the cancer arises from the fallopian tube epithelium, and other evidence supports the theory that ovarian surface epithelium cells are the site of origin. OCRA-funded research by Shuang Zhang, PhD, from … Continued
(November 13, 2019) A study recently published in Nature Communications and led by OCRA grantee Dr. Rugang Zhang showed that the ARID1A protein plays a fundamental role in ensuring correct chromosome segregation when the cells divide. Specifically, ARID1A controls expression of another protein called STAG1 that is required to keep chromosome ends together. When ARID1A … Continued
(November 6, 2019) A recent research review conducted by a team at the University of Colorado Anschutz, and published this month by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, found that use of an intrauterine device (IUD) was associated with a lower risk of ovarian cancer. Through a systematic literature review and meta-analysis, researchers found … Continued
In an effort to further understand disease initiation and progression, OCRA grantee Dr. Sumegha Mitra, along with colleagues at Indiana University, conducted research which revealed key changes in gene expression occurring during the initiation and early metastasis of ovarian cancer. Dr. Mitra and colleagues identified targets and pathways which can be explored in the future … Continued
(October 7, 2019) Published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine, a group of investigators led by OCRA Scientific Advisory Committee member Dr. Robert Coleman found an innovative combination therapy to significantly increase progression-free survival (PFS). In this phase III clinical trial, patients with previously untreated advanced-stage ovarian cancer received veliparib administered simultaneously with … Continued
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