Latest Medical & OCAN News Articles

The Ovarian Cancer Alliance of Nevada wants to help extend your knowledge by keeping you informed about the latest happenings in this area of your health. They consist of articles not only about medical breakthroughs, but of success, hope, and actions. The following links are to articles for the current month, that have appeared in newspapers and publications from sources throughout both the U.S. and world wide, and are available with on-line editions. Each listing has a short opening paragraph of the article. The listing of the links are by date published, with the most recent found listed first.

For archived articles prior to the current calendar month, please see: Ovarian Cancer Archived News


October 2005

Oct 31, 2005 - "IC Wales", Chester, Wales
I owe my life to screening trial
A RETIRED teacher has revealed how taking part in a nationwide trial to screen for ovarian cancer saved her life. Sue Kelleher, from Penarth, decided to take part in the world's largest ovarian cancer screening trial - UKCTOCS - to help other women in the future.

Oct 29, 2005 - "Times Newspapers Ltd.", London, England
The silent killer
A simple screening test for ovarian cancer could save the lives of thousands of women, says Simon Crompton. It’s a strange thing. Most people will say they know someone who has had breast cancer. But when it comes to ovarian cancer, most people will say they know someone who’s died of it.

Oct 29, 2005 - "Times Newspapers Ltd", London, England
Test boost for women
TRIALS of a simple screening test for ovarian cancer that could save up to 2,500 lives a year are to begin next month after the recruitment of 200,000 women by scientists. Researchers from the Institute of Women’s Health, at University College London, will announce the start of the trial of the screening technique, which aims to identify the cancer much earlier than at present. The UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening, the second-largest trial of a diagnostic procedure in the world, is expected to last for six years.

Oct 28, 2005 - "ABC News", NYC, NY
Early signs of ovarian cancer found: study
Symptoms associated with ovarian cancer, especially abdominal bloating and pain, often start several months prior to diagnosis, a study shows, suggesting that with appropriate testing the diagnosis can be made earlier than it is currently. Ovarian cancer is much more curable when detected early. In the October 1st issue of Cancer, the study team says their observations "provide objective evidence that patients with ovarian cancer, as a group, are distinguishable symptomatically from controls at least 6 months prior to diagnosis."

Oct 26, 2005 - "Doctors Guide",
TopAbstracts in Ovarian Cancer 10/26/2005
TopAbstracts™ in Ovarian Cancer are the abstracts most highly rated/most read by nearly 300,000 physicians who received a Doctor's Guide™ newsletter or visited a website Powered by Doctor's Guide™ in the past 28 days. Over 2000 peer-reviewed journals are covered by TopAbstracts.

Oct 26, 2005 - "WLEX-TV CH 18", Lexington KY
Ovarian Cancer May Have Early Symptoms
Ovarian cancer is the seventh leading cancer in women, striking about 22,000 Americans a year, but it's the fourth leading cause of cancer death. It's particularly deadly because most people think that it doesn't cause any symptoms until it's late stage. Turns out, that's not true.

Oct 25, 2005 - "WKRC TC CH 12", Cincinnati, OH
4 Things You Can Do To Lower Ovarian Cancer Risk
Two years ago, Denise Gormley came into her doctor's office for a routine checkup. What her doctor found was anything but routine. "She listened to my heart, looked in my ears, listened to my lungs, laid me down on the table to palpate my abdomen, and palpated a large mass," Denise said. A CAT scan followed by surgery showed that she had ovarian cancer. She was successfully treated with chemotherapy and now appears to be cancer-free. Denise knows she's one of the lucky ones. Ovarian cancer isn't often detected until it's spread out of control. So she and her doctor have a very important message for women; there are four things they want every woman to know and do:

Oct 25, 2005 - "Stabroek News", Guyana
Girl, 11, dies of ovarian cancer -parents join drive for cancer treatment here
Heading to a new school, eleven-year-old Stephanie Persaud was anxiously awaiting the start of the academic year when she was hospitalised with a rare disease among children, ovarian cancer. While her peers went off on the first morning of the new term to the secondary schools they were awarded, she was lying in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the public hospital minus some of her internal organs.

