OCRA’s Rivkin Ovarian Cancer Research Symposium Convenes A Scientific Community Ready To Accelerate Progress
More than 375 researchers, clinicians, and advocates gathered in Philadelphia for the 16th Biennial Rivkin Ovarian Cancer Research Symposium, presented for the first time by Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA). Founded in 1996, the Symposium is the longest-standing meeting dedicated to ovarian cancer.
This year’s Symposium captured the growing interest in ovarian cancer research, attracting 233 abstract submissions, up from 140 in 2024. Along with keynote addresses and invited talks, almost 200 posters were presented.
OCRA is grateful to all who participated, and to the sponsors who helped make the Symposium possible, including Presenting Scientific Sponsor AbbVie; Advocate Sponsors AstraZeneca, Corcept, and Genmab; and Contributor Sponsor GSK.
Final Answer: Jackie Tohn Wins $125,000 for OCRA on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire
Actress and comedian Jackie Tohn, who plays Esther Roklov on Netflix’s Nobody Wants This, took the hot seat on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, playing on behalf of OCRA and ultimately winning $125,000 to support our mission.
Earlier this year, Tohn shared that she had tested positive for an inherited BRCA1 mutation and chose to have a preventive double mastectomy and oophorectomy. “I believe hereditary cancer testing saved my life,” she told People in May. Since then, she has spoken openly about hereditary cancer screening, and encourages others, especially those with a family history of cancer, to learn their risk.
Read more, and click here to learn about OCRA’s Free Genetic Testing Program.
Thank You For Your September Support!
Thank you for standing with OCRA during Ovarian & Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month. Thanks to you, we surpassed our $350,000 September goal by nearly $100,000, fueling more research, advocacy, and support for patients and families. Together, we’re making sure no one faces gynecologic cancer alone.
Updates From The Living Lab
With 730 Participants and Growing, Here’s What the Living Lab Makes Possible
In a new interview, Living Lab Principal Investigator Leigh Pearce, PhD, MPH, explains what the registry is already positioned to do for research and what opens up as it grows. From exploring questions that span different stages of the cancer experience to connecting researchers with participants for new studies, the Living Lab is building something the field hasn’t had before.
The Living Lab is open to anyone in the U.S. who has been diagnosed with ovarian, fallopian tube, peritoneal, endometrial, or uterine cancer. Learn more.
Support for the Living Lab is provided by AbbVie, AstraZeneca, and GSK.
News From OCRA’s Research Exchange
Researchers around the world are working toward better understanding and treatments for gynecologic cancers. OCRA’s Research Digests summarize the latest progress, including the following highlights:
• Researchers developed a new test that uses only ovarian tumor tissue, without requiring a matching healthy tissue sample, to reliably identify DNA repair defects and help predict which patients may benefit from PARP inhibitor treatment.
• A study of 55 patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer carrying a PIK3CA mutation found that combining immunotherapy with targeted drugs improved tumor response rates (85% vs. 29%) and delayed cancer progression compared with conventional treatments, although side effects were more common.
• In a cohort of 575 patients, early-stage endometrial tumors with certain DNA repair defects and those growing deeply into the uterine muscle were more likely to invade nearby blood and lymph vessels, potentially helping doctors identify patients at higher risk and personalize treatment.
• A small study found that image-guided internal radiation therapy (brachytherapy) successfully controlled high-grade precancerous vaginal lesions in all 10 patients at one year, suggesting it may be an effective treatment option, although some patients experienced long-term side effects.
OCRA’s Advocate’s Corner
OCRA’s Center for Public Policy has interviewed more than 100 new applicants for the 2027 Advocate Leaders program, putting next year’s cohort on track to be our largest yet. Their voices will be especially important in 2027 as we work to advance the Ovarian Cancer IMPACT Act, pushing for stronger research funding and better access to care.
Read the latest Advocate’s Corner.
Support & Education Updates
National Family Caregivers Month, Cancer Biomarker Awareness Day, & More
November is National Family Caregivers Month. If you’re caring for a loved one facing gynecologic cancer, you don’t have to do it alone. Staying Connected: Loved Ones is a welcoming space to share with others who understand. You can also explore NCCN’s new Caregiving for People with Cancer guide, its first patient guidelines written for caregivers.
In the coming weeks, we’re also offering a three-part Advance Care Planning Workshop, marking Cancer Biomarker Awareness Day, and sharing research updates from two major fall medical meetings.
Through OCRA’s Woman to Woman Peer Mentor Program, caregivers can connect with a trained Mentor who has been through a similar experience, from diagnosis through treatment and beyond.
Many of OCRA’s sessions take place weekly or monthly. View all support and education programming here, and register for upcoming sessions below. All times are Eastern.
Advance Care Planning (Workshop Series):
Gain practical guidance on medical, legal, financial, and end-of-life planning, with time for reflection and conversations grounded in your own values. Join one session or all three. Open to patients, survivors, and caregivers only.
• November 2 at 2PM – Understanding Care Goals and Healthcare Planning
• November 9 at 2PM – Advance Care Planning and Financial Preparation
• November 16 at 2PM – End-of-Life Planning, Hospice, and Legacy
Staying Connected: Living Well After Recurrence
November 2 at 1PM | Register
Staying Connected: Endometrial and Uterine Cancer
November 2 at 3PM | Register
Staying Current: Treatment for Endometrial Cancer
November 3 at 11AM | Register
Staying Connected: New Diagnosis
November 3 at 1PM | Register
Staying Connected: Loved Ones
November 4 at 3PM | Register
Staying Current: First-Line and Maintenance Treatment for Newly Diagnosed Ovarian Cancer
November 5 at 1PM | Register
Staying Connected: Evolving Hope
November 6 at 1PM | Register
Staying Connected: Cáncer en Español
10 de noviembre a las 5:30PM | Register
Cancer Biomarker Awareness Day is November 12. Watch “Cracking the Code: What Biomarkers Mean For Your Cancer Treatment”
Staying Current: Treatment for Platinum-Sensitive Recurrent Ovarian Cancer
November 12 at 1PM | Register
Finding Joy, Nutrition & Balance for the Holidays (Roundtable)
December 2 at 12PM | Register
OCRA’s Patient Support and Education programs are generously sponsored by AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Genentech, Genmab, GSK, Merck, Natera, PMV Pharma, the Shirley Z. Johnson Trust, Verastem, and Zentalis.
OCRA Sponsors 2026 NCCN Ovarian Cancer Patient Guidelines
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has released updated guidelines for ovarian cancer patients. OCRA is proud to sponsor this trusted patient resource, which provides clear, understandable information about ovarian cancer diagnosis and treatment.
View NCCN’s 2026 Ovarian Cancer Patient Guidelines.
Ways to Give
Giving through stocks or IRAs is a meaningful way to support OCRA’s mission and may offer valuable tax advantages. If you’re 70½ or older, you can make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) directly from your IRA without it being counted as taxable income.
Talk with your financial advisor soon to plan your year-end gift and make the most of this giving season.
