tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85257817309941992552024-03-24T03:10:13.758-04:00Turning the Tide Ovarian Cancer Retreats Article Archive: November 2022 and olderMargaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.comBlogger349125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-73914498321664407592022-11-11T17:38:00.007-05:002022-11-11T18:47:19.915-05:00Our Website Has Moved!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhifx_L7BfCAFf391de6A0U-9IbQutO5ALuNVEI45NIvESBS1xGK90TAWQllkBb_z9aI2L3jjbX-a8FEeBICGkB6VDlDt2bCqEoSnhYm7EpAqs4kjXQkHkxGIjj6JoSvKIoxx801TBtpQHAa5iB4wibWu0iLpsuG-_m9ReTLDUZOiZNrnHYgln0uyd5NQ/s1280/Computer%20in%20moving%20box.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><br /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Find us now at:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="color: #009ca6;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://turningthetideovariancancerretreats.org/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="133" data-original-width="315" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp-7LD51EIHcBxk5G10FlUpcLu3L16s_oP2EFyXbcwDY58NdnBLB5OB9BfdaQoatV5Ko6Qnn5_6EEMlRV8OBb9pHSkDB3YQpJPVJrTvV7rGqWAWxun8Y0prNGA5Bt95xrGLefJkYQPC47xE08YOvYKMhQxGmYYRL0MvIDhuMxwjId37q3_OY9uuhxX4g/s1600/Small%20Turning%20The%20Tide%20Plural%20(315%20%C3%97%20133%20px).png" width="315" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://turningthetideovariancancerretreats.org/&source=gmail&ust=1668292048033000&usg=AOvVaw3sFU300Gm3JTIO-H0QR216" href="https://turningthetideovariancancerretreats.org/" style="color: #009ca6; background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: 700; orphans: 2; widows: 2;" target="_blank"><wbr></wbr>turningthetideovariancancerret<wbr></wbr>reats.org</a></div></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">Please note that this page will continue to exist as an archive </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">for research articles posted before the new site launched. </span></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-variant-ligatures: normal; orphans: 2; text-decoration-thickness: initial; widows: 2;"><br /></div>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-17353838655399017772022-08-10T12:08:00.011-04:002022-08-10T12:30:35.893-04:00Here It Is!! 2022 TTT Slideshow from our Retreat<h2 style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://spidercurran.smugmug.com/Turning-the-Tide-2022" target="_blank">2022 TTT Slideshow</a></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7HIIhpAjZn4Yfplewj-_gEzMk8gXyO66iXT_PkIPTQW0WttyCLiWX83dP4R1cSHPM0E6DyxCSf0esF3O7X46NjLSj1Uj2qx1SrCHpx0cQzL5jSWjmDKTEllqwJzblWu6yeuSY0XM8cA7Yr5Jj8VKb8J06N7Ge1F16Hb5tslRlRDHFAqypXBlJbhpf2w/s1024/8CC956A1-E45A-4F67-8A05-2DA27C4804D6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7HIIhpAjZn4Yfplewj-_gEzMk8gXyO66iXT_PkIPTQW0WttyCLiWX83dP4R1cSHPM0E6DyxCSf0esF3O7X46NjLSj1Uj2qx1SrCHpx0cQzL5jSWjmDKTEllqwJzblWu6yeuSY0XM8cA7Yr5Jj8VKb8J06N7Ge1F16Hb5tslRlRDHFAqypXBlJbhpf2w/s320/8CC956A1-E45A-4F67-8A05-2DA27C4804D6.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Click on <b><i><a href="https://spidercurran.smugmug.com/Turning-the-Tide-2022">this link </a></i></b>to play the slideshow</div>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-544904253886591442022-05-06T00:00:00.014-04:002022-05-06T10:31:23.681-04:002022 TTT Retreat Applications/Forms<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://essexwoods.com/images/essex-images-grounds-14.jpg?crc=4172177011" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="267" src="https://essexwoods.com/images/essex-images-grounds-14.jpg?crc=4172177011" width="400" /></a></div><br />This year our annual Turning the Tide Ovarian Cancer Retreat will be held at beautiful, Essex Woods Meeting and Retreat Center, in Essex, MA.<p></p><p>The links are available at the bottom of the screen for you to download the application instructions, the application itself, the health history form and the consent form. You can print it out and send it back to me via email or mail. If you have trouble opening the link or you are without the ability to print, please contact me at mastrangelom@comcast.net so that I can send you a hard copy.</p><p>The acceptance process is <i style="font-weight: bold;">not</i> first-come, first-serve. Please make sure that if you are mailing the hard copy of your forms, it must be received by Tuesday, May 24th so that we can contact you by Friday, May 27th by email or 'phone to confirm your spot. We will have a wait list available.</p><p><b>Do not send any payment at this time - please wait until your spot has been confirmed.</b></p><style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria",serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
font-weight:bold;
mso-bidi-font-weight:normal;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria",serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
font-weight:bold;
mso-bidi-font-weight:normal;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria",serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
font-weight:bold;
mso-bidi-font-weight:normal;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria",serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
font-weight:bold;
mso-bidi-font-weight:normal;}
p.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, li.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast, div.MsoListParagraphCxSpLast
{mso-style-priority:34;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
mso-add-space:auto;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:16.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Cambria",serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
font-weight:bold;
mso-bidi-font-weight:normal;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:"Cambria",serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;
mso-header-margin:.5in;
mso-footer-margin:.5in;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:703600052;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:1345362408 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Symbol;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:o;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:"Courier New";}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
mso-level-text:;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;
font-family:Wingdings;}
-->
</style><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;">Again, only after you have been notified of your spot, please send your check for $250 (</span><span style="color: #0070c0; font-size: 12pt;">or any amount – we want all women to attend regardless of ability to pay</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">) payable to:</span><u><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #1f497d;"> </span><i>Turning the Tide Ovarian Cancer Retreats Inc.</i></span><o:p></o:p></u></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #7030a0; font-size: 14pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">NOTE:</span><span style="color: #1f497d; font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;"> </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; text-align: center;">If you need to request a scholarship (assistance for payment) please check the box on the application form.</span></p><p>We so look forward to your application! </p><p>Here are the links to each document:</p><p><b><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1X8ZemDPSncR00ht1nqCcbmVRZJSbguys/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Application Instruction</a></b></p><p><b><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1osfWGCBeBl-miVmP4NNMufxnJmMs6ki5/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Application</a></b></p><p><b><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J2E5J86Z2daImyIAWWanQhSYaB1Sdt3N/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Health Form</a></b><br /></p><p><b><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1d9se4avWCA1CEskl8z_HBewmty1RUkb8/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Consent Form</a></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-16290387203134823912022-03-18T14:27:00.000-04:002022-03-18T14:27:12.953-04:00Ovations for the Cure of Ovarian Cancer Fundraising Event<p style="text-align: center;"> Let's Support Our Sister Organization:</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img align="center" alt="Image" border="0" class="center autowidth fullwidth" height="144" src="https://inboxguru.s3.amazonaws.com/001-a0eb5ece-1659-4381-8b30-25bf51645744/OFC_logo_CMYK.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 610px; text-align: start; width: 610px;" title="Image" width="443" /></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><div style="line-height: inherit;"><div class="block-grid" style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 640px; min-width: 320px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><div style="border-collapse: collapse; display: table; line-height: inherit; width: 640px;"><div class="col num12" style="display: table-cell; line-height: inherit; max-width: 640px; min-width: 320px; vertical-align: top; width: 640px;"><div class="col_cont" style="line-height: inherit; width: 640px;"><div style="border: 0px solid transparent; line-height: inherit; padding: 5px 0px;"><div align="center" class="img-container center autowidth" style="line-height: inherit; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px;"><img align="center" border="0" class="center autowidth" src="https://inboxguru.s3.amazonaws.com/001-a0eb5ece-1659-4381-8b30-25bf51645744/puttsandmore_weblogo_80.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: auto; line-height: inherit; max-width: 340px; width: 340px;" width="340" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="line-height: inherit;"><div class="block-grid" style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 640px; min-width: 320px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><div style="border-collapse: collapse; display: table; line-height: inherit; width: 640px;"><div class="col num12" style="display: table-cell; line-height: inherit; max-width: 640px; min-width: 320px; vertical-align: top; width: 640px;"><div class="col_cont" style="line-height: inherit; width: 640px;"><div style="border: 0px solid transparent; line-height: inherit; padding: 5px 0px;"><div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; padding: 10px;"><div class="txtTinyMce-wrapper" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2;"><p style="font-size: 22px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word;"><span style="line-height: inherit;"><strong style="line-height: inherit;">JOIN US AT PUTTS & MORE FOR FUN AND FUNDRAISING!</strong></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word;"> </p><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: inherit;"><div class="yiv0519483108block-grid yiv0519483108mixed-two-up" style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 640px; min-width: 320px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"></div></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: inherit;"><div class="yiv0519483108block-grid" style="line-height: inherit; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 640px; min-width: 320px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div style="border-collapse: collapse; display: table; line-height: inherit; width: 640px;"><div class="yiv0519483108col yiv0519483108num12" style="display: table-cell; line-height: inherit; max-width: 640px; min-width: 320px; vertical-align: top; width: 640px;"><div class="yiv0519483108col_cont" style="line-height: inherit; width: 640px;"><div style="border-color: transparent; border-style: solid; border-width: 0px; line-height: inherit; padding: 5px 0px;"><div class="yiv0519483108text_block" style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; padding: 10px;"><div class="yiv0519483108txtTinyMce-wrapper" style="line-height: 1.2;"><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: inherit;"><strong style="line-height: inherit;">MAY 21, 2022 1OAM TO 2PM</strong></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: inherit;"><strong style="line-height: inherit;">750 Concord Street, Holliston, MA</strong></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: inherit;"><strong style="line-height: inherit;">18 HOLE MINI GOLF</strong></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: inherit;"> $15 PER PERSON (AGES 9 and up)</span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: inherit;">$10 PER PERSON (AGES 3 -8)</span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><strong style="line-height: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">NO PRESALES - PAY AT THE GOLF COURSE!