Dubbed one of the notorious ‘silent killers’, ovarian cancer claims the lives of approximately 14,000 American women each year. Tragically, all women are at risk and early detection and sustainable treatment have proved to be difficult. However, a recent study provides new hope in the realm of ovarian cancer treatment. Women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer are commonly prescribed two chemotherapy drugs: paclitaxel and carboplatin. When a patient’s body resists these drugs, she is left with few options for continued ovarian cancer treatment. For those who do not experience initial resistance, the looming threat of recurrence suggests future difficulties. Thankfully, the ominous outlook for ovarian cancer treatment is looking brighter thanks to physician-scientist Robert C Bast, Jr, MD., and his past support from the National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR).  Acknowledging early funding from the NFCR, Dr. Bast has recently published his research results that provide substantial hope for women undergoing ovarian cancer treatment. In this study Dr. Bast explains that while carboplatin and paclitaxel can be a strong first-line treatment for ovarian cancer, the drugs are curing less than 20% of advanced stage ovarian cancer. However, a small molecule inhibitor can improve the response to paclitaxel in ovarian cancer cells and complex models during the pre-clinical research and the combined treatment is being used now in a Phase I trial for ovarian cancer. In the current paper, the research team discovered that the inhibitor increased carboplatin’s ability to induce DNA-damage and apoptosis (cell suicide), simply meaning the drug’s ability to kill cancerous cells improved. Dr. Bast continues to explain that discovering the impact of the molecular inhibitor on carboplatin provides an exciting outlook for upcoming clinical trials for ovarian cancer treatment. If the ongoing Phase I trial treating ovarian cancer patients with the combination of paclitaxel and the inhibitor goes well, a Phase I/II trial may be initiated using the molecule inhibitor and carboplatin. This exciting discovery suggests that women undergoing ovarian cancer treatment may have a more promising outlook, especially those who experience resistance to carboplatin and paclitaxel or have a recurrence of ovarian cancer. NFCR continues to support world leaders in ovarian cancer research. Amongst these current and past funded scientists are Dr. Danny Welch, Dr. Wei Zhang, Dr. Susan Horwitz, Dr. Amos B. Smith III, and Dr. Harold F. Dvorak. Each dedicated NFCR-funded researcher is committed to game-changing discoveries in cancer treatments, detection, and ultimately, a cure. Visit National Foundation for Cancer Research to learn how you can play a role in supporting world leaders in cancer research. Additional Reads You May Enjoy: Genetic Cues to Ovarian Cancer Explored The Development of Better Ovarian Cancer Biomarkers 5 Warning Signs Women Shouldn’t Ignore Stay connected with us! Receive our monthly e-newsletter and blogs featuring stories of inspiration, support resources, cancer prevention tips and more. Sign up here. 

Maria Gonzales was no stranger to cancer by the time she was diagnosed in 2008. She had watched the disease affect many of her family members, from her mother and her grandmothers to her aunts and cousins. Despite seeing her loved ones battle cancer in various forms, her diagnosis came as an absolute surprise. “When the doctors said that I had cancer, I thought they were wrong – I was too young,” Maria said. A few months before her diagnosis, Maria was packing up her classroom from one school and settling into a new one. She eagerly welcomed this exciting change to her career, but the young teacher was experiencing a bit of stress and anxiety related to the move. Amidst her move, Maria began feeling extremely fatigued as well as noticing a reoccurring stint of lower back pain. “I attributed the fatigue and lower back pain to moving schools,” Maria began. “I was packing and moving boxes and feeling very stressed. I also had irregular periods and pain in the pelvic area. Then I became so bloated it looked like I was pregnant.” Realizing that something may not be right in her body, Maria met with a doctor. She went through many blood tests in search of an answer, but the tests were not revealing anything helpful. Finally, she was scheduled for a CT scan. The CT scan showed that Maria had a large mass from her ovaries to her spleen, thus spearheading her journey with cancer. “I had to have emergency surgery, which determined I had stage 3C ovarian cancer,” Maria shared. “I then had to have chemotherapy and I had anaphylactic shock from the first drug.” After changing medications, Maria continued receiving chemotherapy for approximately