Research News
Ovarian Cancer Canada funds research into prevention, improved treatments, and ultimately a cure. Science continues to uncover new knowledge that impacts treatment and survival. Here’s how.
For years, Dr. Jim Petrik and his lab team at the University of Guelph have focused on improving the quality of tumour blood vessels. While it may sound like this helps the tumour, the approach is showing promise for improved treatment delivery.
Cells adapt to stress in order to survive. When stress comes in the form of starvation, they work to sustain themselves. This response is called autophagy, when cells slowly eat parts of themselves until more nutrients are available. But autophagy can also be hijacked by cancer cells to increase tumour growth and aggressiveness.
For years, it’s been understood that ovarian cancer is not one disease, but a variety of diseases with varying responses to treatment. Now scientists are delving further to look at ovarian cancer in a different way.
Dr. Patricia Tonin recently received the Karen Campbell Award for Research Excellence* at THE LADY BALL, the first in a series of special events being held this year to celebrate fearless women everywhere.
A long-term research study out of the UK called the United Kingdom Familial Ovarian Cancer Screening Study (UKFOCSS) recently published results in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
As recipient of a Teal Heart Scholarship,* Mauricio Medrano has dedicated a great deal of time to learning more about this disease. To date, his research focuses on high-grade serous ovarian cancer, which is the most common subtype. By identifying genes that enable tumours to survive, his work could help inform the development of more effective targeted treatments.
An important resource for the research community, the tissue bank network collects and stores tissue samples from ovarian cancer patients. These samples and associated data are available to scientists and physicians studying ovarian cancer.
The push for an immediate additional investment of $10 million in federal funding to support ovarian cancer research continues. While government response to this appeal isn’t expected until early 2017, research efforts supported by Ovarian Cancer Canada continue to march forward thanks to Walk participants, generous donors, and strategic partners across the country.
One of the world’s largest ever research trials recently posted findings that were 14 years in the making. The UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS) estimates a new approach could reduce the number of lives lost to ovarian cancer by one-fifth (20 per cent).
Two promising studies were recently awarded joint funding by Ovarian Cancer Canada and the Cancer Research Society.