Addition of Bevacizumab to Pembrolizumab Improves Responses in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

This article, written by Courtney Marabella, first appeared in OncLive in November of 2021.

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.1

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%.

Varying Safety Profiles on PARP Inhibitors

 

Ever wonder which PARPi you should take? In this video produced by OncLive, Dr. Britt Erickson discusses the toxicities associated with the different PARPi.

You can access this video by following this link.

Fluorescent Dye Used to Identify Cancer Cells

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.

Cytalux binds to cancer cells and has recently been given FDA approval. This enables the surgeon to be more accurate in removing cancerous cells. 

Developed by Dr. Phil Low from Purdue, this brief video explains the process. You can also read about this research by following this link.

Advances in Treatment for OC

This excellent article outlines the recent advancements in the treatment of ovarian cancer. Given the number of women who have recurrent ovarian cancer, I was especially interested in the section on treating recurring OC with second line chemo or surgery plus chemo.

To read this article, follow this link to Nature
 

Ovarian Cancer Algorithm: Personalized Treatment for OC

Why is it that some women get surgery before chemo and others don't? Anil Sood, MD at MD Anderson explains how this algorithm helps remove the subjectivity of the decision.

To listen to this 12 minute discussion, follow this link.
 

HER-2: A Key Protein in Cancer Growth

Elizabeth Lee, MD, a medical oncologist at Dana Farber, is leading a clinical trial that is studying whether combining trastuzumab deruxtecan used for HER2 targeted therapies can be used in conjunction with olaparib in certain advanced HER2 positive cancers including ovarian, uterine and breast cancers.

The following is from an article by Nicole Davis, PhD, about this.

Medical oncologist Elizabeth Lee, MD, is also leading a clinical trial that includes gynecological cancers, specifically those that are positive for HER2, a key protein that helps drive cancer growth. Over the last two decades, a variety of HER2-targeted therapies have been developed, including trastuzumab deruxtecan, or T-DXd, which was recently approved by the FDA for patients with advanced forms of HER-2-positive breast cancer. T-DXd consists of two molecular components: trastuzumab, an antibody, which recognizes and neutralizes HER-2, and deruxtecan, a highly potent chemotherapy drug. These elements are chemically linked together, forming a kind of smart bomb that can deliver chemotherapy directly to HER2-positive tumor cells.

Now, Dr. Lee and her colleagues are studying whether T-DXd, in combination with another molecularly targeted drug called olaparib, can benefit patients with advanced forms of HER-2-positive cancers, including breast, ovarian, and uterine cancer. The team is conducting a phase 1 trial that is sponsored by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) that will explore the safety and dosing of the drug combination. While it is still too early to know whether these drugs will prove effective, Dr. Lee is hopeful.

 

"The hope is that we'll be able provide more treatment options for patients and fit into the standard of care," said Dr. Lee. "There are a variety of gynecological cancers that express HER2, and our goal is to take advantage of that molecular vulnerability."

To find out more about clinical trials at DF, follow this link.