</span></strong></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: inherit;">PLAY GOLF, VISIT WITH FRIENDS, ENJOY A SNACK FROM THE SNACK BAR AND HELP SUPPORT OUR PATIENT PROGRAMS.</span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: inherit;">Picnic table area also available</span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: inherit;">For more info on Putts and More, please visit</span></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; line-height: inherit;"><a href="https://click.actmkt.com/s/055-223defa5-043d-48dc-b690-6b8c9ba990ec?enr=naahiaduabyaa4yahiac6abpabyaa5iaoqahiadtabqqa3qamqag2adpabzaaziafyaggadpabwqalyapqagwadbabzaazianyac4adfaaxaa3iameagyadpabxaaziapeaeaadwabsqa4qaneahuadpabxaalqanyagkaduab6aamaapqadkabvabsaanyagiadoabraazqaliamiadcadeaazqaliagqadcadgabqqaliamiadmadgaa4aaliamyadgabqabrqaoiagaadmabtaa2qazqagyadsad4aayaaniagiac2abuabsqamaammadqabzabtaaoaafuadkadcaayqanyafuadiadcaa3qanqafuadqadbabrqaoiafuagiabuabsqayqameadqabvaa2qazaamyadeadeab6aamaaguadsabnaayaaniagmadsabvaayqayyagyac2abqabraayiag4ac2abuaayqayyammac2adcabqqaoaagiac2adeaa3aazaag4adkadcaa3qayiagmadoaddaa3aa7aagaadaabraawqayiagaagkadcaa2qaziammagkabnaayqanqaguadsabnaa2aamyahaadcabnaa4aayqagmadaabnaazaaniamiagmabvaayqanqagqadkabxaa2aanaapqageadcaayqaoaagaadmabsabqqaliagmadeadbabrqaliagqagmadeaa4qaliahaadoadcabsqaliamuadmabyaa3qamyageadmabtabtaayiagiagcad4abaqa7aa" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" style="color: blue; cursor: pointer; line-height: inherit;" target="_blank">https://puttsandmore.com/</a></span></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div style="line-height: inherit;"><div class="block-grid" style="font-family: Times-Roman; font-size: 16px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 640px; min-width: 320px; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; word-wrap: break-word;"><div style="border-collapse: collapse; display: table; line-height: inherit; width: 640px;"><div class="col num12" style="display: table-cell; line-height: inherit; max-width: 640px; min-width: 320px; vertical-align: top; width: 640px;"><div class="col_cont" style="line-height: inherit; width: 640px;"><div style="border: 0px solid transparent; line-height: inherit; padding: 5px 0px;"><div style="color: #555555; font-family: Arial, "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.2; padding: 10px;"><div class="txtTinyMce-wrapper" style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2;"><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word;"><strong style="line-height: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit;">For more information contact: <a href="mailto:susan@ovationsforthecure.org" style="line-height: inherit;">susan@ovationsforthecure.org</a> </span></strong></p><p style="line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; text-align: center; word-break: break-word;"> </p><p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><br /></div></div>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-78303703977010427782022-03-10T20:57:00.001-05:002022-03-10T20:57:09.731-05:00Six Day Treatment Eradicates Advanced OC and Colorectal Cancer in 100% of Animals <div style="text-align: center;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/8HegA8q807o" width="480"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(This article was written by Jade Boyd from Rice University's Office of Public Affairs.)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bioengineers have shown they can eradicate advanced-stage ovarian and colorectal cancer in mice in as little as six days with a treatment that could be ready for human clinical trials later this year.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222; font-family: MalloryBook; font-size: 20px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The treatment and animal test results are described online today in a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abm1032" rel="noopener" style="border: none; box-sizing: border-box; color: #07b5b4; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px;" target="_blank">Science Advances study</a> co-authored by Omid Veiseh, Amanda Nash and colleagues from Rice, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the University of Virginia and others.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Veiseh, an assistant professor of bioengineering whose lab produced the treatment, said human clinical trials could begin as soon as this fall because one of his team’s key design criteria was helping cancer patients as quickly as possible. The team chose only components that had previously proven safe for use in humans, and it has demonstrated the safety of the new treatment in multiple tests.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">“We just administer once, but the drug factories keep making the dose every day, where it’s needed until the cancer is eliminated,” Veiseh said. “Once we determined the correct dose — how many factories we needed — we were able to eradicate tumors in 100% of animals with ovarian cancer and in seven of eight animals with colorectal cancer.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">In the newly published study, researchers placed drug-producing beads beside tumors and within the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peritoneum" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #3455db; cursor: pointer; display: inline; line-height: normal !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 32, 91); text-decoration-style: dotted; text-decoration-thickness: 0.1em; text-underline-offset: 1.5px;">peritoneum</a><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;">, a sac-like lining that supports intestines, ovaries and other abdominal organs. Placement within this cavity concentrated interleukin-2 within tumors and limited exposure elsewhere.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">“A major challenge in the field of immunotherapy is to increase tumor inflammation and anti-tumor immunity while avoiding systemic side effects of cytokines and other pro-inflammatory drugs,” said study co-author <a href="https://faculty.mdanderson.org/profiles/amir_jazaeri.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #3455db; cursor: pointer; display: inline; line-height: normal !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 32, 91); text-decoration-style: dotted; text-decoration-thickness: 0.1em; text-underline-offset: 1.5px;">Dr. Amir Jazaeri</a>, professor of gynecologic oncology and reproductive medicine at MD Anderson. “In this study, we demonstrated that the ‘drug factories’ allow regulatable local administration of interleukin-2 and eradication of tumor in several mouse models, which is very exciting. This provides a strong rationale for clinical testing.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Interleukin-2 is a cytokine, a protein the immune system uses to recognize and fight disease. It is an FDA-approved cancer treatment, but Nash, a graduate student in Veiseh’s group and the study’s lead author, said the drug factories provoke a stronger immune response than existing interleukin-2 treatment regimens because the beads deliver higher concentrations of the protein directly to tumors.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">“If you gave the same concentration of the protein through an IV pump, it would be extremely toxic,” Nash said. “With the drug factories, the concentration we see elsewhere in the body, away from the tumor site, is actually lower than what patients have to tolerate with IV treatments. The high concentration is only at the tumor site.”Nash said the same general approach used in the study could be applied to treat cancers of the pancreas, liver, lungs and other organs. The drug factories could be placed next to tumors and within the linings that surround those organs and most others, she said. And if a different cytokine is needed to target a specific form of cancer, the beads can be loaded with engineered cells that make that immunotherapeutic compound.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The bead’s outer shell shields its cytokine-producing cells from immune attacks. The shells are made of materials the immune system recognizes as foreign objects but not as immediate threats, and Veiseh’s lab leveraged that in its design.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">“We found <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_body_reaction" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #3455db; cursor: pointer; display: inline; line-height: normal !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 32, 91); text-decoration-style: dotted; text-decoration-thickness: 0.1em; text-underline-offset: 1.5px;">foreign body reactions </a>safely and robustly turned off the flow of cytokine from the capsules within 30 days,” he said. “We also showed we could safely administer a second course of treatment should it become necessary in the clinic.”</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://avengebio.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #3455db; cursor: pointer; display: inline; line-height: normal !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 32, 91); text-decoration-style: dotted; text-decoration-thickness: 0.1em; text-underline-offset: 1.5px;">Avenge Bio</a> , a Massachusetts-based startup co-founded by Veiseh, has licensed the cytokine-factory technology from Rice.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Additional co-authors include Maria Jarvis, Samira Aghlara-Fotovat, Sudip Mukherjee, Andrea Hernandez, Andrew Hecht, Yufei Cui, Shirin Nouraein, Jared Lee, David Zhang and Oleg Igoshin of Rice; Peter Rios, Sofia Ghani, Ira Joshi and Douglas Isa of <a href="https://www.celltransinc.com/" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #3455db; cursor: pointer; display: inline; line-height: normal !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: rgb(0, 32, 91); text-decoration-style: dotted; text-decoration-thickness: 0.1em; text-underline-offset: 1.5px;">CellTrans Inc.</a>; Chunyu Xu and Weiyi Peng of the University of Houston; Rahul Sheth of MD Anderson; and José Oberholzer of both CellTrans Inc. and the University of Virginia.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The research was funded by the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (RR160047), Avenge Bio, the Emerson Collective, the Welch Foundation, the Rice University Academy of Fellows, the National Science Foundation (1842494) and the National Institutes of Health (R01DK120459).<br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Jazaeri receives compensation as a consultant on Avenge Bio’s scientific advisory board and has disclosed the relationship to MD Anderson in accordance with its conflict-of-interest policy. Nash, Jarvis, Aghlara-Fotovat, Mukherjee, Hecht, Igoshin, Zhang and Veiseh declared interests via patents filed by Rice on the cytokine factories. Igoshin, Veiseh and Oberholzer are paid consultants for Avenge Bio. Nash, Zhang, Sheth, Oberholzer, Jazaeri and Veiseh hold equity in Avenge Bio.</span></div></div></div>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-8849869122311591572022-03-08T17:31:00.003-05:002022-03-08T17:31:45.263-05:00OncLive presents: "Latest Perspective in Ovarian Cancer Care"<p style="text-align: left;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwyBUPlMnIhtrecRJ4WWNsMRmxyRCuopRkb5d8NdG8dglg6VD2X_jBU9m6LCmbt23REJdbBazcMKxVOyrXODBAtaGnUr3nvXIFjeRyYFJcTgfRUDpFwNwPod_SeEVJ7-WMCs-2Jel1roTyjYRhd5wSdYxOUbPmwmX7nKSfCDRVS9-fRr_cAbsd3zZ0rA=s1600" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwyBUPlMnIhtrecRJ4WWNsMRmxyRCuopRkb5d8NdG8dglg6VD2X_jBU9m6LCmbt23REJdbBazcMKxVOyrXODBAtaGnUr3nvXIFjeRyYFJcTgfRUDpFwNwPod_SeEVJ7-WMCs-2Jel1roTyjYRhd5wSdYxOUbPmwmX7nKSfCDRVS9-fRr_cAbsd3zZ0rA=s320" width="320" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-weight: bold;">OncLive</i> presents "Latest Perspective in Ovarian Cancer Care". <span style="font-weight: normal;">Below are the topics that will be covered.</span> <span style="font-weight: normal;">Here is <a href="https://www.onclive.com/interactive-tools/further-than-before-broadcast-1/chapter-1" target="_blank">the link</a> to watch this on-demand video.</span></h3><p></p><p style="color: #26292d; font-family: georgia; font-size: 22px; line-height: 24px !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b>Agenda Topics</b></p><p style="color: #26292d; font-family: georgia; font-size: 10px; line-height: 10px !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="color: #26292d; font-family: georgia; font-size: 12px; line-height: 16px !important; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><b>The closer we look, the further we’ll go</b><br />Highlighting the current state of ovarian cancer and current treatments to understand the challenges faced by those living with ovarian cancer. <br /><br /><b>What if the treatments were as unique as the tumor?