Genetic Signature of Tumor Cells Predicts Response to Chemotherapy Drug for Patients with Form of Ovarian Cancer

 

Gemcitabine has been used for decades on women with recurrent ovarian cancer. But why is it that some women do achieve remission and others do not?

Researchers at Dana Farber have uncovered a biomarker found in high grade serous ovarian cancer cells (HGSOC) that reveal if the cancer cells are under high stress to replicate their DNA. Turns out that those cancer cells respond very well to gemcitabine treatment. 

There were several other surprises for researchers in this study which is now in phase 3 of clinical trials. To read more about this form of precision medicine, follow this link.