From understanding ovarian cancer’s biology to developing innovative new treatments, Ovarian Cancer Canada is investing in six Manitoba-based research projects thanks to a $1 million commitment from the Province of Manitoba.
Every breakthrough starts with a question worth answering: How can we stop ovarian cancer before it spreads? Why do ovarian cancer treatments stop working? What makes one ovarian cancer tumour more aggressive than another? How do we detect ovarian cancer earlier? And what tools do researchers need to accelerate the next discovery?
These are the questions driving the six new Manitoba-based research projects funded by a recent investment from Ovarian Cancer Canada and with the Province of Manitoba’s support.
“Each of these research projects tackle a different piece of the puzzle, but all share one goal: delivering better outcomes for people diagnosed with ovarian cancer,” says Tania Vrionis, CEO of Ovarian Cancer Canada. “Researchers in Manitoba have been leading cutting-edge ovarian cancer research for many years. Together with the Province of Manitoba, we can move their work forward and bring us closer to the breakthroughs patients are waiting for.”
This investment covers each stage of the ovarian cancer journey
From uncovering how ovarian cancer develops, to improving diagnosis, advancing promising new treatments, and building more research tools that make future discoveries possible.
“This is the kind of research investment that changes lives. Right here in Manitoba, researchers are working to detect ovarian cancer earlier, understand why treatments stop working and develop new therapies for patients who need more options. This is exactly what we hoped to see when we made this investment. Women’s health has been under-researched for far too long, and we are proud to help change that by backing Manitoba researchers working to strengthen women’s health research, advance better care and move us closer to the breakthroughs patients and families are waiting for.” – Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Uzoma Asagwara, Province of Manitoba
SIX RESEARCH PROJECTS. ONE GOAL: MORE OVARIAN CANCER BREAKTHROUGHS.
"Each of these research projects ... share one goal: delivering better outcomes."
Tania Vrionis, CEO
Bringing an experimental drug closer to clinical trials
Gylcosylated antitumour ether lipid (GAEL) is a type of experimental drug that can kill chemotherapy-resistant ovarian cancer cells.
With Ovarian Cancer Canada’s investment, a research team led by Drs. Mark Nachtigal and Frank Schweizer will test how effective L-Rham, a type of GAEL, is at killing ovarian cancer cells in a special type of mouse model. Drs. Nachtigal and Schweizer and their teams hope that L-Rham will prevent ovarian cancer and ascites from developing in these mice.
Detecting drug resistance earlier, faster and more affordably
Ovarian cancers often become resistant to chemotherapy, making it difficult to treat long-term.
If doctors could detect this resistance early, it would allow them to adjust their treatment approach, giving patients more options and improving their outcomes. Dr. Sabine Kuss and her team are developing a new, faster and affordable way to identify drug resistance in ovarian cancer.
With Ovarian Cancer Canada’s investment, they will expand their method by:
- Testing it on ovarian cancer cells from real patients
- Analyzing ascites from real patients bringing, in real-time them closer to using their method in a healthcare setting
- Developing a portable device that can quickly test patient samples in a real healthcare setting
Do molecules impact chemotherapy effectiveness?
BC200 is a small nucleic acid molecule (RNA) the helps control how proteins in a cell are produced. BC200 is usually only active in the brain but has been found at abnormally high levels in high-grade serous ovarian cancer.
Dr. Sean McKenna and his team have discovered that BC200 helps tumour cells grow and survive. They have also discovered BC120, a version of BC200, that doesn’t have this effect. The balance between BC200 and BC120 seems to determine how aggressive a tumour is.
With Ovarian Cancer Canada’s support, Dr. McKenna and his team will measure how relative levels of BC200 and BC120 in ovarian cancer determine how effective chemotherapy is and overall patient survival.
Understanding the complexity of early ovarian cancer
The DNA in ovarian cancer cells is known to have multiple complex changes, but we don’t understand how these happen when the disease starts from a single DNA mutation.
With Ovarian Cancer Canada’s research funding, Dr. Ju-Yoon Yoon will study DNA in early ovarian cancer samples to understand the sequence of events that lead to the development of complex DNA changes. Their goal is that understanding the complexity of ovarian cancer will help design a better way to detect ovarian cancer early.
Investing in an ovarian cancer biobank to improve the quality of research
Research is most effective when it uses real samples from real patients.
The Manitoba Ovarian Cancer Biobank Program is a specialized medical library, storing samples of blood, DNA and tumour tissue from real ovarian cancer patients. Ovarian Cancer Canada’s investment will help grow the Biobank Program so more researchers can access the tools they need.
Modeling the genetic “chaos” that lets cancer cells grow
Chromosomal instability (CIN) is a genetic flaw in high-grade serous ovarian cancer that causes cancer cells to grow and divide DNA chromosomes incorrectly. This creates genetic “chaos” which allows high-grade serous ovarian cancer cells to grow uncontrollably and often makes the cancer cells resistant to standard chemotherapy.
Understanding this genetic flaw in high-grade serous ovarian cancer could help researchers develop more effective treatments. Researchers need to be able to study chromosomal instability in a living system, but there is no animal model that shows it in ovarian cancer. With Ovarian Cancer Canada’s funding, Dr. Mark Nachtigal, Dr. Kirk McManus and their teams will create new mouse models from donated patient tumour samples that can become a vital “testing ground” for researchers.