</b><br />Understanding the history of where we’ve been with ovarian cancer, and what’s in store for the future, and your role in it.<br /><br /><b>To test is to know what to target</b><br />Exploring the advances in genomic profiling of ovarian cancer tumors and optimizing treatment outcomes for patients.<br /><br /><b>Using the journey to define the destination</b><br />Applying personalized treatments in practice and the impacts these can have on those living with ovarian cancer.</p>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-42248370384650225202022-03-03T01:30:00.001-05:002022-03-03T01:30:00.189-05:00The State of Ovarian Cancer: Exploring the Landscape of Systemic Therapy from OncLive<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rSnK4xSvyDM" width="460" youtube-src-id="rSnK4xSvyDM"></iframe></div><p> </p><p>This video is worth reshowing in case you missed it.</p>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-34442398637973669302022-03-01T01:30:00.003-05:002022-03-01T01:30:00.200-05:00Clearity Foundation: Help in Finding Clinical Trials<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEpgLXHk4fAHhTSJKYAxY3sHN_qb1zvqsrU1_dzGN_v9-ZaTPODOyVopaIAfIUYtwcLILMvlCiymNrEHP-vPuS7QnWu8IMVlRYPgDWjbejW80XDs8V5yj3cvJBf42MorXzrP0xBeULKvkmfs5EQWP5-MBDqSd58pxK6LHDvxs78h1o1BAw2tpJLQaiMQ=s1600" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEpgLXHk4fAHhTSJKYAxY3sHN_qb1zvqsrU1_dzGN_v9-ZaTPODOyVopaIAfIUYtwcLILMvlCiymNrEHP-vPuS7QnWu8IMVlRYPgDWjbejW80XDs8V5yj3cvJBf42MorXzrP0xBeULKvkmfs5EQWP5-MBDqSd58pxK6LHDvxs78h1o1BAw2tpJLQaiMQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div>The <a href="https://www.clearityfoundation.org" target="_blank">Clearity Foundation</a> has put together a search option to help you and your doctor select the best clinical trial for you. A link to that is below. If you haven't spent any time on the Clearity Foundation website, I would urge you to do so. It provides free counseling to women with OC and articles about research and links to treatment decision supports and what to do if you're newly diagnosed. <p></p><p>In regards to finding clinical trials, there is a seven minute video tutorial that they have published on finding clinical trials You can find a link to this video <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NnBIppIiNc" target="_blank">here</a></b>.</p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As per Clearity Foundation, "To find clinical trials, please check out the ovarian cancer-specific <a href="https://forms.clearityfoundation.org/find-clinical-trials/" style="border: none; box-sizing: border-box; color: #07b5b4; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px;">Trial Finder </a>that Clearity has developed. The search outputs trials for which the patient is most likely to be eligible based on answers to questions about their specific clinical situation (e.g., prior treatments, tumor histology, platinum status), tumor biology, and preferences."</span></span></span></div>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-76427640381697803732022-02-24T01:30:00.001-05:002022-02-24T01:30:00.195-05:00Racial Disparities Persist in Ovarian Cancer<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEpgLXHk4fAHhTSJKYAxY3sHN_qb1zvqsrU1_dzGN_v9-ZaTPODOyVopaIAfIUYtwcLILMvlCiymNrEHP-vPuS7QnWu8IMVlRYPgDWjbejW80XDs8V5yj3cvJBf42MorXzrP0xBeULKvkmfs5EQWP5-MBDqSd58pxK6LHDvxs78h1o1BAw2tpJLQaiMQ=s1600" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEpgLXHk4fAHhTSJKYAxY3sHN_qb1zvqsrU1_dzGN_v9-ZaTPODOyVopaIAfIUYtwcLILMvlCiymNrEHP-vPuS7QnWu8IMVlRYPgDWjbejW80XDs8V5yj3cvJBf42MorXzrP0xBeULKvkmfs5EQWP5-MBDqSd58pxK6LHDvxs78h1o1BAw2tpJLQaiMQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">This article appeared on the <a href="https://www.clearityfoundation.org/racial-disparities-persist-in-ovarian-cancer-treatment/" target="_blank">Clearity Foundation</a> web site and was written by Jon Kelvey</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Black patients with ovarian cancer were less likely than their White counterparts to receive adjuvant chemotherapy after primary surgery, according to a study published in <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">Gynecologic Oncology.</span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;"><br /></span>The study also showed that patients who did not undergo adjuvant chemotherapy had worse survival outcomes.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />For this study, researchers analyzed National Cancer Database data on patients with stage II-III ovarian cancer who underwent primary surgery.<br />Of the 48,245 patients, 42,914 were White, 3058 were Black, and 2273 were another race. The patients’ median age was 61 years. There were 522 patients (1.08%) who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy due to clinician-identified risk factors</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a multivariate analysis, the following factors were associated with not receiving a recommendation for adjuvant chemotherapy — Black race, being older (≥70 years), having higher Charlson-Deyo comorbidity scores (>0), having government insurance (vs private insurance), and being treated at a community center (vs academic/research center).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />When controlling for all other factors, Black race was significantly associated with not being recommended chemotherapy (adjusted odds ratio, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.61-2.78; <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">P</span> <.0001).<br />Not being recommended for chemotherapy was associated with worse overall survival (OS). The median OS was 53.8 months for those who received adjuvant chemotherapy and 12.1 months for those who did not (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.74; 95% CI, 2.48-3.03; <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">P</span> <.0001).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />OS outcomes were similar for Black and White patients who were not recommended for chemotherapy (aHR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.74-1.39, <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">P</span> =.951).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Among Black patients, the 5-year OS rate was significantly higher for those who received a recommendation for chemotherapy than for those who did not — 40.3% and 25.9%, respectively (<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">P</span> <.0001).</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The researchers noted that, of the 62 Black patients who were deemed too high risk to receive chemotherapy, 31 patients had a risk profile similar to the profiles of White patients who did receive chemotherapy.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />These results suggest that risk estimation may be performed unequally on the basis of race. However, due to limitations of the data studied, the researchers could not rule out that other factors might help explain the observed disparity. One limitation is that functional status is not included in National Cancer Database records.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />“Additional research is warranted to directly investigate the role of bias, including implicit bias, in clinical decision-making in gynecologic oncology,” the researchers concluded.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 600;">Reference<br /></span>Matthews BJ, Qureshi MM, Fiascone SJ, et al. <a data-feathr-click-track="true" href="https://www.gynecologiconcology-online.net/article/S0090-8258(21)01553-5/fulltext" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="border: none; box-sizing: border-box; color: #07b5b4; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px;" target="_blank">Racial disparities in non-recommendation of adjuvant chemotherapy in stage II</a><a data-feathr-click-track="true" href="https://www.gynecologiconcology-online.net/article/S0090-8258(21)01553-5/fulltext" style="border: none; box-sizing: border-box; color: #07b5b4; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px;">-III ovarian cancer</a>. <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">Gynecol Oncol</span>. 2022;164(1):27-33. doi:10.1016/j.ygyno.2021.10.090</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />This article was published by <a href="https://www.cancertherapyadvisor.com/home/cancer-topics/gynecologic-cancer/ovarian-cancer-treatment-racial-disparities-persist/" style="border: none; box-sizing: border-box; color: #07b5b4; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px;">Cancer Therapy Advisor.</a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-73215697734751538822022-02-22T01:30:00.001-05:002022-02-22T01:30:00.187-05:00Cervical Cell May Hold to Predicting Ovarian Cancer Risk<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEpgLXHk4fAHhTSJKYAxY3sHN_qb1zvqsrU1_dzGN_v9-ZaTPODOyVopaIAfIUYtwcLILMvlCiymNrEHP-vPuS7QnWu8IMVlRYPgDWjbejW80XDs8V5yj3cvJBf42MorXzrP0xBeULKvkmfs5EQWP5-MBDqSd58pxK6LHDvxs78h1o1BAw2tpJLQaiMQ=s1600" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEpgLXHk4fAHhTSJKYAxY3sHN_qb1zvqsrU1_dzGN_v9-ZaTPODOyVopaIAfIUYtwcLILMvlCiymNrEHP-vPuS7QnWu8IMVlRYPgDWjbejW80XDs8V5yj3cvJBf42MorXzrP0xBeULKvkmfs5EQWP5-MBDqSd58pxK6LHDvxs78h1o1BAw2tpJLQaiMQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div>The <a href="https://ocrahope.org/2022/02/cervical-cells-and-predicting-ovarian-cancer-risk/" target="_blank">Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance</a> (OCRA) recently reported on this interesting study that was published in the journal <i><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-26615-y#Sec9" target="_blank">Nature</a>.</i><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142;">Cervical cell samples that are routinely collected as part of Pap smears may hold promise for predicting the risk of ovarian and other cancers, according to recent findings published as two separate papers in </span><em style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142;">Nature</em><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142;"> — </span><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-26615-y#Sec9" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #04828e; text-decoration-skip: objects; transition: color 0.15s linear, background-color, border-color, box-shadow, fill, opacity, -webkit-box-shadow;" target="_blank">one focused on ovarian cancer</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142;"> and </span><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-27918-w" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #04828e; text-decoration-skip: objects; transition: color 0.15s linear, background-color, border-color, box-shadow, fill, opacity, -webkit-box-shadow;" target="_blank">the other on breast cancer</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142;">.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The researchers studied cervical samples collected at 15 different health centers in Europe from approximately 3,000 women — some with ovarian cancer, some with breast cancer, and some without either disease. The cervical cells were analyzed for specific “epigenetic footprints” that are associated with higher risk of ovarian or breast cancer, according to the scientists. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Our studies have taken a completely novel approach and evaluate an individual’s risk for more than one cancer by assessing several different epigenetic footprints in a single cervical screening sample,” said lead researcher Dr. Martin Widschwendter of University College London, University of Innsbruck, and the European Translational Oncology Prevention and Screening Institute.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">These “epigenetic footprints” are identified by looking at chemical modifications or marks to the cell’s DNA that occur via a process known as DNA methylation. These marks tell the cell how to read the DNA and act on it. But both environmental factors and lifestyle habits can alter these marks in a way that is damaging to how the cell behaves, which the researchers believe may lead to increased cancer risk in some cases. The tests that they have developed, which are named WID for Women’s risk IDentification, involve the use of an algorithm that has been trained to spot specific patterns in DNA methylation marks that correlate to an increased risk of ovarian or breast cancer.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142; margin: 0px 0px 24px; max-width: 75ch; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Importantly, the tests do not detect actual cancer but rather indicate genetic, lifestyle and environment risk factors associated with them and may be able to predict future risk,” according to a statement from The Eve Appeal, which co-funded the study.