News

Comprehensive Study Provides Recommendations for Better Ovarian Cancer Patient Care

March 1, 2022

Key recommendations for improving care of ovarian cancer patients in the United States have been published as part of a collaborative, in-depth initiative spearheaded by the Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) and involving a joint partnership between OCRA, the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, the National Society of Genetic Counselors, and the Association for Molecular Pathology.  The initiative was guided … Continued

New Study Shows Surgical Removal of Fallopian Tubes Can Reduce Ovarian Cancer Risk

February 25, 2022

In promising news on the prevention front, one surgical procedure that leaves the ovaries intact may greatly reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. Recent research findings show that the surgical removal of fallopian tubes in a procedure known as an opportunistic salpingectomy may prevent the most common subtype of ovarian cancer from developing. The procedure … Continued

The Overview: February 2022

February 15, 2022

This may be a short month, but it’s not short on all the many ways to get involved. In the meantime, we hope you feel the Valentine love from all of us at OCRA. Advocacy Patient Support & Programs Events Research Ways to Give

New Research Shows Cervical Cells May Hold Key to Predicting Ovarian Cancer Risk

February 9, 2022

Cervical cell samples that are routinely collected as part of Pap smears may hold promise for predicting the risk of ovarian and other cancers, according to recent findings published as two separate papers in Nature — one focused on ovarian cancer and the other on breast cancer. The researchers studied cervical samples collected at 15 different health centers in Europe … Continued

Study Finds Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Safe and Effective for Gynecologic Oncology Patients

January 27, 2022

A prospective cohort study recently published on Vaccines set out to determine the safety and effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for gynecologic cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment around the time of their vaccination. In all, 44 gynecologic cancer patients were enrolled in the study, including 28 ovarian cancer patients. Patients involved in the study … Continued

The Overview | January 2022

January 20, 2022

Happy new year! While the temperatures may be chilly for many of us, we hope everyone is keeping warm with renewed hope for a year of progress toward our mission, and a strong sense of community. Only three weeks into 2022, and we already have a lot to share. So, without further ado … Research … Continued

OCRA Awards Two Ovarian Cancer Research Prizes

January 19, 2022

OCRA is pleased to announce the recipients of two research prizes, selected by members of our Scientific Advisory Committee for their notable contributions to the field of ovarian cancer research and commitment to future discoveries. Dr. Kathleen Cho Awarded Rosalind Franklin Excellence in Ovarian Cancer Research Prize The Rosalind Franklin Excellence in Ovarian Cancer Research … Continued

OCRA-Funded Research Points to Potential for Predicting Ovarian Cancer

January 14, 2022

New study findings not only reveal where the most common ovarian cancer subtype originates in certain patients, but also point to the future possibility of being able to predict who will get the disease. The research, published in Cell Reports, was led by Clive N. Svendsen, PhD, of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and OCRA’s Scientific Advisory Committee … Continued

OCRA Awards Nearly $6.5 Million in Ovarian Cancer Research Grants

January 10, 2022

More breakthroughs are on the horizon, as OCRA has awarded grants to 22 dedicated scientists at 15 prestigious medical institutions to enable future ovarian cancer discoveries. With this funding, OCRA grantees aim to answer questions that have vexed the scientific community, building on our collective knowledge and identifying new opportunities for ovarian cancer prevention and … Continued

Secondary Cytoreductive Surgery Post-Recurrence Results in Longer Overall Survival

January 5, 2022

A randomized trial recently showed that patients with an ovarian cancer recurrence who undergo cytoreductive surgery along with chemotherapy show better survival rates than those who only receive chemotherapy. More than 400 patients were randomized into two groups: 206 were assigned to cytoreductive debulking surgery and chemotherapy, and 201 only had chemotherapy. The median survival rate in … Continued

Anne van Harten, PhD | Meet a Scientist

January 4, 2022

Dr. Anne van Harten, of the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, is a 2021 recipient of OCRA’s Ann and Sol Schreiber Mentored Investigator Award. With her project, “Targeted MDM2 Degradation as a Novel Treatment for Ovarian Cancer,” Dr. van Harten is designing and testing a new compound to target a … Continued

OCRA-Funded Research Reveals How Distinct Mutational Processes May Affect HGSOC Tumor Growth

December 22, 2021

OCRA grantees Ignacio Vázquez-García, PhD and Sohrab Shah, PhD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, along with colleagues, have found that distinct mutational processes determine the different mechanisms by which certain ovarian cancer tumors are able to evade the immune system and continue to grow. These learnings may lead the way to future immunotherapeutic approaches that can more … Continued