Common Genetic Test Often Wrong When Identifying Rare Disease-Causing Variants Such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, Study Says

February 16, 2021 10:00 am

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN

A genetic test used to detect common traits many people share is not reliable in identifying rare disease-causing variations, such as those that can predict breast and ovarian cancer, a new study has found.

The SNP … Read more

Triple therapy Shows Promise in Non-Germline BRCA-Mutated Ovarian Cancer

October 10, 2020 5:00 pm

By Savannah Demko

Triple therapy with olaparib plus durvalumab and bevacizumab were well-tolerated in patients with non-germline BRCA-mutated, platinum-sensitive, relapsed ovarian cancer, according to data presented at ESMO Virtual Congress 2020.

“Preclinical studies suggest the potential for synergy between … Read more

Bayer’s ATR Inhibitor May Benefit Cancers With ATM Aberrations, Early Data Suggest

September 29, 2020 4:00 pm

Researchers are optimistic that data from a first-in-human clinical trial of Bayer’s ATR-inhibiting agent, BAY-1895344, may pave the way for a new class of precision oncology treatments for patients with certain DNA damage response (DDR) defects in their tumors.

The … Read more

Why Some Cancers May Respond Poorly to Key Drugs Discovered

September 22, 2020 4:00 pm

Patients with BRCA1/2 mutations are at higher risk for breast, ovarian and prostate cancers that can be aggressive when they develop—and, in many cases, resistant to lifesaving drugs. Now scientists at The University of Texas at Austin and Ajou University … Read more

Olaparib Improves Median Time Without Disease Progression in BRCAm Ovarian Cancer

September 18, 2020 3:00 pm

Olaparib (Lynparza®; AstraZeneca/Merck & Co.*) has demonstrated a long-term progression-free survival (PFS) benefit versus placebo as a 1st-line maintenance treatment in patients with newly diagnosed, advanced BRCA-mutated (BRCAm) ovarian cancer who had a complete or partial response … Read more

Patient-Reported Outcomes for Rucaparib as a Maintenance Therapy in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer

September 3, 2020 5:00 pm

By Susan Moench, PhD, PA-C

Results of an exploratory analysis showed longer quality-adjusted progression-free survival (QA-PFS) and quality-adjusted time without symptoms or toxicity (Q-TWiST) in women with recurrent ovarian cancer treated with maintenance use of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, … Read more

Universal BRCA Testing Could Prevent Countless Cancer Deaths

July 17, 2020 1:00 pm

By Diana Swift

Population screening found to be cost-effective for higher income countries

Screening entire populations of women for mutations in breast and ovarian cancer susceptibility genes could prevent hundreds of thousands of cases in the U.S., and millions globally, … Read more

Convenient Spit Test Helps Women Assess Cancer Risk From The Comfort Of Their Own Homes

June 1, 2020 4:00 pm

By Stand Up To Cancer

Genetic testing for cancer risk can significantly improve the prevention or treatment of hereditary cancers, but studies have shown that people who might have a genetic risk often don’t get tested. A collaborative Stand Up … Read more

New OS Data With Olaparib Support ‘New Era’ for Ovarian Cancer

May 14, 2020 10:00 am

By Liam Davenport

Women with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer and a BRCA mutation could see their survival extended by over a year by maintenance therapy with the PARP-inihibitor olaparib (Lynparza, AstraZeneca).

The new overall survival (OS) data come … Read more

Research Suggests Statins Could Lower Ovarian Cancer Risk

February 18, 2020 10:00 am

By Cancer Research UK

A genetic study has found evidence to suggest that women who take statins in the long term could be less likely to develop ovarian cancer, according to new research funded by Cancer Research UK published today … Read more

ASCO Guideline: Germline Testing Recommended for All Women Diagnosed With Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

February 6, 2020 11:00 am

By Susan Moench, PhD, PA-C

A central tenant of a recently issued American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) guideline is that all women with a diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer should be offered testing for specific germline mutations associated with … Read more

Olaparib Plus Durvalumab Show Durable Activity in Germline BRCA+ Breast, Ovarian Cancer

October 11, 2019 5:00 pm

By Wayne Kuznar

The case for the combination of olaparib (Lynparza) and durvalumab (Imfinzi) in patients with metastatic breast cancer and relapsed ovarian cancer with germline BRCA mutations was strengthened based on the updated results from the phase I/II MEDIOLA, … Read more

Can Recurrent Ovarian Cancer Patients Avoid Chemotherapy?

September 20, 2019 8:00 pm

By Dave Levitan

The combination of niraparib and bevacizumab significantly improved progression-free survival compared with niraparib alone in a phase II study of patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer. The chemotherapy-free regimen will now be tested in a phase III … Read more

Can PARP Inhibitors and Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Improve Outcomes in Ovarian Cancer?

August 26, 2019 7:00 pm

By Dave Levitan

The combination of a poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor and immune checkpoint inhibition with tislelizumab was well tolerated and showed promising anti-tumor activity in a phase I trial of patients with multiple solid tumor types, according to … Read more

BRCA Mutation, Preventive Surgery, and Osteoporosis

August 8, 2019 4:00 pm

By Kristen Monaco

Researchers advocate for increased hormone therapy for high-risk women.

Bone health suffered in women with a BRCA mutation who underwent preventive oophorectomy, Canadian researchers reported.

Premenopausal women with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation experienced a significant decline … Read more

Germline BRCA2 Mutations Linked to Pediatric Lymphomas

August 2, 2019 5:00 pm

By Leah Lawrence

In addition to putting carriers at increased risk for breast and ovarian cancers, BRCA2 germline mutations carriers are also at increased risk for pediatric and adolescent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), according to data from the SJLIFE study.… Read more

New Discovery Could Open Up PARP Inhibitors to More Cancer Patients

July 25, 2019 4:00 pm

By Amirah Al Idrus

PARP inhibitors have transformed treatment for breast and ovarian cancers, but their use has been limited to the small proportion of patients who have BRCA mutations. New research out of UT Southwestern Medical Center has uncovered … Read more

New Name for Breast-Cancer Syndrome Could Help to Save Lives

July 3, 2019 6:00 pm

By Colin C. Pritchard

People of all sexes can have risk genes that are often assumed to affect only women. Renaming the syndrome should aid cancer prevention and treatment, argues Colin C. Pritchard.

I recently had a conversation with my … Read more

Trial Examines Tolerance of Maintenance Olaparib in Advanced Ovarian Cancer

June 12, 2019 5:00 pm

By Dave Levitan

An analysis of the phase III SOLO1 trial found no new safety signals when the PARP inhibitor olaparib was given as maintenance therapy for women with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer and a BRCA mutation. Nausea, fatigue, … Read more

SOLO3 Examines Benefit of Olaparib vs Chemo in Platinum-Sensitive Relapsed Ovarian Cancer

June 5, 2019 8:00 pm

By Leah Lawrence

Patients with BRCA-mutated, platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer derived significant clinical benefit from treatment with olaparib monotherapy compared with treatment of physician’s choice, according to the results of the SOLO3 trial, a US Food and Drug Administration … Read more