</span><span style="font-family: Muli, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> </span></p><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">The findings may pave the way for future screening tools, but more research is needed. The scientists plan to use large population trials to see whether the newly developed tests accurately predict cancer before it occurs. <br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">“As with any new test, they will need trialing on a large number of the population over the next years before being available widely,” said Dr. Chiara Herzog of University of Innsbruck and the European Translational Oncology Prevention and Screening Institute, who is a part of the research team. “Our next research will also discover whether the tests are best suited for screening all women and people with a cervix, or only in those with a known increased risk of these cancers (e.g., people with a <a data-id="35567" data-type="post" href="https://ocrahope.org/2020/07/science-made-simple-brca-mutations/" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #04828e; text-decoration-skip: objects; transition: color 0.15s linear, background-color, border-color, box-shadow, fill, opacity, -webkit-box-shadow;">BRCA alteration</a> or family history).” </span></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></div>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-29977578902730930272022-02-18T01:30:00.001-05:002022-02-18T01:30:00.230-05:00Upfront Treatment of Advanced Ovarian Cancer: UW Department of Medicine<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VIldTVONE2c" width="320" youtube-src-id="VIldTVONE2c"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-6020990108157964752022-02-15T01:30:00.001-05:002022-02-15T01:30:00.204-05:00Virtual Surveillance Visits with Symptom and Serum CA 125<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgD_LmCw5o8r_TXqQefQpvmf7YS00y2V9ux2rLdK14HdVgkLezvgN5h-1_4ZSZ-JPeMO0D5uCdCXQW_9jHGu8xizjkTED0aSQtawc-3lB3uv75MbFSWl6vY7O1mYBw7EWWPjfMHt6rd0CZdD6Mql4AWj0ZmMgrTbp1w81G_IJJ21HI81CFNIh8UdM9YQ=s1600" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgD_LmCw5o8r_TXqQefQpvmf7YS00y2V9ux2rLdK14HdVgkLezvgN5h-1_4ZSZ-JPeMO0D5uCdCXQW_9jHGu8xizjkTED0aSQtawc-3lB3uv75MbFSWl6vY7O1mYBw7EWWPjfMHt6rd0CZdD6Mql4AWj0ZmMgrTbp1w81G_IJJ21HI81CFNIh8UdM9YQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: left;">This article by Monica Janke, MD, first appeared on <i>OncLive.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">In patients with ovarian cancer and pretreatment elevated CA-125 who achieved remission after frontline therapy, most recurrences are detected by rising CA-125 levels or symptoms.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="mb-3 doc-group-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: left;"><div class="left-wrap" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333;"><div class="ad-box" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div>In patients with ovarian cancer and pretreatment elevated CA-125 who achieved remission after frontline therapy, most recurrences are detected by rising CA-125 levels or symptoms, according to Monica Janke, MD. As such, virtual surveillance visits with review of symptoms and serum CA-125 may offer a reasonable alternative to in-person visits requiring a physical exam.<span style="bottom: 1ex; box-sizing: border-box; height: 0px; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">1</span></div><div><span style="bottom: 1ex; box-sizing: border-box; height: 0px; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span>Data from a retrospective study examining the utility of symptom review, serum CA-125, and physical exam in the detection of disease recurrence, showed that 42.2% of patients had suspected recurrence based on several modalities, 89.0% had elevated CA-125 at the time of their recurrence, and 93.6% of patients had elevated CA-125 and/or symptoms present at the time of recurrence. Notably, 96.3% of those who had abnormal physical exam findings also had elevated CA-125 or symptoms present at the time of their recurrence.</div><div><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;">“The rapid implementation of telemedicine in the COVID-19 pandemic motivated us to examine the utility of ovarian cancer recurrence detection methods, most particularly the physical exam,” Janke said. “[In our analysis,] we wanted to try to answer of the question of what we might be missing if unable to perform physical exam. It seems that in this specific group of patients at our institution, physical exam may not add a substantial amount of value when there are alternative modality tools available, including symptom review and serum CA-125, which can be reviewed virtually with patients. This opens a door for us; it may be possible to see ovarian cancer surveillance going virtual in some way, shape, or form.”</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;">In an interview with </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 17px; font-style: italic;">OncLive</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;">® during the 2022 SGO Winter Meeting, Janke, a third-year resident, Obstetrics and Gynecology, at Rogel Cancer Center, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, discussed the potential role of, or opportunity for, virtual surveillance care for patients with ovarian cancer in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span></div><div><span><a name='more'></a></span><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;">OncLive®: Could you provide an overview of your retrospective analysis evaluating the role of virtual surveillance care for patients with ovarian cancer?</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 17px; font-style: italic;">Janke</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;">: This is a retrospective study of 109 patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. We sought to investigate the utility of the various detection methods that we use in ovarian cancer surveillance; [these] typically [include] a physical exam, symptom review, and serum CA-125.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;">Our study population included patients with pretreatment elevated CA125 who had achieved remission after primary therapy and then had recurrence.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;">Overall, the summary of our findings is that most patients had elevated CA-125 or symptoms present at the time of their recurrence. For our population, [these rates] were 89.0% for elevation in CA-125 and 93.6% for elevation in CA-125 and/or symptoms, respectively. 27 patients or 24.8% had [abnormal] physical exam findings present at the time of recurrence. Of those patients with abnormal physical exam findings, 96.3% also had elevated CA-125 or symptoms. In other words, [only] 1 patient of the 109, which [equates to] 0.9%, had recurrence detected by physical exam findings alone.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;">ONCLIVE: Could you shed light on the patient population included in the analysis and the methods used? Were there any additional findings you wanted to highlight?</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;">Regarding the patient population of our study, most patients were white (89.0%) and non-Hispanic (99.1%). The majority of patients had advanced-stage disease— 67.0% had Stage III disease and 23.9% had Stage IV disease. The median time to recurrence from completion of primary treatment was 12 months (range 3-65 months). The median overall survival was 56 months (95% CI 46-79 months) as censored by last follow-up visit or death.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;">Regarding the methods, we included patients with primary ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer. Patients were included if they completed standard of care treatment with surgical resection and platinum doublet chemotherapy, had no evidence of disease after completion of treatment, and had recurrence of disease confirmed with imaging or biopsy. Patients were excluded if they did not have pretreatment elevated serum CA125 or a complete medical record. Recurrence detection modalities were defined as concerning symptoms reported by the patient, clinically relevant rise in CA125 levels, abnormal physical exam findings, or other. “Other” was denoted if imaging studies were obtained for reasons other than suspected recurrence and recurrence was incidentally identified. Recurrence was incidentally found with imaging obtained for reasons other than suspicion of recurrence, categorized as “other,” in six (5.5%) patients.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><i>OncLive: </i>Could you expand on the need for this study in this disease, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic? How has medicine shifted to incorporate virtual surveillance care?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;">The optimal surveillance strategy for the detection of recurrent ovarian cancer remains unclear, particularly in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic and its residual effects on the delivery of patient care. Our results are similar to other studies in the past that have investigated the utility of physical exam in the diagnosis of recurrent ovarian cancer. However, there has never been a more crucial time to critically analyze the value of physical exam with the surge of telemedicine right now. The threat of viral transmission has brought in-person patient care under scrutiny and left providers contemplating the true necessity of services.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;">Proposed strategies for the incorporation of telemedicine in the care of gynecologic cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic included transitioning routine follow-up or surveillance visits to virtual-based consultation. If the potential of telemedicine is to be maximized in delivering high-value care of ovarian cancer patients in the pandemic era, gynecologic oncology providers and patients alike should be armed with the knowledge of the relative utility of recurrence detection methods to inform surveillance strategies, and this is what I believe our data has shed light on.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><i>OncLive: </i>Is there an optimal surveillance strategy for those with this disease?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><div style="text-align: left;">We still do not know, and ultimately it will likely still include a combination of modalities. Our data indicate that for patients who have pretreatment elevated CA-125 and who have achieved remission after having primary therapy, most will have a recurrence detected by elevated CA-125 or symptoms. Again, for our cohort, that was greater than 90%. These patients could be reasonably considered or offered to have virtual surveillance visits that include review of symptoms and CA-125. Realistically, virtual visits could be alternated with in-person visits that include physical exam, and these visits could remain on the timeline currently recommended for surveillance of ovarian cancer.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><i>OncLive: </i>What is your take-home message to your colleagues? Is there any next steps for this research?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;">This is a small retrospective study and thus is not likely to be practice changing. However, I do believe that this research got a lot of people thinking. The pandemic has [raised] so many practical questions for gynecologic oncology providers and patients alike. I think our results may inform the safety of virtual surveillance visits in this patient population, and therefore give a practical option for follow up in our current clinical landscape. In the future, I think it is important to gauge what patients’ experiences are with virtual visits. I think that the incorporation of virtual visits for surveillance is dependent on patient satisfaction with telemedicine, and thus determining their desires and perspectives regarding virtual care is important.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;">Reference:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ol style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: inside; margin: 0px 0px 1.6471em;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 10px;">Janke M, Santiago S, Straubhar A, Uppal S. The utility of physical examination in ovarian cancer recurrence detection: a retrospective analysis informing virtual surveillance care. Presented at: SGO Winter Meeting; January 27-29, 2022; Olympic Valley, CA. Accessed February 1, 2022.