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Small Trial Shows Promising Results for Nivolumab in Ovaria...

Small Trial Shows Promising Results for Nivolumab in Ovarian Cancer

September 21, 2015

(September 21, 2015) A small study found that treatment with the anti-PD-1 immunotherapy nivolumab was able to produce complete responses in patients with advanced platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The phase II study of 20 patients had an overall response rate of 15% (3 responders); an additional 6 patients had stable disease. The median progression-free survival time … Continued

Q&A with OCRFA Grantee Kris Wood, PhD

Q&A with OCRFA Grantee Kris Wood, PhD

September 14, 2015

Q&A with Kris Wood, PhD Duke University 2015 Liz Tilberis Award   OCRFA: Tell me about yourself. Kris Wood: I grew up in Georgetown, KY, a rural town in the central part of the state. My family lived in a house on my grandfather’s farm, which was a wonderful place to grow up– I spent … Continued

Teaming Up Against Ovarian Cancer

Teaming Up Against Ovarian Cancer

September 11, 2015

(9/11/15) By Alan D. D’Andrea, MD, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, and Elizabeth M. Swisher, MD, University of Washington September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, when we scientists and advocates renew our determination to find new solutions to this devastating disease. This year we are pleased to have seen some encouraging signs. At … Continued

Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Commemorates Ovarian Cancer Aw...

Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Commemorates Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month with over $6 Million in Grants and New Initiatives

September 11, 2015

The largest private funder of ovarian cancer research awarded $6.3 million in grants while also launching new events and partnerships (September 11, 2015) –Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF), has awarded $6.3 million in grants to scientists working to cure ovarian cancer, as well as to hospitals supporting patients through OCRF’s signature Woman to Woman program. … Continued

Teaming Up Against Ovarian Cancer

Teaming Up Against Ovarian Cancer

September 10, 2015

Check out this guest post by Alan D. D’Andrea, MD, and Elizabeth M. Swisher, MD from the  SU2C-OCRF-OCNA-NOCC Dream Team that originally appeared on Cancer Research Catalyst, the official blog of the American Association for Cancer Research, the Scientific Partner of Stand Up 2 Cancer. September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, when we scientists and advocates renew our determination to find new solutions to this devastating disease. This year we are pleased to have seen some encouraging signs. At the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) in April, scientists reported that a combination of two drugs, olaparib and BKM120, showed clinical benefit for women with high-grade serous ovarian cancer (as well as women with triple-negative breast cancer). Click plus sign to read on.

OCRF Research Shows Heart Medication Prolongs Life in Ovari...

OCRF Research Shows Heart Medication Prolongs Life in Ovarian Cancer Patients

August 26, 2015

(August 26, 2015) Women with epithelial ovarian cancer who happened to be taking nonselective beta-blockers for hypertension survived longer than those who were not taking the drugs, according to a large multicenter retrospective study.  The study was funded in part by an OCRF grant to Dr. Anil Sood at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Survival was … Continued

Multi-gene Testing for Ovarian Cancer Risk is Clinically Us...

Multi-gene Testing for Ovarian Cancer Risk is Clinically Useful

August 21, 2015

(August 21, 2015) A study published online in JAMA Oncology this month shows that screening women with a suspected risk of hereditary breast or ovarian cancer with a multigene panel (which looks for mutations in many genes), identifies more people with cancer risk related gene mutations than screening for BRCA1 and 2 alone. Importantly, identifying … Continued

RAD51 Mutations Confer Moderate Risk of Ovarian Cancer

RAD51 Mutations Confer Moderate Risk of Ovarian Cancer

August 19, 2015

(August 19, 2015)  Deleterious mutations in RAD51C and RAD51D genes are associated with increased risk of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), according to a study published online Aug. 10 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Honglin Song, PhD, from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, and colleagues conducted a genetic study using germline DNA … Continued

OCRF Research Finds Combination Immunotherapy Promising

OCRF Research Finds Combination Immunotherapy Promising

August 19, 2015

(August 19, 2015) Whereas chemotherapy kills cancer cells only while it is being administered, immunotherapy can lead to an adaptive immune response that persists long after treatment is ceased. By simple analogy, whereas aspirin provides temporary pain relief, a polio vaccine provides lifelong protection. Unfortunately, just as tumors develop resistance to conventional therapies, tumors also … Continued

Ovarian Cancer Survival Rates Higher Than Thought

Ovarian Cancer Survival Rates Higher Than Thought

August 17, 2015

(August 17, 2015) A study from the University of California, Davis found that one-third of women with ovarian cancer survive at least 10 years after diagnosis. The study, published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, linked high survival rates with younger ages, early stages, and tumor type but they also found many exceptions to … Continued

Study Finds Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Underutilized

Study Finds Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy Underutilized

August 4, 2015

(August 4, 2015) A study published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology reports that although the use of intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IP)/IV chemotherapy increased significantly at major cancer centers between 2003 and 2012, fewer than 50% of eligible patients received it. Previous studies have shown that the use of IP chemotherapy significantly improves survival among … Continued

OCRF Research Finds Gene Therapy May Help Patients with Rec...

OCRF Research Finds Gene Therapy May Help Patients with Recurrent Ovarian Cancer

July 30, 2015

(July 30, 2015) Recurrent ovarian cancer patients have more hope today, thanks to OCRF-funded research by David Pepin, PhD at Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Pepin and his colleagues found that gene therapy that delivers a protein that suppresses the development of female reproductive organs may improve survival rates in patients with ovarian cancer that has … Continued