Tulane pioneers novel ovarian cancer treatmentJuly 18, 2005The Tulane University Section of Hematology and Medical Oncology is investigating a novel treatment for ovarian cancer by using intravenous Ontak to deplete harmful cells that inhibit the body's natural immune response to fight cancer. Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cancer killer of women in the United States. "This study will test the hypothesis that Ontak improves tumor immunity by killing regulatory T cells (Tregs) in patients with advanced-stage ovarian cancer," says principal investigator Tyler Curiel, professor of medicine and chief of hematology and medical oncology at Tulane. "When a patient has cancer, some of the immune cells in the body begin to kill the body's tumor-killing immune cells instead of killing the tumor. So it's like friendly fire - soldiers, instead of going out and shooting the enemy, shoot their own soldiers instead." In the journal Nature Medicine, Tulane scientists reported how Tregs impede the body's ability to fight ovarian cancer. The Tulane research team showed that human tumor Treg cells suppress tumor immunity and contribute to growth of tumors. Thus, killing Treg cells may help treat cancer, Curiel says. The National Cancer Institute awarded a four-year grant of more than $1.2 million for the Tulane team to continue studying how ovarian tumors undermine immunity and continue to grow. The Tulane team hopes this novel treatment approach, using Ontak to deplete Tregs, will prove beneficial not only for ovarian cancer, but also for other cancers in future studies, including breast and lung cancer, Curiel says. Ontak has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of patients with cutaneous T-cell leukemia/lymphoma. Tulane University |
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| Related Ovarian Cancer Current Events and Ovarian Cancer News Articles FDA approved leukemia drugs shows promise in ovarian cancer cells The drug Sprycel, approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia, significantly inhibited the growth and invasiveness of ovarian cancer cells and also promoted their death, a study by researchers with UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center found. American Dietetic Association Releases Updated Position Paper Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding The American Dietetic Association has released an updated position paper on breastfeeding that details health benefits for both infants and mothers and encourages promotion of breastfeeding whenever possible. Metals could forge new cancer drug Drugs made using unusual metals could form an effective treatment against colon and ovarian cancer, including cancerous cells that have developed immunity to other drugs, according to research at the University of Warwick and the University of Leeds. Breast cancer patients with high risk gene diagnosed 6 years earlier than generation before Women with a deleterious gene mutation are diagnosed with breast cancer six years earlier than relatives of the previous generation who also had the disease and/or ovarian cancer, according to new research from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. Cancer Predisposition From Gene Variant Shows Strong Gender Bias Cancer predisposition resulting from the presence of a specific gene variant shows a strong gender bias, researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) have demonstrated. Medications Effective in Reducing Risks for Breast Cancer Can Also Cause Serious Side Effects Three drugs that reduce a woman's chance of getting breast cancer also have been shown to cause adverse effects, according to a new report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. Scientists from University of Hawaii at Manoa find genetic marker A new genetic marker associated with ovarian cancer risk was recently discovered by an international research group, led by scientists from the Cancer Research Genetic Epidemiology Unit in the United Kingdom. New treatment in sight for ovarian cancer In the future, women with metastatic ovarian cancer could be treated with a radioactive substance that can seek and destroy tumour cells. Young early stage ovarian cancer patients can preserve fertility A new study finds that young women with early-stage ovarian cancer can preserve future fertility by keeping at least one ovary or the uterus without increasing the risk of dying from the disease. Estrogen-Dependent Switch Tempers Killing Activity of Immune Cells The sex hormone estrogen tempers the killing activity of a specific group of immune cells, the cytotoxic T cells (CTLs), which are known to attack tumor cells and cells infected by viruses. More Ovarian Cancer Current Events and Ovarian Cancer News Articles |
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