Oct 25, 2005 - "Post-Gazette", Pittsburgh, Pa.
New approach to chemo: Continuous, lower doses
In the battle against cancer, doctors are finding new ways to use an old weapon: chemotherapy. The idea behind chemotherapy has long been that more is better. In order to kill the tumor, patients are traditionally given the highest dose they can tolerate. But because the drugs are so toxic, the process must be periodically halted for several weeks to allow the body to recover. Some doctors argue that this resting period can allow a tumor to rebuild the network of blood vessels that it needs to keep growing.

Oct 25, 2005 - "Reuters AlertNet",
Turned-off genes linked to ovarian cancer
Two genes that are turned off in ovarian cancer cells could provide an early test for the illness known as the silent killer, Austrian scientists said on Tuesday. Researchers at the Medical University of Vienna have identified five genes that have very low activity in ovarian cancer. Two, called N33 and NFA6R, do not work in most cases. "These two genes are turned off," said Professor Michael Krainer, an ovarian cancer researcher at the university.

Oct 24, 2005 - "News-Medical Net", Sydney, Australia
Lack of gene expression associated with ovarian cancer
The expression of two specific genes is almost completely downregulated in ovarian cancer tumours. An extensive analysis of gene expression in ovarian cancer tumour cells has revealed this important finding, which should be an aid to early diagnosis. The insights gained by the research at the Medical University of Vienna with the support of the Austrian Science Fund FWF are also central to a recently launched EU project aimed at optimising ovarian cancer diagnosis.

Oct 24, 2005 - "Courier News", Chicago, IL
Inherited risk
Since the discovery of genes' link to breast, ovarian cancers, more families being tested Although Linda does not have breast cancer, she plans to have a double mastectomy — surgical removal of both of her breasts — in the next year. The stay-at-home mom from Woodstock has a strong family history of breast cancer. Her aunt was diagnosed in her 30s. Her mom got it when she was in her 50s. And eight years ago, her only sister — who was only in her mid-30s at the time — learned that she was the next victim.

Oct 24, 2005 - "FinanzNachrichten", Germany
Balancing Benefits with Safety in Breast and Ovarian Cancer
For breast cancer patients, commonly used chemotherapies have been associated with cardiotoxic effects, which may ultimately limit future treatment options. Based on this concern and promising results from prior clinical trials, CAELYX(R) (pegylated liposomal doxorubicin) is being studied for its efficacy and safety in the management of metastatic breast cancer. One particular area of interest and clinical research is the potential to safely combine CAELYX with trastuzumab in patients with HER2- positive tumors. In advanced ovarian cancer, between 55% and 75% of women whose cancer responds to first-line therapy will relapse within two years.

Oct 24, 2005 - "Fairmont Sentinel", Fairmont, MN
Cancer survivor becomes advocate
Vicki Rosenberg admits she's always had a passion for educating people about health. So it shouldn't be surprising she has found her recent battle with ovarian cancer as an opportunity to inform. "I know that sounds odd, looking at cancer as an opportunity," Rosenberg said. "But it really has been, because doors have opened for me, and people look at you differently when you've had cancer. There's an empathy in their hearts, but they don't really know what to say to you ... I've tried to take that opportunity to educate and enlighten, because we're in a community that genuinely cares about people." Rosenberg was diagnosed last summer with ovarian cancer after feeling just a few odd symptoms.

Oct 24, 2005 - "Tampa Tribune", Tampa, FL
The Straight And Narrow
Anthony Ledford is feeling a lot older than his 14 years this day. His mom just got home from the hospital. It's ovarian cancer, and she's just 28. She had him young, and they practically grew up together. It hurts to see her so tired and sick.

Oct 23, 2005 - "SFGate", San Francisco, CA
Maker of ovarian cancer drug stops enrolling patients in study
The maker of a promising ovarian cancer drug said Friday it stopped enrolling women in a study because several patients developed gastrointestinal holes. Genentech Inc. said five out of 44 patients given Avastin had the problem, a known possible risk of using the drug, but that was a higher than expected number. The trial was expected to enroll 53 patients with ovarian cancer who had not responded to other chemotherapy.

