How ovarian cancers evade the immune system

October 6, 2021 12:00 am

By Krista Conger

It’s diabolical, and so clever. Recent research by cancer biologist Wendy Fantl, PhD, and immunologist and cancer biologist Veronica Gonzalez, PhD, shows that ovarian tumors thrive by convincing nearby immune cells that the cancer cells are those … Read more

Nivolumab vs Gemcitabine or Pegylated Liposomal Doxorubicin: What Regimen Improves Survival in Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer?

September 15, 2021 10:44 am

By Matthew Stenger

In a Japanese phase III trial (NINJA) reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Hamanishi et al found that nivolumab did not improve overall survival vs chemotherapy with either gemcitabine or pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in platinum-resistant epithelial … Read more

Atezolizumab Regimen Fails to Extend PFS in Newly Diagnosed Ovarian Cancer

May 24, 2021 3:00 pm

By Jennifer Southall

The addition of atezolizumab to chemotherapy and bevacizumab failed to significantly prolong PFS for women with newly diagnosed stage III or stage IV epithelial ovarian cancer, according to a phase 3 study in Journal of Clinical OncologyRead more

Smart Cell Therapies for Solid Cancers Ready to Move Toward Clinical Trials

April 28, 2021 7:00 pm

By Lindzi Wessel

Immunotherapies that fight cancer have been a life-saving advancement for many patients, but the approach only works on a few types of malignancies, leaving few treatment options for most cancer patients with solid tumors. Now, in two Read more

Cancer Discovery Could Revive Failed Treatments for Solid Tumors

April 5, 2021 11:00 am

New research from the UVA Cancer Center could rescue once-promising immunotherapies for treating solid cancer tumors, such as ovarian, colon and triple-negative breast cancer, that ultimately failed in human clinical trials.

The research from UVA’s Jogender Tushir-Singh, PhD, explains why … Read more

Recent Chemotherapy or Immunotherapy for Gynecologic Cancer Does Not Raise Risk of Death Due to COVID-19

March 21, 2021 4:00 pm

Although some studies show that patients with cancer have a greater risk of health complications from COVID-19, a new study has found that recent chemotherapy or immunotherapy for gynecologic cancer does not raise the risk of hospitalization or death due … Read more

High Tumor Mutational Burden Predicts Immunotherapy Response in Some—but Not All—Cancers

March 16, 2021 6:00 pm

High tumor mutational burden (TMB) was useful for predicting clinical responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors only in a subset of cancer types, according to a study published by McGrail et al in Annals of Oncology.

The findings suggest that … Read more

Improving Cancer Immunotherapy by Blocking Glucose Supply

February 17, 2021 11:00 am

All cells use sugar as a vital source of energy and building blocks. Unfortunately, that means even cancer cells use sugar. Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) Cancer Center wondered what happens when tumor cells and immune cells battle for … Read more

Moffitt Researchers Discover Mechanism that Regulates Anti-Tumor Activity of Immune Cells

February 3, 2021 3:00 am

The study finally paves the way for the use of antibodies different from IgG as immunotherapeutic agents for at least tumors currently resistant to conventional immune checkpoint blockade.

The prognosis of ovarian cancer is poor, with an estimated five-year survival … Read more

New Combination Treatment for Recurrent Ovarian Cancer Shows Positive Outcomes

November 19, 2020 5:00 pm

A team from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center has detailed striking findings on the effectiveness of a previously untried combination of old and new drugs as treatment for recurrent ovarian cancer.

In a new article in JAMA Oncology, the … Read more

‘Next-Gen’ Immunotherapy Active in Advanced Cancers

November 16, 2020 5:00 pm

Disease control in two-thirds of patients treated with bispecific antibody.

By Charles Bankhead

An investigational drug that combines PD-1/L1 inhibition and T-cell stimulation led to disease control in two-thirds of patients with unresectable advanced solid malignancies, a preliminary clinical study … 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

A Common Plant Virus Is an Unlikely Ally in the War on Cancer

October 5, 2020 3:00 pm

Researchers have seen promising results by injecting dog and mouse tumors with the cowpea mosaic virus. Now they’re aiming for a human trial.

By Daniel Oberhaus

Jack Hoopes spends a lot of time with dying dogs. A veterinary radiation specialist
Read more

Immunotherapy Falls Short Again in Ovarian Cancer

September 23, 2020 6:00 pm

No PFS benefit in advanced disease with addition of atezolizumab to chemo, bevacizumab.

By Charles Bankhead

An immunotherapy boost failed to improve outcomes in newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer compared with chemotherapy and bevacizumab (Avastin), a large international trial showed.… Read more

STING Activation Touted as Potential Immunotherapy for Cancer

August 25, 2020 9:00 am

A Scripps Research team reports the discovery of a molecule that can activate a natural immune-boosting protein called STING. The findings mark a key advance in the field of oncology, as the STING protein is known for its strong antitumor … Read more

Chemotherapy, Surgery for Gynecologic Cancer Not Linked to Higher COVID-19 Mortality Risk

July 30, 2020 3:00 pm

Women who underwent chemotherapy or surgery for gynecologic cancer and also had COVID-19 infection did not appear at significantly increased risk for death due to the novel coronavirus, according to study findings published in Cancer.

However, recent immunotherapy use … Read more

Study: The Immune Effects of Seclidemstat in Aggressive Ovarian Cancer Striking Young Women

July 13, 2020 3:00 pm

A drug known as SP-2577 could help enable the body’s own immune system to attack ovarian cancer, according to a study led by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope.

Published today in the scientific … Read more

New Cancer Vaccine Ready for Human Trials

July 10, 2020 6:00 pm

According to new research published in Clinical and Translational Immunology, a new cancer vaccine is ready for human trials following its success in preclinical studies.

By Alana Hippensteele

The vaccine was recently developed by a research team based at The … Read more

This MicroRNA Might Help Detect, Treat Ovarian Cancer

June 26, 2020 6:00 pm

In cell and mouse models, miR-181a showed promise as a biomarker for early stage ovarian cancer and may help make immunotherapy treatment more effective.

By Ian Demsky

A microRNA that is normally involved in immune cell differentiation helps to initiate

Read more

FDA Approves Pembrolizumab for TMB-High Tumors

June 16, 2020 3:00 am

The FDA has approved pembrolizumab (Keytruda) to treat adult and pediatric patients with unresectable or metastatic solid tumors that are tissue tumor mutational burden–high (≥10 mutations/megabase) and have progressed following prior therapy and who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options.Read more