Ovarian Cancer Research News - Fall 2016

I am pleased to share a number of recently released research studies. The list was compiled by Sarah DeFeo of OCRFA. Links to journal articles may be found on the OCRF page describing each study.

Risk-reducing Oophorectomy is Risky, Study Shows

A Mayo Clinic research team has found evidence suggesting that premenopausal women who are not at high risk of ovarian cancer should not have their ovaries removed for the purpose of cancer prevention. 

Dee's Note: Removal of the ovaries should only be considered if you have a BRCA mutation. The side effects from ovary removal may lead to other health issues - cardiac, bone etc.

Niraparib Significantly Improves Outcome of Ovarian Cancer Patients

According to research published this month in the New England Journal of Medicine, the PARP inhibitor niraparib improves progression free survival in recurrent, platinum-sensitive women both with and without germline BRCA mutations.

 Dee's Note: This Parp inhibitor showed significant improved progression-free survival versus placebo for women with and without BRCA mutations or homologous recombination deficiency.

Low Volume Surgeons Lead to Poorer Outcomes

A new analysis published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology determined the impact of gynecologic surgeon volumes on patient outcomes.

Dee's Note: Previous studies showed similar results. Low volume surgeon had higher mortality rates. Have your surgery done by a gynecologic oncologist who has completed many of these surgeries. 
 

OCRFA Research Shows Drugs Help Anti-tumor Immunity

New OCRFA-funded research demonstrates how a drug already in clinical trials could be used to boost anti-tumor immunity and cause T-cells to target the cancer directly while minimizing side effects.

Dee's Notes: PDL-1 and PD-1 work to prevent T-cells from fighting cancer cells. It was found that BET ( bromodomain and extraterminal domain)inhibitors can stop BRD4 (bromodomain-containing protein 4) which contributes to PDL-1 expression. 

Oral Contraceptives Play Role in Decline of Deaths from Ovarian Cancer

The European Society of Medical Oncology published a study last week that indicated the reasons for a decrease in deaths from ovarian cancer in both young women and post-menopausal women. 

 Dee's Notes: I am confused about how the deaths from ovarian cancer can decrease if the number of women diagnosed has stayed constant. Women diagnosed with ovarian cancer are no longer on oral contraceptives. Anyone have insight into this issue please leave a comment below. 

SGO and ASCO Agree on Guidelines for Common Type of Ovarian Cancer

While primary cytoreductive surgery followed by chemotherapy is the standard of care for newly diagnosed women with advanced ovarian cancer, newly issued practice guidelines suggest that some patients may benefit more from first-line neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and followed by surgery.

 Dee's Notes: Newly diagnosed women with stage IIIC or IV epithelial ovarian cancer who may only achieve suboptimal debulking ( less than 1 cm) should receive chemotherapy first.

Women Still Getting CA-125 and CT Testing After Ovarian Cancer, Despite Lack of Clear Benefit

A study published recently in JAMA Oncology showed that CA-125 tests and CT scans are routinely used in ovarian cancer surveillance testing, even though evidence has shown there is no clinical benefit to using these tests

 Dee's Notes: This prospective study showed no benefit to using CA-125 / CT scans as surveillance for OC. "During a 12-month period, there was a mean of 4.6 CA-125 tests and 1.7 CT scans performed per patient" 

Write up from Annie Ellis:  Research Round-Up: 11th Biennial Ovarian Cancer Research Symposium September 12-13, 2014 in Seattle, Washington

The Biennial Ovarian Cancer Research Symposium is presented by the Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer and the American Association for Cancer Research. 

 Dee's Note: Good Summary of presentations on OC screening, treatment, microenvironments and disease mechanisms. 


Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!  

Unremarkable Again

On the evening of October 1st I drank my first Readi-cat drink in preparation for the first CT scan in a year . I added some chocolate syrup to the rather thick, chalky drink to make it more palatable. Drinking through a straw helps and using a Minnie mouse glass just makes it a bit fun. I also try to imagine it is a chocolate shake not a barium sulfate drink.

The morning of October 2nd I drove to the radiology facility. The nurse there was great and gently started the IV for contrast. I was done in a short period of time and drove home. Later in the day my gynecologic oncologist's nurse called me to say the scan was clear. But you know I wasn't totally convinced I was a-ok I wouldn't feel that way until I saw my doctor and she did an exam. I was going to have to wait for that to happen though since my appointment wasn't until the 17th.