Oct 19, 2005 - "WCBS TV - CH 2", NYC, NY
Experimental Drug Shows Promise For Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is one of the hardest cancers to treat. And even if a patient does initially beat it, there's still a chance it can recur. A new experimental drug is showing success in patients with aggressive ovarian cancer. Eight years ago, Jayne Beaumont was devastated when she found out she had ovarian cancer. She immediately has surgery and chemotherapy.

Oct 19, 2005 - "WECT TV - CH 6", Wilmington, NC
Gene May Predict Aggressive Ovarian Cancer
A gene called Rsf-1 that may predict aggressive ovarian cancer has been identified by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers. This is the first study to establish a role for a gene in ovarian cancer and may lead to development of a test that can predict at an early stage which patients will develop aggressive cancer. The findings were published in this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Oct 18, 2005 - "Data Monitor", New York, NY
Expression Genetics initiates trial of ovarian cancer drug
A phase I clinical study evaluating the Expression Genetics lead drug candidate, EGEN-001, is underway at The University of Alabama in patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer. The product formulated utilizing the company's proprietary TheraPlas delivery technology is composed of interleukin-12 (IL-12) gene expression plasmid and a biocompatible delivery polymer and is designed to increase the local concentration of IL-12, a potent anticancer cytokine.

Oct 16, 2005 - "Daily Republic", Fairfield, CA
Cancer deaths falling but not for ovarian
Americans' risk of dying from cancer continues to decline in most cases, but not for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer. The National Cancer Institute reported Oct. 5 that death rates from all cancers combined dropped 1.1 percent per year from 1993 to 2002. A woman's chances of surviving ovarian cancer, however, are no greater today than 5 years ago, according to the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance.

Oct 15, 2005 - "Hispanic PR Wire", Miami, FL
New Cancer Support Resources Available in Spanish
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and the American Cancer Society are pleased to announce three new resources available to Spanish-speaking patients and their families. Ovarian Cancer, Melanoma, and Fever and Neutropenia are the newest additions to the Treatment Guidelines for Patients with Cancer series in the Spanish language. Other Spanish titles include Breast Cancer, Colon and Rectal Cancer, Lung Cancer, Prostate Cancer, Cancer Pain, Nausea and Vomiting, and Cancer-Related Fatigue. The series, available in booklet form or online (http://www.nccn.org), is dedicated to educating patients and their families about cancer.

Oct 15, 2005 - "KNOE-TV - CH 8", Monroe, LA
Experimental Ovarian Cancer Drug Showing Success
Ovarian cancer is one of the hardest to treat, and even if a patient does beat it there's still a chance it can come back even stronger. A new experimental drug is showing success and may soon become a powerful weapon when battling the disease for a second time.

Oct 13, 2005 - "Science Daily", Chevy Chase, MD
Radical Surgery Best Option For Most Ovarian Cancer Patients With Cancer In Diaphragm
In a retrospective study looking back at a decade of surgeries, Mayo Clinic Cancer Center researchers have determined that surgery to remove metastatic disease from the diaphragm, in conjunction with other procedures to remove the primary diseased tissue in ovarian cancer patients, significantly increases survival rates. Study results were published in Gynecologic Oncology online.

Oct 11, 2005 - "WHNT - CH 19", Huntsville, AL
Gene May Predict Aggressive Ovarian Cancer
A gene called Rsf-1 that may predict aggressive ovarian cancer has been identified by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers. This is the first study to establish a role for a gene in ovarian cancer and may lead to development of a test that can predict at an early stage which patients will develop aggressive cancer. The findings were published in this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Oct 10, 2005 - "KCBD TV - CH 11", Lubbock, TX
Group Offers Help to Women with Ovarian Cancer
You wouldn't think something as seemingly simple as a couple of volunteers answering phones could be a life-saver, but that's exactly what this is. This is the ovarian cancer hotline run by "SHARE", a support and information group led by breast and Ovarian Cancer survivors. Women like Betty Reiser. "I was developing queasiness, back pain, pelvic pain, I was bloated, I was urinating frequently, generally not feeling at all myself,"says Betty.