</li></ol></div></div>This article first appeared on <i>OncLive</i></span></div></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span></span></p></div></div></div></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></div><p> </p>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-66339401427048928182022-02-11T01:30:00.003-05:002022-02-11T01:30:00.186-05:00Could Pap Smears One Day Help Detect Breast and Ovarian Cancers?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgD_LmCw5o8r_TXqQefQpvmf7YS00y2V9ux2rLdK14HdVgkLezvgN5h-1_4ZSZ-JPeMO0D5uCdCXQW_9jHGu8xizjkTED0aSQtawc-3lB3uv75MbFSWl6vY7O1mYBw7EWWPjfMHt6rd0CZdD6Mql4AWj0ZmMgrTbp1w81G_IJJ21HI81CFNIh8UdM9YQ=s1600" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgD_LmCw5o8r_TXqQefQpvmf7YS00y2V9ux2rLdK14HdVgkLezvgN5h-1_4ZSZ-JPeMO0D5uCdCXQW_9jHGu8xizjkTED0aSQtawc-3lB3uv75MbFSWl6vY7O1mYBw7EWWPjfMHt6rd0CZdD6Mql4AWj0ZmMgrTbp1w81G_IJJ21HI81CFNIh8UdM9YQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: left;">This article was written by Angus Chen, and appeared on the <a href="http://ClearityFoundation.org">ClearityFoundation.org</a>.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="media-caption" style="box-sizing: border-box;">New research suggests that cervical cancer screenings could be used to pick up on a patient’s risk of breast, ovarian, and endometrial cancers.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="big-cap-wrap" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="big-cap-wrap" style="box-sizing: border-box;">R</span>outine screenings have become a powerful tool in catching cervical cancer as early as possible. Now, research suggests the cervical cells collected during these exams could hold the key to efficient screening for other gynecological cancers, too.</div><div style="text-align: left;">A new study suggests that by analyzing cervical cells’ genomes, researchers might be able to find genetic signatures that predict the risk of ovarian, breast, and endometrial cancers and flag patients that should be screened more aggressively. If the test proves useful in larger studies, it could offer a simple way to piggyback off of regular Pap smears already used to screen for cancerous or precancerous lesions in the cervix.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">“One sample and then you could utilize this sample for predicting the risk for all four gynecological cancers: breast, ovarian, endometrial, and cervical cancer,” said Martin Widschwendter, a professor of cancer prevention and screening at Innsbruck University in Austria and a senior author on the study. “You want to make it easy. If it’s not convenient, then women likely won’t utilize it.”</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The test looks for something known as methylation patterns in the genomes of cervical cells. Over the course of a lifetime, beginning in utero, a patient’s cells accumulate chemical modifications to their genomes. Unlike genetic mutations, these don’t change a cell’s genetic code but rather are like molecular “caps,” called methylations, that attach to the DNA and can turn certain genes on or off.</div><div style="text-align: left;">There are many factors that affect the pattern of DNA methylation in cervical cells including exposure to certain levels of chemicals or hormones like progesterone that can alter someone’s risk of cancer. In that sense, such changes in cervical cells might be a readout of a patient’s overall history that has an impact on cancer risk.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">“Our idea was that these hormone-sensitive cells are recording these lifelong exposures in the epigenome,” said Widschwendter, who set out to find whether a specific signature in the cells could offer any clues about cancer risk.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">He and his colleagues examined samples from cervical smears of roughly 2,000 women at 15 different health centers in Europe. Some of the women had ovarian or breast cancer, some were healthy, and some had a high suspicion of having ovarian or breast cancer but had not yet been diagnosed. The study didn’t disclose the full demographic breakdown of the cohort, but said an analysis suggested ethnicity — designated as white and non-white — did not seem to have an impact on the overall risk scores.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The team analyzed half of the samples and then used that data to train an algorithm to discover methylation signatures in the cervical cells that correlate with gynecological cancer risk.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgD_LmCw5o8r_TXqQefQpvmf7YS00y2V9ux2rLdK14HdVgkLezvgN5h-1_4ZSZ-JPeMO0D5uCdCXQW_9jHGu8xizjkTED0aSQtawc-3lB3uv75MbFSWl6vY7O1mYBw7EWWPjfMHt6rd0CZdD6Mql4AWj0ZmMgrTbp1w81G_IJJ21HI81CFNIh8UdM9YQ=s1600" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgD_LmCw5o8r_TXqQefQpvmf7YS00y2V9ux2rLdK14HdVgkLezvgN5h-1_4ZSZ-JPeMO0D5uCdCXQW_9jHGu8xizjkTED0aSQtawc-3lB3uv75MbFSWl6vY7O1mYBw7EWWPjfMHt6rd0CZdD6Mql4AWj0ZmMgrTbp1w81G_IJJ21HI81CFNIh8UdM9YQ=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br />Then, the researchers asked the algorithm to predict which patients in the other half of the database were at a high risk of gynecological cancer. When they stratified women into different risk groups, Widschwendter said that 70 to 75% of all ovarian and breast cancers could be found in the highest risk group. The team published their results in<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-27918-w" rel="noopener" style="border: none; box-sizing: border-box; color: #07b5b4; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px;" target="_blank"> two papers</a> in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-26615-y" rel="noopener" style="border: none; box-sizing: border-box; color: #07b5b4; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px;" target="_blank">Nature Communications</a> on Tuesday.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That suggests the analysis is able to accurately group patients by risk, said Shelley Tworoger, a cancer prevention researcher at the Moffitt Cancer Center. That could make a difference in developing better screening strategies to monitor women who are at the greatest risk. But, she added, it may be some time before the test yields much clinical utility on a large scale.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">“Conceptually, I think this is a very interesting approach. Looking at methylation is a way we might be able to have an integrated view of the exposures a woman may have had in her lifetime that might affect her cancer risk,” she said. “It’s difficult to directly access [the ovaries or uterus] to identify cancer or precancerous lesions, so this might be a good way to identify people at high risk. Most women go in and get Pap smears so we already have this type of sample from women on a very regular basis.”</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">There are technologies to screen women for ovarian or endometrial cancer, including a blood test called CA 125 and ultrasound imaging. The problem with these methods, thus far, is that they haven’t been able to show that they can catch cancers at earlier stages when treatment has the best chance at success, Tworoger said. “But if we had women who we <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">knew</span> were at higher risk, maybe those screening modalities would work better and lead to better outcomes in them.”</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><section class="the-content" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">But there’s still more work to be done before such a tool could be rolled out on a population-wide scale. For one, Widschwendter used tens of thousands of genetic markers to generate usable methylation signatures that might indicate different cancer risks. “If they measured just 5 or 10 markers, it might be more straightforward,” Tworoger said. “It’s a lot more expensive to measure at this genome-wide scale than just a few markers. So, from a cost perspective, it might be prohibitive.”And algorithms trained and tested on one patient population – in this case, women treated at health centers in Europe – often do not perform as well on other patient populations. A tool that could be reliably used on a population level would need to include a far broader range of data.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 2.5rem; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px;"></p><div style="text-align: left;">Still, Tworoger said, the study helps open a new avenue of research looking more deeply into why methylations are related to cancer risk, and which might play the most significant role in predisposing someone to cancer.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">“There’s the potential to learn more about the biology, and the more we understand, the better we can address the cancer either from a prevention or treatment side,” Tworoger said.</div></section><div class="content-meta" style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(51, 51, 51); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px;"><div class="about-the-authors" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></div><div class="about-the-authors" style="box-sizing: border-box;">This article was published by <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2022/02/01/cervical-cancer-breast-ovarian-screening/" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #07b5b4; margin-bottom: 15px; outline: 0px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Stat News.</a></div></div>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-10239662556004530592022-02-08T21:48:00.001-05:002022-02-08T21:48:29.630-05:00Infecting Cancer: How Viruses Are Turning the Tide Against Tumors<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VzISo7UbgnU" width="320" youtube-src-id="VzISo7UbgnU"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-21386021657779138232022-02-04T01:30:00.001-05:002022-02-04T01:30:00.201-05:00If You're Taking Doxorubicin - Read This<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgl_ROvZBkouu4C8GDxTfTHSsAgjS4gLhBvzaxy8PveQalcIxwWrf3XZLw_ib_cOItMWIkRk4m4gwdpu-Yfwlqu5SpxIcN6I9e14v5KHSIFUPEYvRnihyWwotC0vzr5iwmgC-K4I1X76BaR1j13rewlR5eF8t6wRaIm2I4VV1eTy1Cex8AOCRWpID4Z5Q=s1600" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgl_ROvZBkouu4C8GDxTfTHSsAgjS4gLhBvzaxy8PveQalcIxwWrf3XZLw_ib_cOItMWIkRk4m4gwdpu-Yfwlqu5SpxIcN6I9e14v5KHSIFUPEYvRnihyWwotC0vzr5iwmgC-K4I1X76BaR1j13rewlR5eF8t6wRaIm2I4VV1eTy1Cex8AOCRWpID4Z5Q=s320" width="320" /></a></div>Doxorubicin, sold under the brand name of Adriamycin and Doxin, has been dubbed the "red devil" or "red death" by people who suffer from one of the common side effects of this medication: peeling skin on the hands and feet - a very painful condition. Doxorubicin is used to treat certain types of cancer including ovarian.<p></p><p>To deal with this, chemical and biomedical engineers at Penn State have developed nanoparticles that closely resemble hairy cellulose nanocrystals found in plants. These "hairs" are designed to essentially mop-up the excess drug limiting the exposure to healthy non-targeted tissue. This research is due to be published in the March issue of <i><a href="https://phys.org/news/2022-01-nanomaterial-captures-off-target-cancer-drug.html?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email" target="_blank">Materials Today Chemistry.</a></i></p><p>Amir Sheiki, one of the lead designers at Penn State had this to say about it:</p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(33, 36, 56); color: #212438;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"To the best of our knowledge, there is currently no nanoparticle-based super-capacity drug capture system," Sheikhi said, noting that the development of such a system could have significant impact on cancer treatment plans. "For some organs, like the liver, chemotherapy can be locally administered through catheters. If we could place a device based on the nanocrystals to capture the excess drugs exiting the liver's inferior vena cava, a major blood vessel, clinicians could potentially administer higher doses of chemotherapy to kill the cancer more quickly without worry about damaging healthy cells. Once the treatment is finished, the device could be removed."