What’s Behind the Blueprint

A “blueprint” is the molecular profile of a cancer. Currently, medical diagnosis for ovarian cancer stops once the morphology (the classification and predicted course of development of a cancer) is completed. All ovarian epithelial cancers, despite their morphological differences, are currently treated the same – even though there are alternative treatments available.

The Clearity Foundation believes that learning and being aware of what’s occurring inside the cancer cell can lead to better treatment choices in the future for YOU and all women.

Stopping Cancer In Its Tracks

Cancer: Cells Gone Wild

Every cell in your body has a life cycle and needs to regenerate at some point. Most of the time, the cells stay in equilibrium, but sometimes the “divide” signal stays switched on and the cell growth spirals rapidly out of control.

Chemotherapy drugs like Taxol and Cisplatin focus on killing rapidly-dividing cells by disrupting the cell division process, however those drugs also kill normal/non-disruptive cells. Chemotherapy is typically effective for a short period, but since cancer cells change rapidly, its effectiveness decreases over time. This is because cell division is not a single step process and the cell can find ways to “end run” the chemo drug.

Genetic Telephone Tag: The Cellular Information Network

The cellular information network starts with genes. Your genes give cells a code or a formula to make a protein and these proteins run the show. Proteins signal receptors and other macromolecules to establish lines of communication between and within cells. Similar to the child’s game of “telephone tag”, one miscue can have a chain effect and may result differently than the original intention.

Cellular Grand Central Station: Signals, Pathways, and Switches

There is a lot of chatter both inside and outside of the cell. Externally, a tumor cell may be advertising that it needs blood vessels to grow nearby so that it has a food supply. Or it may be broadcasting a signal to similar cell types that tell them to grow. Inside the cell, there is a whole series of “signal” pathways with multiple switches responsible for both internal and external communications. It’s like one big train station with a lot of communication about which tracks are open, which ones are shut down, and new detours.

Baby, Are You Switched On or Off? Each Woman’s Cellular Information Network is Unique

Although one woman’s ovarian cancer might look the same on the outside as another woman’s ovarian cancer, their cell information pathways may be activated differently. While the end result of tumor growth is the same in both cases, cancers may signal on different tracks. This is why having a molecular blueprint is so important for treatment.

Targeted Therapies to Derail the Train

Targeted therapies like Herceptin (for breast cancer) work by specifically disrupting one part of a cellular process “gone bad.” By blocking a switch in the cellular information network or somehow disrupting the pathway, these therapies are able to stop the cell division in that track. Due to their effectiveness, tailored therapies have transformed some cancers into treatable diseases. Providing easier access to these therapies to patients is the goal at the Clearity Foundation.