Oct 10, 2005 - "St. Petersburg Times", St. Petersburg, FL
De-bulking good for less advanced ovarian cancer cases
Patients with ovarian cancer usually undergo aggressive de-bulking surgery up front, prior to chemotherapy. It has long been observed that those patients whose tumors can be resected without any visible residual disease tend to live longer than those who are left with residual tumor after de-bulking surgery. Based upon this, up front, de-bulking surgery has become the standard of care, although there are no recently conducted, randomized clinical trials within the context of the varying biological behavior of cancers to substantiate this assertion.

Oct 07, 2005 - "Pharmaceutical Business Review",
Ciphergen and UCL collaborate on ovarian cancer biomarkers
They plan to utilize samples from a new prospective collection of over 1,000 patients with ovarian cancer, benign neoplasms and 4000 healthy controls recruited through 10 UK centers. This work is expected to address multiple clinical questions, including validation of markers, and the discovery of additional biomarkers that distinguish ovarian cancer from other gynecologic masses.

Oct 07, 2005 - "Reuters", NYC, NY
Uterine cancer may raise ovarian cancer risk
As many as one quarter of young women with uterine cancer also have ovarian cancer, new research suggests. Several groups advocate ovary-sparing treatment to safeguard fertility in young women with uterine cancer, the authors explain, but reports have suggested that these women have ovarian cancer rates ranging from 5 to 29 percent, according to a report in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Oct 07, 2005 - "Reuters Health", NYC, NY
Ovarian malignancy commonly coexists with endometrial cancer in young women
As many as a quarter of young women with endometrial cancer may also harbor an ovarian malignancy, according to a report in the October issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Several groups advocate ovarian preservation to safeguard fertility in premenopausal women with endometrial cancer, the authors explain, but reports have suggested that such women have ovarian malignancy incidences ranging from 5% to 29%. Dr. Ilana Cass from UCLA and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, and colleagues investigated the frequency of coexisting ovarian malignancies in 102 women aged 45 years or younger who underwent hysterectomy for endometrial cancer.

Oct 06, 2005 - "WKRC - CH 12", Cincinnati, OH
Researchers Seeking Ways To Stop Ovarian Cancer
It is a deadly form of cancer that often isn't detected in women before it is too late. Now, researchers at the University of Cincinnati are trying to stop it before it ever starts. They are conducting a new clinical trial on preventing ovarian cancer.

Oct 03, 2005 - "The Johns Hopkins University Gazette", Baltimore, MD
Newly Discovered Gene May Predict Aggressive Ovarian Cancer
Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers have linked alterations in a gene, called Rsf-1, to the most deadly ovarian cancers. The scientists say the discovery is the first to establish a role for the gene in ovarian cancer and may lead to a test that can predict, early on, which patients will develop aggressive disease. "We hope new therapies can be tailored to target Rsf-1, in the same way that Herceptin for breast cancer attacks the Her2/neu gene pathway," Tian-Li Wang, assistant professor of gynecology/obstetrics and oncology, said.

Oct 03, 2005 - "St. Petersburg Times", St. Petersburg, FL
Scan may predict likelihood of ovarian cancer survival
At the 52nd annual meeting of the Society of Nuclear Medicine, Dr. Norbert Arvil, associate professor of radiology and chief of nuclear medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, presented the results of a study that showed a correlation between improvement on serial positron emission tomography scans and survival of ovarian cancer patients treated with preoperative chemotherapy.

Oct 02, 2005 - "The Parkersburg News and Sentinel ", Parkersburg, WV
Cancer awareness groups set up info tables at park
People visiting City Park had an opportunity Saturday to increase their awareness of gynecological cancer and signs for which to watch. Cancer awareness organizations set up tables in the City Park Pavillion to distribute information on cancer prevention, research and treatment options for the "Woman to Woman" cancer awareness information session. The event was organized by the Claude Worthington Benedum Grant Foundation and the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center and focused on breast, ovarian and cervical cancer because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Oct 01, 2005 - "WTVM - CH 9", Columbus, GA
Gene May Predict Aggressive Ovarian Cancer

A gene called Rsf-1 that may predict aggressive ovarian cancer has been identified by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center researchers. This is the first study to establish a role for a gene in ovarian cancer and may lead to development of a test that can predict at an early stage which patients will develop aggressive cancer. The findings were published in this week's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.