</span></span></p><p><span style="color: #212438;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(33, 36, 56);">The benefit is that higher doses of the medication can be given to patients to kill the cancer more quickly and effectively without worrying about damaging healthy tissues. Researchers found that for every gram of these hairy nanocrystals, 6,000 mg of Doxorubicin could be removed from human serum. </span></span></p><p><span style="color: #212438;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(33, 36, 56);">To read more about this research follow <a href="https://phys.org/news/2022-01-nanomaterial-captures-off-target-cancer-drug.html?utm_source=join1440&utm_medium=email" target="_blank">this link to <i>Phys.org</i></a>, a web-based science, research and technology news service that covers a wide range of topics. <br /></span></span> </p>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-3054326048319818012022-02-01T17:42:00.001-05:002022-02-01T17:42:41.862-05:00Patient Advocate Foundation<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgl_ROvZBkouu4C8GDxTfTHSsAgjS4gLhBvzaxy8PveQalcIxwWrf3XZLw_ib_cOItMWIkRk4m4gwdpu-Yfwlqu5SpxIcN6I9e14v5KHSIFUPEYvRnihyWwotC0vzr5iwmgC-K4I1X76BaR1j13rewlR5eF8t6wRaIm2I4VV1eTy1Cex8AOCRWpID4Z5Q=s1600" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgl_ROvZBkouu4C8GDxTfTHSsAgjS4gLhBvzaxy8PveQalcIxwWrf3XZLw_ib_cOItMWIkRk4m4gwdpu-Yfwlqu5SpxIcN6I9e14v5KHSIFUPEYvRnihyWwotC0vzr5iwmgC-K4I1X76BaR1j13rewlR5eF8t6wRaIm2I4VV1eTy1Cex8AOCRWpID4Z5Q=s320" width="320" /></a></div>I'd like to thank Kelsey for letting us all know about this very important organization: <a href="https://www.patientadvocate.org" target="_blank">Patient Advocate Foundation.</a><p></p><p>What is one of the most difficult areas to navigate in our health care system is trying to find the money to pay for the exorbitant cost of medications. Essentially, if one meets the criteria, PAF "...provides direct payment for co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles for patients who need financial assistance."</p><p>As I write this, the ovarian cancer co-pay relief fund is currently closed <i style="font-weight: bold;">BUT</i> - and I can not stress this enough - funds re-open <i style="font-weight: bold;">often</i> so it is important to check back frequently. Additionally, one can sign up to receive alerts when the fund re-opens. The funds for this rely on donors, so if you have the means to support this worthwhile organization, I would urge you to do so. Given that many of our dear women can not work while receiving treatment, this truly is a life saver for many.</p><p>Currently, the <i>Cancer Genetic and Genomic Testing </i> and funds for <i>Cervical Cancer</i> are open. To sign up for alerts, please follow <a href="https://copays.org/funds/ovarian-cancer/" target="_blank">this link.</a><br /> </p>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-47332150772935604252022-01-20T01:00:00.001-05:002022-01-20T01:00:00.214-05:00Research update in rarer ovarian cancers<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/dshSqkKsngY" frameborder="0"></iframe>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-49921770670537920652022-01-18T01:00:00.001-05:002022-01-18T01:00:00.195-05:00Mucinous Carcinoma<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkEhiu3v58qZ68lqGPla3rOhN3N2o9l64TnlL1cZfChpBD2cRuvhy8_-nLZ2_g-RdDUdR-T0O1ByPeE6LmT_vraZM3wtiw-eaPr_ZQlfjzRzLki9Dn48orCoIgBokluUOyPWAj3h41RgW/s1600/fullsizeoutput_4af3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkEhiu3v58qZ68lqGPla3rOhN3N2o9l64TnlL1cZfChpBD2cRuvhy8_-nLZ2_g-RdDUdR-T0O1ByPeE6LmT_vraZM3wtiw-eaPr_ZQlfjzRzLki9Dn48orCoIgBokluUOyPWAj3h41RgW/s320/fullsizeoutput_4af3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>This article first appeared in <i>Ocrahope.com</i><p></p><h2 id="mucinous-carcinoma" style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142; font-family: Muli, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.875rem; line-height: 1.25; margin: 2em 0px 2.40625rem; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"><span style="box-sizing: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Mucinous Carcinoma</span><a class="anchorlink dashicons-before" href="https://ocrahope.org/2021/04/rare-ovarian-cancers-research-updates-2/#mucinous-carcinoma" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #04828e; font-size: smaller; margin-left: 0.5em; text-decoration-skip: objects; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.15s linear, background-color, border-color, box-shadow, fill, opacity, -webkit-box-shadow;"></a></h2><div class="wp-block-image" style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142; display: inline; font-family: Muli, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><figure class="alignright size-large is-resized" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: table; float: right; height: auto; margin: 0.5em 0px 0.5em 36px; max-width: 50%; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #04828e;"><span style="border-bottom-left-radius: inherit; border-bottom-right-radius: inherit; border-top-left-radius: inherit; border-top-right-radius: inherit; box-sizing: inherit; height: auto; max-width: 100%; text-decoration-skip: objects; transition: color 0.15s linear, background-color, border-color, box-shadow, fill, opacity, -webkit-box-shadow; vertical-align: unset;"><i><a href="https://youtu.be/pSZxr3UyYQc" target="_blank"><img alt="Watch video: Mucinous Carcinoma Research Updates" class="wp-image-38353" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" src="https://ocrahope.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/mucinous-carcinomas-research.jpg" srcset="https://ocrahope.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/mucinous-carcinomas-research.jpg 400w, https://ocrahope.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/mucinous-carcinomas-research-300x195.jpg 300w" style="border-bottom-left-radius: inherit; border-bottom-right-radius: inherit; border-style: none; border-top-left-radius: inherit; border-top-right-radius: inherit; box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: unset;" width="125" /></a></i></span></span></figure></div><p style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142; font-family: Muli, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; max-width: 75ch; padding: 0px;">Mucinous carcinoma accounts for 25% of Stage 1 <a href="https://ocrahope.org/patients/about-ovarian-cancer/types-ovarian-cancer/#epithelial-ovarian-tumors-primary-peritoneal-tumors-fallopian-tube-tumors" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #04828e; text-decoration-skip: objects; transition: color 0.15s linear, background-color, border-color, box-shadow, fill, opacity, -webkit-box-shadow;">epithelial ovarian cancers</a>, but only 5% of advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancers. It is often confused with gastrointestinal cancers. Overall survival for Stage 1 is similar to high-grade serous cancers (about 85% five-year survival). When diagnosed in advanced stages, mortality is significantly higher than for high-grade serous. Current standard therapy is surgery, followed by paclitaxel/carboplatin chemotherapy.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142; font-family: Muli, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; max-width: 75ch; padding: 0px;">It’s been established that there are key pathways and potential targets, particularly for patients with mucinous carcinoma who have recurred. For this subset of patients, there are several areas of potential promise.</p><ul style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142; font-family: Muli, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 24px 24px; padding: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 75ch;">Bevacizumab can be an active agent, which means the angiogenesis pathway is a key pathway.</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 75ch;">22% have MSI-H (high levels of microsatellite instability), which means they may be responsive to immune checkpoint inhibitors.</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 75ch;">18% have HER-2/neu amplification. Breast cancer drugs, such as trastuzumab, that target HER-2/neu may also be active in patients who express HER-2/neu amplification.</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 75ch;">40-50% of patients have a RAS genetic mutation, and MEK inhibitors may be active in tumors that express a RAS mutation.</li></ul><h3 id="current-research-into-mucinous-carcinoma-is-focused-on-further-investigating-the-use-of-hyperthermic-intraperitoneal-chemotherapy-hipec-and-on-potential-transition-to-more-common-use-of-gastrointes" style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142; font-family: Muli, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.5rem; line-height: 1.25; margin: 0.6875rem 0px 2.0625rem; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">Current research into mucinous carcinoma is focused on further investigating the use of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), and on potential transition to more common use of gastrointestinal chemotherapy regimens.<a class="anchorlink dashicons-before" href="https://ocrahope.org/2021/04/rare-ovarian-cancers-research-updates-2/#current-research-into-mucinous-carcinoma-is-focused-on-further-investigating-the-use-of-hyperthermic-intraperitoneal-chemotherapy-hipec-and-on-potential-transition-to-more-common-use-of-gastrointes" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #04828e; font-size: smaller; margin-left: 0.5em; text-decoration-skip: objects; text-decoration: none; transition: color 0.15s linear, background-color, border-color, box-shadow, fill, opacity, -webkit-box-shadow;"></a></h3><p style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142; font-family: Muli, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 24px; max-width: 75ch; padding: 0px;">HIPEC for ovarian cancer in general has shown to produce mixed results. Most experts consider it to be investigational, rather than standard of care treatment. However, there is interest in applying HIPEC for mucinous ovarian cancer specifically, due to HIPEC’s possible efficacy against gastrointestinal cancers, which microscopically looks quite similar to mucinous carcinoma of the ovary.</p><ul style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142; font-family: Muli, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 24px 24px; padding: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 75ch;">A randomized trial investigated use of a regimen commonly used to treat colorectal cancer–capecitabine/oxaliplatin–versus paclitaxel/carboplatin, with or without addition of bevacizumab, in patients with previously untreated mucinous ovarian cancer. The concept was to determine if by giving the standard gastrointestinal treatment regimen, patients would have a higher response rate and progression-free survival. The trial unfortunately closed early due to slow accrual, so will not have a conclusion.</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 75ch;">In more conclusive news, a retrospective multi-institutional study on patients with mucinous carcinoma showed that patients who received gastrointestinal treatment regimens had significantly better progression-free and overall survival rate than those who received the standard of paclitaxel/carboplatin. Because this was retrospective, and not a randomized clinical trial, more investigation is needed, but researchers believe this shows promise.</li></ul><p><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Muli, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"></span> </p>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-51890593466424909632022-01-13T14:38:00.001-05:002022-01-13T14:38:00.213-05:00Current treatment standards for primary ovarian cancer<iframe style="background-image:url(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/dqkLx1JMdHs/hqdefault.jpg)" width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/dqkLx1JMdHs" frameborder="0"></iframe>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-66718236988833458832022-01-11T01:00:00.001-05:002022-01-11T01:00:00.200-05:00Malignant Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkEhiu3v58qZ68lqGPla3rOhN3N2o9l64TnlL1cZfChpBD2cRuvhy8_-nLZ2_g-RdDUdR-T0O1ByPeE6LmT_vraZM3wtiw-eaPr_ZQlfjzRzLki9Dn48orCoIgBokluUOyPWAj3h41RgW/s1600/fullsizeoutput_4af3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkEhiu3v58qZ68lqGPla3rOhN3N2o9l64TnlL1cZfChpBD2cRuvhy8_-nLZ2_g-RdDUdR-T0O1ByPeE6LmT_vraZM3wtiw-eaPr_ZQlfjzRzLki9Dn48orCoIgBokluUOyPWAj3h41RgW/s320/fullsizeoutput_4af3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>This article appeared in <i>Ocrahope.org</i><p></p><p><a href="https://ocrahope.org/patients/about-ovarian-cancer/types-ovarian-cancer/#ovarian-germ-cell-tumor-types" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: #04828e; font-family: Muli, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration-skip: objects; transition: color 0.15s linear, background-color, border-color, box-shadow, fill, opacity, -webkit-box-shadow;">Malignant ovarian germ cell tumors</a><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142; font-family: Muli, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> represent less than 5% of all ovarian cancers, and occur primarily in girls and young women in their 20s and 30s. Prior to the 1970s, this type of tumor had a very high mortality rate, but since the introduction of contemporary BEP chemotherapy (bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin; a combination often used to treat testicular cancer), the cure rate is 95%. Because this type often affects only one ovary, fertility-sparing surgery is sometimes feasible.