six months. During her treatment, Maria experienced a range of uncomfortable side effects, including the infamous nausea and vomiting. Though she expected side effects all along, Maria was quite surprised by the nature of the effects she experienced. “People think that every cancer patient looks the same, but we don’t,” Maria said. “I never lost my hair. I never expected to experience anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, fatigue or chemo brain. Cancer doesn’t have a face; it can happen to anyone and not everyone reacts the same way.” Once Maria finished her chemotherapy, she was declared NED – no evidence of disease. The excitement of this news was short-lived, as she soon learned that ovarian cancer was a chronic disease. Maria went on to have five reoccurrences. She continues maintenance treatment every four weeks and visits her doctor every eight weeks.  “Just because the treatment is over doesn’t mean the journey with cancer is over,” Maria reflected.  “The battle might not be physical, but it becomes mental.” Though every step of her journey with cancer sparked new and often unexpected challenges, Maria continuously adjusted to new ways of coping. For Maria, faith, hope, prayer, and the support of her loved ones got her through even the darkest moment. She learned to accept asking for help but, more importantly, she learned that her friends and family were always willing to provide that help. “It’s really important […]

In honor of Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, it’s important to be cognizant of the realities of these deadly diseases. All women with reproductive organs are susceptible to developing one of the seven gynecologic cancers, with the exception of women who have received a full hysterectomy and are at a lower risk. Know your body, know the facts, know your risk. #1. Gynecologic cancer is an umbrella term for seven different cancers that occur in women’s reproductive organs. Types of gynecologic cancers include… Cervical cancer. This occurs when the cells inside and outside the cervix mutate. This is the most preventable cancer through annual screenings and routine check-ups. Treatment can look like surgery, chemo, radiation or immunotherapy. Vulvar cancer. This cancer is unique to other gynecologic cancers because it forms on the outside of the genitalia on the labia. Receiving the HPV vaccination decreases the chances of developing vulvar cancer. Depending on the type and stage it’s found in, the cancer has a variety of treatment options. Uterine/endometrial cancer. Caused by cells growing too rapidly on the lining of the uterus, the most common diagnosis of uterine cancer is endometrial carcinoma. There is a high risk of metastasis for uterine and endometrial cancer. This cancer usually results in an operation, but chemotherapy and radiation are implemented in treatment plans too. Vaginal cancer. Vaginal cancer is one of the rarest gynecologic cancers. It typically occurs in the lining of the vagina and most cases require surgery or chemo. Getting an HPV vaccine can reduce the risk of developing vaginal cancer. Ovarian cancer. Three subgroups exist under ovarian cancer: stromal cell (begins in cells that produce female hormones), germ cell (begins in cells that produce eggs in the ovaries) and epithelial cancer (originates in cells that line the ovaries or fallopian tubes). Ovarian cancer is primarily treated with surgery in combination with chemo. Gestational Trophoblastic Disease (GTD). GTD occurs when unusual uterine cells grow to what would normally be a placenta during a healthy pregnancy. This cancer is highly treatable and allows women to carry healthy pregnancies afterward. Primary Peritoneal Cancer. A relative of epithelial ovarian cancer, this disease presents few warning signs and can result in the removal of the ovaries. Cells in the peritoneum, a thin layer of tissue surrounding the abdomen, mutate into cancer cells. #2. Some gynecologic cancers have very few symptoms. Women with gynecologic cancers don’t always experience the same symptoms and some experience little to no symptoms at all. Other times, symptoms like bloating, back pain or quickly feeling full while eating are difficult to recognize as being related to cancer because they occur from other ailments. The different subtypes of gynecologic cancer present different symptoms; ovarian cancer is known to have the most such as abnormal bleeding, constipation, pressure and pain, while cervical cancer, a disease known as the “silent killer”, only presents irregular discharge or menstrual bleeding. Talk to a doctor right away if you are demonstrating bleeding between periods, after intercourse or after menopause, and if you have any other signs or symptoms of gynecologic cancer for two weeks or longer. Read a  list [...]