Research uncovers possible new targets for attacking ovarian cancer - Cancerwise | Cancer blog from MD Anderson Cancer Center

Note: in research

Two studies led by scientists at MD Anderson open new areas of research that could potentially improve ovarian cancer treatment.

The discoveries published today in the journal Cancer Cell are preclinical - they employ laboratory experiments to better understand the molecular processes that drive formation and growth of cancer. Both studies found previously unknown roles for two proteins, singling them out for further research and possible drug development. ...cont'd

in research: Magnetic nanoparticles remove ovarian cancer cells from the abdominal cavity

(Nanowerk News) A major complicating factor in the treatment of ovarian cancer is that malignant cells are often shed into the patient's abdominal cavity. These cells can then spread to other tissues, seeding new tumors that make effective therapy difficult. To overcome this problem, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology created magnetic nanoparticles that can selectively bind to and remove ovarian tumor cells from abdominal cavity fluid. John F. McDonald led the research team that reported their work in the journal Nanomedicine ("Selective removal of ovarian cancer cells from human ascites fluid using magnetic nanoparticles").

Research by other investigators had identified a protein known as EphA2 as a highly selective marker for free-floating ovarian cancer cells. Dr. McDonald and his collaborators coated magnetic cobalt-iron oxide nanoparticles with a molecular mimic of the natural ligand for this protein, a molecule known as ephrin-A1, to serve as a trap for ovarian cancer cells floating in ascites fluid, the liquid found in the intestinal cavity. The idea behind this approach is that the nanoparticles could be added to ascites fluid and then trapped with a magnetic, removing any ovarian cancer cells that had bound to the eprhin-A1 mimic.

They first tested their nanoparticles using ascites fluid from mice with human ovarian tumors and found that they could trap free-floating tumor cells using magnetic separation. They then repeated this experiment using ascites fluid obtained from four women with ovarian cancer, and again showed that they could remove all of the EphA2-positive cells from the intestinal fluid samples. The researchers suggest that these nanoparticles could be used in a system that removes ascites fluid from the intestinal cavity, using a relatively non-invasive method akin to dialysis, in conjunction with standard ovarian cancer therapy.

Source: National Cancer Institute

In research: Medical News: AACR: Gene Copy Number May Predict Success in Ovarian Cancer - in Meeting Coverage, AACR from MedPage Today

Note: in research:
WASHINGTON -- The number of copies of certain genes -- especially those that are associated with apoptosis -- may signal whether a patient with ovarian cancer will respond to therapy, researchers suggested here.

$1.25m boost for cancer fight (ovarian) Melbourne, Australia news article

NCI Scientists Restore DNA Repair in Mice with BRCA1 Gene Mutations

Mice get new role in search for cancer drugs - The Boston Globe

Note: includes public comments

Pathway analysis of gene lists associated with platinum-based chemotherapy resistance in ovarian cancer: The big picture

"We propose that future international cooperation should aim at a uniform pooled analysis of the wealth of ovarian cancer array data already available. This will enhance the power of each separate ovarian cancer study and can lead to promising results."

Do Canadian patients trust others like them?

"Trust in a “person like yourself” has decreased from 2008 to 2009 (as have most information sources listed in the report), and dropped again in 2010. From the global 2010 Edelman report, 44% of respondents aged between 25-64 years said they would find the information from a person like them to be either ‘very credible’ or ‘extremely credible’ (down from 47% in 2009, and 58% in 2008). That’s a huge drop over the past 3 years!......Another point to keep in mind is that a “person like yourself” is not the same as a “patient like yourself”. "

In Research: Magnetic Nanoparticles Latch On, Ferry Cancer Cells Out of Body

includes reference to ovarian cancer

First Canary Foundation Researcher Awarded SPORE in Ovarian Cancer Research - Dr Nicole Urban et al

Immunotherapy of Cancer: Key Findings and Commentary on the Third Tegernsee Conference -2009- The Oncologist

*the Oncologist now requires a subscription $$/abstracts available for free