Women Report Symptoms to Primary Care Physicians Prior to Diagnosis of Ovarian Cancer(9/1/2009) Researchers from the UK have reported that women with ovarian cancer usually report symptoms to primary care physicians before the diagnosis. These researchers suggest that these symptoms should be included in guidelines for diagnostic testing. The details of this study appeared online in the British Medical Journal on August 25, 2009.
Many High-risk Women Opt for Preventive Removal of Breasts and Ovaries(8/24/2009) Researchers from the University of Manchester in the UK have reported that many women who are considered to be at high risk for developing breast or ovarian cancer are choosing to undergo preventive mastectomy and/or oophorectomy in order to reduce their risk of developing the disease. The details of this study were reported in the August 1, 2009 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.
False-positive Results Are Common with Cancer Screening(7/21/2009) Researchers affiliated with the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) Cancer Screening Trial have reported that the risk of obtaining a false-positive result from screening for prostate, lung, colorectal, and ovarian cancer is high and becomes cumulatively higher with ongoing screening—after 14 screening tests, the cumulative risk of a false-positive is 60.4% for men and 48.8% for women. The results of this study were published in the May/June 2009 issue of the Annals of Family Medicine.
Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy Increases Incidence of Ovarian Cancer(7/16/2009) Researchers from Denmark have reported that estrogen and/or progestin administration in the peri- and postmenopausal period of women increases the incidence of ovarian cancer. The details of this study appeared in the July 15, 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Oophorectomy for Benign Disease Increases Heart- and Cancer-related Deaths(4/30/2009) Researchers affiliated with the Harvard Nurses’ Health study have reported that women who have a hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy for benign disease have a lower risk of developing ovarian cancer but a higher risk of all-cause mortality, including cancer deaths, than women who have a hysterectomy without ooophorectomy. The details of this study appeared in the May 1, 2009 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
High Time Costs for Informal Care Givers of Cancer Patients(9/10/2009) Researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have reported that the time spent by informal caregivers is significant and an important component in the overall burden of cancer care. The details of this study appeared in the September 4, 2009 issue of Cancer.
Fertility Preservation Appears to Be Safe for Young Women with Early-stage Ovarian Cancer(8/17/2009) Researchers from Columbia University have reported that preservation of the non-cancerous ovary and the uterus appears to be safe for young women with Stage IA or IC ovarian cancer and allows women to preserve their fertility. These results were published early online in Canceron August 10, 2009.
Further Evidence in Favor of Care for Ovarian Cancer Patients by Gynecologic Oncologists(2/5/2008) Researchers from several California academic medical centers have reported that patients under 55 years of age with Stages IC–II ovarian cancer were more likely to receive chemotherapy if they received treatment from a gynecologic oncologist. The details of this report appeared in the January, 2008 issue of Gynecologic Oncology.
Partial Hold on Telcyta® Development Removed(10/26/2007) The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has removed the partial hold it had placed on the clinical development of Telik, Inc’s investigative small molecule Telcyta (canfosfamide HCL, TLK286).
Pertuzumab plus Gemzar® Active in Platinum-resistant Ovarian Cancer(11/16/2009) Researchers involved in an international randomized trial have reported that pertuzumab may add to the activity of Gemzar® (gemcitabine) for the treatment of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on November 9, 2009.
Dose-dense Taxol®-Paraplatin® Regimen Improves Survival in Ovarian Cancer(9/29/2009) Researchers affiliated with the Japanese Gynecology Oncology Group have reported that dose-dense weekly Taxol® (paclitaxel) plus Paraplatin® (carboplatin) improves survival of patients with advanced ovarian cancer compared with conventional dosing. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication in The Lancet on September 20, 2009.
Twelve Cycles of Maintenance Taxol® Following a Complete Response Improves Progression-free Survival in Women with Advanced Ovarian Cancer(7/28/2009) Researchers affiliated with the Southwest Oncology Group and the Gynecologic Oncology Group have reported that 12 months of Taxol® (paclitaxel) improves progression-free survival (PFS) but not overall survival (OS) in patients with advanced ovarian cancer who achieved a complete response to platinum and Taxol-induction therapy. The details of this study appeared in the August 2009 issue of Gynecology Oncology.
Addition of Third Chemotherapy Agent Provides No Added Benefit for Advanced Ovarian Cancer(4/22/2009) Physicians affiliated with the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) have reported that adding a third cytotoxic agent to the standard regiment of Taxol® (paclitaxel) and Paraplatin® (carboplatin) in women with advanced-stage ovarian cancer provides no benefit in progression-free survival or overall survival. The details of this study were published in the March, 30, 2009 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Doxil® and Paraplatin® Superior to Taxol® and Paraplatin for Relapsed Ovarian Cancer(10/1/2009) Researchers affiliated with the Gynecologic Cancer Intergroup (CCIG) trial CALYPSO have reported that Doxil®, also marketed as Caelyx® and Myocet® (pegylated liposomal doxorubicin) and Paraplatin® (carboplatin) was more effective and better tolerated than Taxol® (paclitaxel) and Paraplatin for partially platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer (patients who relapse between six and 12 months). The details of this study were presented at the Joint ECCO 15 – 34th ESMO Multidisciplinary Congress in Berlin, September 20-24, 2009.
New Monoclonal Antibody, Farletuzumab, May Have Activity in Relapsed Ovarian Cancer(10/1/2009) Researchers involved in a multicenter Phase II clinical trial have reported that the addition of farletuzumab (MORab-003) to a taxane and a platinum compound increases the response rate in women with platinum-sensitive relapse compared with historical controls. The details of this study were presented at the Joint ECCO 15 – 34th ESMO Multidisciplinary Congress in Berlin, September 20-24, 2009.
Initiating Treatment Due to Elevated CA125 Marker Does Not Improve Survival in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer(6/3/2009) Researchers affiliated with the MRC and EORTC trial (MRC OV05/EORTC 55955 trials) have reported that early treatment for recurrent ovarian cancer based on a rising CA125 marker does not appear to improve overall survival compared with treatment that is started upon presentation of symptoms. The details of this study were presented at the Plenary Session of the 2009 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Orlando, Florida, on May 31.
Combination of Hycamtin® and Taxotere® Shows Promise in Treatment of Recurrent Gynecologic Cancers(5/18/2009) Researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine have reported that among women with recurrent ovarian or endometrial cancer, 25% experienced a partial or complete response to treatment with Hycamtin® (topotecan) and Taxotere® (docetaxel). The results of this Phase II clinical trial will be published in the June 2009 issue of Gynecologic Oncology.
Alimta® Has Activity in Platinum-resistant Ovarian Cancer(4/21/2009) Researchers affiliated with the Gynecologic Oncology Group have reported that Alimta® (permetrexed) has significant activity for the treatment of recurrent platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication on March 30, 2009 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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