By: Susan Gubar
At diagnosis, quite a few cancer patients spy Eros rushing out the door. I know I did. For some, eroticism vanishes during or after treatment. Anhedonia, the inability to feel pleasure, can afflict both men and women … Read more
BRCA1 mutations are well-known to predispose to ovarian cancer risk. But now a new study, appearing in the Annals of Internal Medicine, suggests that methylation of normal BRCA1 genes might be a major ovarian cancer risk factor. In this … Read more
By Gene Emery
A heated chemotherapy organ bath circulated throughout the abdomen after surgery can significantly prolong a woman’s survival with advanced ovarian cancer, according to doctors testing the new treatment.
Patients who underwent the experimental procedure at 8 hospitals … Read more
Myriad Genetics and AstraZeneca have expanded their collaboration to conduct a study to identify women with advanced ovarian cancer who may benefit from maintenance treatment with Lynparza (olaparib) and Avastin (bevacizumab).
Myriad’s myChoice HRD Plus is a test for BRCA1 … Read more
To date, trials testing the use of immunotherapy in the treatment of ovarian cancer yielded disappointing results. However, researchers are not giving up. Instead, they’re investigating to see if immunotherapy drugs – such as PD1 and PDL-1 inhibitors – can … Read more
When Wendy Ericsson learned she had uterine cancer in December 2012 she went looking for information, but didn’t find much out there about her disease.
Through her doctor, she was directed to the Foundation for Women’s Cancer (FWC).
“There’s a … Read more
I had a family member who was diagnosed with late stage ovarian cancer 20 years ago and died of the disease at the age of 47. Even though her symptoms appeared a year before her diagnosis with abdominal bloating, indigestion, … Read more
By: Elaine Schattner
I expect progress. Here’s my list of major trends and issues that will affect the lives of cancer patients in 2018:
1. Less chemotherapy
A recent report finds that among patients with the most common form of … Read more
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted priority review status to rucaparib as maintenance therapy for women with recurrent ovarian cancer, according to the drug’s developer. The application is for women who are platinum sensitive, and in complete … Read more
By: Susan Gubar
Toward the end of another unexpected year of existence, outliving a poor prognosis of late-stage cancer rouses me in the dark. Such an awakening is quite different from the fretful insomnia that accompanied the dire diagnosis. Especially … Read more
A study published in October showed that high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas (HGSOC), which account for about 75 percent of ovarian cancers, originate with abnormal cells in the fallopian tubes an average of seven years before the disease develops. This understanding … Read more
By: Kelly Irvin
No matter how cancer makes you look, you’re still you—a better you.
It sounds like an obvious statement. But cancer wrecks physical havoc on our bodies, which affects our self-images. I state this for the record because … Read more
Oliver Dorigo, M.D., Ph.D., Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology (Oncology), Stanford University Medical Center, talks about the direction of research in the ovarian cancer field going into 2018 and beyond. He shares his excitement about trials that will further … Read more
Whether you’ve already been diagnosed, or you want to know your risk, health experts can test your DNA to determine your chances of developing cancer.
“The testing itself determines whether or not they have inherited this broken gene that could … Read more
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a cancer diagnostic test, FoundationOne CDx (F1CDx, Foundation Medicine), for use in detecting 300-plus genetic mutations in any solid tumor. At the same time, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services … Read more
By: Annette McElhiney
Now that it is December, most of us are preparing for the holidays. We plan and host parties, we prepare special foods, we give presents, and we create a “wish list” for ourselves. I’ve said many times … Read more
By: Rick Boulay
sur•vi•vor (sərˈvīvər/) noun : A person who is able to live their life despite experiencing difficulties.
“I can’t wait to get through my cancer treatment so I can go on living my life. I want to be … Read more
By: Leslie Barker
Gratitude tends to be, at its most basic, two words: Thank you.
It can also be a list (the colors of autumn, extra-hot coffee, a purring cat, a laughing baby). It can be a hand-written … Read more
Early studies are showing promise for immunotherapy agents such as checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment field of ovarian cancer, according to Jonathan Ledermann, M.D.
One such study is JAVELIN Ovarian 200, a study of Bavencio (avelumab) alone or in combination … Read more