</span></p><ul style="box-sizing: inherit; caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66); color: #404142; font-family: Muli, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 24px 24px; padding: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 75ch;">A low risk international study has enrolled children and adults with Stage 1A and 1B ovarian germ cell tumors that are confined to the ovaries. Patients in the study undergo observation following primary surgery, and receive chemotherapy only if they develop a recurrence. The concept is to try to avoid chemotherapy altogether in patients with very early stage disease. This trial is ongoing, with results expected in about 5 years.</li><li style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 75ch;">The same study, this one for patients ages up to 25 years old with Stage 1C-111 malignant ovarian germ cell ovarian cancer, compares the current standard BEP chemotherapy with a bleomycin, etoposide, carboplatin chemotherapy. Carboplatin is thought to be less toxic than cisplatin, and if results of the trial are positive, it will represent a major advancement in lessening short and long-term toxicity. </li></ul><div><span style="color: #404142; font-family: Muli, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(64, 65, 66);"><br /></span></span></div><p> </p>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-74063277787109525742022-01-06T01:00:00.001-05:002022-01-06T01:00:00.200-05:00Ovarian Cancer and Immunotherapy with Dr. Dmitriy Zamarin<iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://youtube.com/embed/IH4pVyc3u7g" frameborder="0"></iframe>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-66274220802855489172022-01-03T01:00:00.001-05:002022-01-03T01:00:00.200-05:00 Mirvetuximab Soravtansine Shows Promising Topline Results in FRα-High, Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkEhiu3v58qZ68lqGPla3rOhN3N2o9l64TnlL1cZfChpBD2cRuvhy8_-nLZ2_g-RdDUdR-T0O1ByPeE6LmT_vraZM3wtiw-eaPr_ZQlfjzRzLki9Dn48orCoIgBokluUOyPWAj3h41RgW/s1600/fullsizeoutput_4af3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkEhiu3v58qZ68lqGPla3rOhN3N2o9l64TnlL1cZfChpBD2cRuvhy8_-nLZ2_g-RdDUdR-T0O1ByPeE6LmT_vraZM3wtiw-eaPr_ZQlfjzRzLki9Dn48orCoIgBokluUOyPWAj3h41RgW/s320/fullsizeoutput_4af3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>This article appeared on <i>OncLive</i> and was written by Courtney Marabella.<p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;">The antibody-drug conjugate mirvetuximab soravtansine has shown promising response rates and a favorable toxicity profile in patients with folate receptor alpha (FRα)-high, platinum-resistant ovarian cancer who have received previous treatment with bevacizumab (Avastin), according to topline results from the phase 3 SORAYA trial (NCT04296890) released by ImmunoGen Inc.</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">1</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Results showed that the trial met its primary end point, with a confirmed objective response rate (ORR) of 32.4% (95% CI, 23.6%-42.2%) per investigator assessment, and 31.6% (95% CI, 22.4%-41.9%) per blinded independent central review (BICR). Both the investigator- and BICR-assessed ORR included 5 complete responses (CRs). Furthermore, the median duration of response (DOR) was 5.9 months (95% CI, 5.6-7.7).</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">“Despite advances in the platinum-sensitive setting, most patients with ovarian cancer eventually develop platinum-resistant disease, for which there are limited treatment options, especially for those patients who have previously received bevacizumab,” Robert Coleman, MD, co-principal investigator, and chief scientific officer of US Oncology Research, said in a press release. “Data from SORAYA have the potential to redefine the standard of care for patients with FRα-high platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, as this trial has demonstrated that mirvetuximab delivers clinically meaningful benefit in this setting, with significant and durable responses and a favorable tolerability profile.”<span></span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;">The SORAYA trial is a single-arm study examining mirvetuximab soravtansine in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer whose tumors express high levels of FRα. Patients enrolled on the study had received up to 3 prior treatment regimens, at least 1 of which included bevacizumab. Additionally, eligible patients had to be 18 years of age or older, have an ECOG performance status of 0 or 1, and have at least 1 lesion that met the definition of measurable disease by RECIST version 1.1 criteria.</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">2</span></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Patients with endometrioid, clear cell, mucinous, or sarcomatous histology, or low-grade/borderline ovarian tumors were not able to enroll. Moreover, those with primary platinum-refractory disease were not eligible to participate.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The primary end point of the study is the confirmed investigator-assessed ORR, and key secondary end points included DOR, safety, progression-free survival, overall survival, and CA-125 response. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Furthermore, SORAYA was designed to rule out a 12% ORR. This is based on expected outcomes with single-agent chemotherapy from the phase 3 AURELIA trial (NCT00976911), which examined the combination of bevacizumab plus chemotherapy in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer who had received up to 2 prior lines of therapy.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Among the 106 patients enrolled on the SORAYA study, the median number of prior lines of therapy was 3 (range, 1-4). Moreover, 51% of patients had received 3 prior lines of therapy, and 48% had received 1 or 2. All patients enrolled on the study received prior treatment with bevacizumab, and 48% of patients received prior treatment with a PARP inhibitor.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;">As of the data cutoff on November 16, 2021, the median follow-up was 8.1 months.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In terms of safety, mirvetuximab soravtansine was found to be well-tolerated, with a safety profile consistent with what has been observed in prior studies with the agent. Dose reductions due to treatment-related adverse effects (TRAEs) occurred in 19% of patients, dose delays due to TRAEs occurred in 32% of patients, and treatment discontinuations due to TRAEs occurred in 7% of patients. The most frequent TRAEs reported were blurred vision (41% all grade; 6% grade 3 or higher), keratopathy (35% all grade; 9% grade 3 or higher), and nausea (29% all grade; 0% grade 3 or higher).</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">“These data have the potential to be transformative for ovarian cancer patients and their physicians,” Ursula Matulonis, MD, co-principal investigator, chief of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, said in a press release. “In the platinum-resistant setting and particularly in later-line treated patients, response rates with available therapy are in the single digits with significant toxicities. With an ORR above 30%, a duration of response of around six months, and a treatment-related discontinuation rate below 10%, mirvetuximab shows impressive activity and tolerability for patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. If approved, mirvetuximab will become a critical therapeutic option for patients with FRα-high ovarian cancer.” </span></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Submission of a biologics license application for mirvetuximab soravtansine in this patient population remains on track for the first quarter of 2022.</span></p><h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0px; word-break: break-word;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">References</span></span></h3><ol style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 58, 60); color: #373a3c; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ImmunoGen announces positive top-line results from pivotal SORAYA trial of mirvetuximab soravtansine in ovarian cancer. News release. ImmunoGen Inc. November 30, 2021. Accessed November 30, 2021. <a href="https://bit.ly/3E9vmfw" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: blue;" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/3E9vmfw</a></span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A study of mirvetuximab soravtansine in platinum-resistant, advanced high-grade epithelial ovarian, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube cancers with high folate receptor-alpha expression (SORAYA). clinicaltrials.gov. Updated May 27, 2021. Accessed November 30, 2021. <a href="https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04296890" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: blue;" target="_blank">https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04296890</a></span></li></ol>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-70514076618898371612021-12-27T01:00:00.001-05:002021-12-27T01:00:00.198-05:00Addition of Bevacizumab to Pembrolizumab Improves Responses in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkEhiu3v58qZ68lqGPla3rOhN3N2o9l64TnlL1cZfChpBD2cRuvhy8_-nLZ2_g-RdDUdR-T0O1ByPeE6LmT_vraZM3wtiw-eaPr_ZQlfjzRzLki9Dn48orCoIgBokluUOyPWAj3h41RgW/s1600/fullsizeoutput_4af3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkEhiu3v58qZ68lqGPla3rOhN3N2o9l64TnlL1cZfChpBD2cRuvhy8_-nLZ2_g-RdDUdR-T0O1ByPeE6LmT_vraZM3wtiw-eaPr_ZQlfjzRzLki9Dn48orCoIgBokluUOyPWAj3h41RgW/s320/fullsizeoutput_4af3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>This article, written by Courtney Marabella, first appeared in <i>OncLive</i> in November of 2021.<p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;">The addition of a short-term, flat dose of bevacizumab (Avastin) to pembrolizumab (Keytruda) was found to enhance the response to anti–PD-1 therapy in the absence of chemotherapy for patients with platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer, according to results from the phase 1 PEMBOV trial (NCT03596281) presented during the 2021 SITC Annual Meeting.</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">1</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Results from the study showed that among the 19 patients enrolled, the combination yielded an overall response rate (ORR) of 26%; this was comprised of 1 complete response (CR; 5%) and 4 partial responses (PRs; 21%). Additionally, the disease control rate (DCR) with the doublet was 79%.<span></span></span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;">For patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, there is an unmet medical need for more efficacious treatment options. Previously, the phase 3 AURELIA trial (NCT00976911) examined the combination of chemotherapy and bevacizumab in platinum-resistant patients who were bevacizumab naïve and had received a maximum of 2 prior treatment regimens. Results showed that the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 3.4 months in those treated with chemotherapy vs 6.7 months in those who received the combination. Moreover, the ORRs reported in each group were 11.8% and 27.3% respectively.</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">2</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;">Bevacizumab monotherapy has been shown to induce a median PFS of 4.4 months and an ORR of 15.9% in this patient population.</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">3</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"> Anti–PD-1/anti–PD-L1 monotherapies have been shown to elicit ORRs ranging from 3.7% to 15.0%, and a median PFS ranging from 1.9 months to 3.5 months. The addition of chemotherapy to these agents appears to slightly improve outcomes, with ORRs ranging from 13.3% to 23.0%, and a median PFS ranging from 3.7 months to 8.1 months.</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">4-8</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;">Prior phase 2 trials have also examined the combination of anti–PD-L1 therapy and PARP inhibitors, a regimen that has been shown to elicit an ORR of 14.0% and a median PFS of 3.9 months,</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">9</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"> as well as anti–PD-L1 therapy, PARP inhibition, and bevacizumab, a triplet which yielded an ORR of 28.0% and a median PFS of 4.1 months.