On Tuesday I went for a port flush and blood draw for the CA-125 test ( the tumor marker test for ovarian cancer). The nurse who did the flush was excellent and after saying hello to one of my favorite nurses I drove home.

Today( Oct 17th) I had my 4 month visit to my gyn-onc at the Rutgers Cancer Center of New Jersey. She did the internal exam, told me my CA-125 result and that my CT scan results were good. Then she asked me when I wanted to see her again. It is nice to finally be a part of the decision.  I'm not quite ready for going 6 months so she said another appointment in 4 months would be fine.

As I left her nurse handed me a copy of the CA-125 results and CT scan report.  I've gotten pretty good a reading those reports. I checked that they found my port in the chest CT, and didn't find my spleen in my abdominal CT.The report show no fluid or lesions. All three scans used the word-  Unremarkable. I like being unremarkable. I feel pretty wonderful.

If only I can get less anxious before scans and doctor visits. That would be remarkable.

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!

Hershey Chocolate Syrup and my Cancer Zone

Today I had yet another CT scan.It has been 7 months since my last one but since my CA-125 has risen  to a number higher than it was when I recurred back in 2008 my gyn-onc and I decided to check things out.  Of course it waited until after I did what I call my Fall Road Trip.

The Trip included a stop to see my son in Alabama where he is a graduate student working on his PhD. Then we were off to Florida for  a week at Disney World. The Epcot Food and Wine Festival was taking place so I got a chance to eat food from many different places-  Singapore, Australia, Greece , New Zealand and Poland. I also tasted a special Sam Adams brew which was a chocolate bock. We met up with a long time friend of my daughter who happened to be in Florida visiting her dad. And on the way back to New Jersey stopped in North Carolina to visit my husband's brother and his wife.

 




Since being diagnosed I have felt that instead of buying things I would rather have experiences  and share my time with family and friends. This Fall Road Trip was just that.

Last night though I re-entered the cancer zone.

I had picked up my drinks at the radiology office not far from my home before we left on our trip. It is a branch of the office I used to go to in Metuchen. But this would be the first time I would see them for a CT scan. They only had the plain  EZ-CAT drink .  I prefer to call it Yucky flavor. The receptionist told me something I had not heard these past 7 years. I had heard I could add Crystal Lite to the bottle but she told me I could add Hershey's Chocolate syrup to the drink to help it go down easier. So last night around 8pm I opened the drink bottle and added a good portion of Hershey's syrup. Well, what do you know? It tasted pretty darn good. And I drank it down.

I got up this morning and had to drink the second bottle. So once again I squeezed in some Hershey's. I'm not a big chocolate person in the morning but it sure made the whole process easier.

The CT went smoothly. The nurse at the office, Dawn , found a vein for the IV quickly and painlessly. I think drinking lots of water yesterday helped. I held my breath when the machine instructed and said a little prayer as the machine took it's images.

Now it is just a matter of waiting to see for my doctor to tell me the results.  Guess I will be in the cancer zone a little while longer.

Dee
Every Day is a Blessing!

No Berry Smoothie Flavored Readi-CAT for Me

Yesterday I stopped by the radiology group where I get my CT scans done. I was there to pick up my drinks for next month's CT scan. These drinks are Barium sulfate suspensions . It coats the inside of your esophagus, stomach and intestines to allow those organs to be seen more clearly in a CT scan.

I take the ReadiCAT- 2 suspension product by EZEm products. The past two times I had a CT scan I was lucky to have the Berry Smoothie flavored product. The flavoring made the thick , not so delicious ( and that is being charitable) drink a bit more palatable. So yesterday I asked the technician if I could have the Berry Smoothie flavored. He said he was sorry but Medicare and the insurance companies are not reimbursing for the flavored version of the product any longer. They will only reimburse for the no-flavored version. Why ? The flavored version costs more. So in trying to hold costs down for the patient my radiology group is only ordering the non-flavored version. They suggested I add Crystal Light to the solution to make it taste better.

I tried researching the cost of the products online but did not see any costs listed. I wonder what the cost difference is?

I guess I will go out and get some Crystal light. I will miss my Berry Smoothie.

Dee

Every Day is a Blessing!