</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">10</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;">Additionally, phase 1b/2 combinations trials have previously examined pembrolizumab in combination with bevacizumab and chemotherapy. When pembrolizumab and bevacizumab were paired with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD), the regimen yielded an ORR of 32.0%.</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">11</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"> When the 2 agents were combined with cyclophosphamide, they induced an ORR of 43.3% and a median PFS of 7.6 months.</span></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">1</span>2</span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;">Prior phase 2 clinical trials have investigated the combination of an anti–PD-1 blockade plus an anti–CTLA-4 blockade. Results from these trials have showed that this approach can produce an ORR of 31.4% and a median PFS of 3.9 months.</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">13</span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;">The PEMBOV study enrolled patients with platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer. There was no limit to the number of previous treatments patients could have received, and prior treatment with bevacizumab was permitted.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;">The study was comprised of 2 cohorts. Patients in cohort A received pembrolizumab plus PLD, and those in cohort B were given pembrolizumab plus bevacizumab. Here, investigators reported data from cohort B of the study.</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;">14</span></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Patients enrolled to cohort B received 200 mg of pembrolizumab once every 3 weeks (q3W) until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal of consent, and 400 mg of bevacizumab q3w for 6 cycles.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The primary end point of the study was best overall response (BOR) per RECIST v1.1 criteria, and duration of response (DOR). Secondary end points included safety and tolerability, and key exploratory objectives were to examine PD-L1 status and the pharmacokinetics of bevacizumab.</span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;">Among the 19 patients enrolled, the median age was 70 years (range, 38-76), and most had an ECOG performance status of 0 (52.6%) with the ovary as their primary tumor location (79%). Additionally, most patients had serous high-grade disease (95%) and had received prior antiangiogenic therapy (68%). Sixteen percent of patients had a </span><em style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;">BRCA</em><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"> mutation, and 47% had received prior treatment with PARP inhibitors. Moreover, 95% of patients had received 2 or more prior chemotherapy regimens. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The median follow-up time was 7.6 months (95% CI, 6.7-19.5), with a minimum of 2.9 months and a maximum of 29.0 months. Time to progression (TTP) was not reached for 26.0% of patients (n = 5/19), and 42.0% of patients (n= 8/18) had a TTP that was 24 weeks or more. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">For patients who had a PD-L1 combined positive score (CPS) of 10% or higher (n = 4), the ORR with the regimen was 50%; this was comprised of 2 PRs, and 1 patient had stable disease. Among those with a PD-L1 CPS of 1% or higher (n = 10), the ORR was 30%, which was comprised of 3 PRs and 4 patients achieved stable disease. For patients with a PD-L1 CPS of 1% or lower (n = 8), the ORR was 25%, and this was comprised of 1 CR, 1 PR, and 6 patients with stable disease.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In terms of safety, grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse effects (TRAEs) were reported in 20% of patients. The most common grade 3/4 TRAEs were cerebral ischemia (5%), sepsis (5%), bowel proliferation (5%), and proteinuria (5%). </span></span><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">No new safety signals were observed on the study, and correlative studies are ongoing.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">REFERENCES</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><ol style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(55, 58, 60); color: #373a3c; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1rem; margin-top: 0px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Michels J, Frenel J-S, Genestie C, et al. Pembrolizumab and bevacizumab in platinum resistant epithelial ovarian cancer patients. Presented at: 2021 SITC Annual Meeting; November 10-14, 2021; Washington DC. Abstract 355.</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pujade-Lauraine E, Hilpert F, Weber B, et al. Bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy for platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer: the AURELIA open-label randomized phase III trial. <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">J Clin Oncol</em>. 2014;32(13):1302-1308. doi:10.1200/JCO.2013.51.4489</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Cannistra SA, Matulonis UA, Penson RT, et al. Phase II study of bevacizumab in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer or peritoneal serous cancer. <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">J Clin Oncol</em>. 2007;25(33):5180-6. doi:10.1200/JCO.2007.12.0782</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Hamanishi J, Mandai M, Ikeda T, et al. Safety and antitumor activity of anti-PD-1 antibody, nivolumab, in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">J Clin Oncol</em>. 2015;33(34):4015-4022. doi:10.1200/JCO.2015.62.3397</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Disis ML, Taylor MH, Kelly K, et al. Efficacy and safety of avelumab for patients with recurrent or refractory ovarian cancer: phase 1b results from the JAVELIN solid tumor trial. <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">JAMA Oncol</em>. 2019;5(3):393-401. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2018.6258</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Matulonis UA, Shapira-Frommer R, Santin AD, et al. Antitumor activity and safety of pembrolizumab in patients with advanced recurrent ovarian cancer: results from the phase II KEYNOTE-100 study. <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Ann Oncol</em>. 2019;30(7):1080-1087. doi:10.1093/annonc/mdz135</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pujade-Lauraine E, Fujiwarab K, Ledermannc JA, et al. Avelumab alone or in combination with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin versus pegylated liposomal doxorubicin alone in platinum-resistant or refractory epithelial ovarian cancer: Primary and biomarker analysis of the phase III JAVELIN Ovarian 200 trial. Presented at: 50th Annual Meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology; March 16-19, 2019. Honolulu, HI.</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lee EK, Xiong N, Cheng S-C, et al. Combined pembrolizumab and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in platinum resistant ovarian cancer: A phase 2 clinical trial. <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Gynecol Oncol</em>. 2020;159(1):72-78. doi:10.1016/j.ygyno.2020.07.028</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Lampert EJ, Zimmer A, Padget M, et al. Combination of PARP inhibitor olaparib, and PD-L1 inhibitor durvalumab, in recurrent ovarian cancer: a proof-of-concept phase II study. <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Clin Cancer Res</em>. 2020;26(16):4268-4279. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-20-0056</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Freyer G, Floquet A, Tredan O, et al. 733P Bevacizumab (bev), olaparib (ola) and durvalumab (durva) in patients with recurrent advanced ovarian cancer (AOC): The GINECO BOLD study. <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Ann Oncol</em>. 2021;32(5):S734-S735. doi:10.1016/j.annonc.2021.08.1176</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Michels J, Ghiringhelli F, Frenel J-S, et al. Pembrolizumab in combination with bevacizumab and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in patients with platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer. <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">J Clin Oncol</em>. 2021;39(15):5522. doi:10.1200/JCO.2021.39.15_suppl.5522</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Zsiros E, Lynam S, Attwood K, et al. Efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab in combination with bevacizumab and oral metronomic cyclophosphamide in the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer: a phase 2 nonrandomized clinical trial<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">. JAMA Oncol</em>. 2021;7(1):78-85. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2020.5945</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Zamarin D, Burger RA, Sill MW, et al. Randomized phase II trial of nivolumab versus nivolumab and ipilimumab for recurrent or persistent ovarian cancer: an NRG oncology study. <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">J Clin Oncol</em>. 2020;38(16):1814-1823. doi:10.1200/JCO.19.02059</span></li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pembrolizumab in combination with bevacizumab and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in patients with ovarian cancer (PEMBOV). ClinicalTrials.gov. Updated July 22, 2021. Accessed November 17, 2021.</span></li></ol></div><p><span style="box-sizing: border-box; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; line-height: 0; position: relative; top: -0.5em; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Lato, sans-serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(55, 58, 60); color: #373a3c;"><span style="color: #121212;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18);"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span> </span></p>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-58471714921664564332021-12-20T01:00:00.001-05:002021-12-20T01:00:00.194-05:00Varying Safety Profiles on PARP Inhibitors<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkEhiu3v58qZ68lqGPla3rOhN3N2o9l64TnlL1cZfChpBD2cRuvhy8_-nLZ2_g-RdDUdR-T0O1ByPeE6LmT_vraZM3wtiw-eaPr_ZQlfjzRzLki9Dn48orCoIgBokluUOyPWAj3h41RgW/s1600/fullsizeoutput_4af3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkEhiu3v58qZ68lqGPla3rOhN3N2o9l64TnlL1cZfChpBD2cRuvhy8_-nLZ2_g-RdDUdR-T0O1ByPeE6LmT_vraZM3wtiw-eaPr_ZQlfjzRzLki9Dn48orCoIgBokluUOyPWAj3h41RgW/s320/fullsizeoutput_4af3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>Ever wonder which PARPi you should take? In this video produced by <i>OncLive</i>, Dr. Britt Erickson discusses the toxicities associated with the different PARPi.</p><div>You can access this video by following <b><a href="https://www.onclive.com/view/dr-erickson-on-the-varying-safety-profiles-of-select-parp-inhibitors-in-ovarian-cancer" target="_blank">this link</a></b>.</div><p><br /></p>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8525781730994199255.post-13206837609633902402021-12-16T01:00:00.001-05:002021-12-16T01:00:00.199-05:00Fluorescent Dye Used to Identify Cancer Cells<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkEhiu3v58qZ68lqGPla3rOhN3N2o9l64TnlL1cZfChpBD2cRuvhy8_-nLZ2_g-RdDUdR-T0O1ByPeE6LmT_vraZM3wtiw-eaPr_ZQlfjzRzLki9Dn48orCoIgBokluUOyPWAj3h41RgW/s1600/fullsizeoutput_4af3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQkEhiu3v58qZ68lqGPla3rOhN3N2o9l64TnlL1cZfChpBD2cRuvhy8_-nLZ2_g-RdDUdR-T0O1ByPeE6LmT_vraZM3wtiw-eaPr_ZQlfjzRzLki9Dn48orCoIgBokluUOyPWAj3h41RgW/s320/fullsizeoutput_4af3.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>Malignant tissue can often appear normal looking to the naked eye but this recently developed dye can light up cancer cells when fluorescent light is shined upon it during surgery.<p></p><p>Cytalux binds to cancer cells and has recently been given FDA approval. This enables the surgeon to be more accurate in removing cancerous cells. </p><p>Developed by Dr. Phil Low from Purdue, this brief <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2aQZsEfJH4" target="_blank">video</a></b> explains the process. You can also read about this research by following <b><a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-new-imaging-drug-help-identify-ovarian-cancer-lesions" target="_blank">this link</a></b>.</p>Margaret Mastrangelo, M.S., FNPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09914419888805327377noreply@blogger.com0