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Posts Tagged ‘screening for ovarian cancer’

Live Conference Coverage: International Dialogue in Gynecological Oncology, From Bench to Bedside, Ovarian Cancer

Reporter: Stephen J. Williams, Ph.D.

Join Live on Wednesday May 22, 2024 for an international discussion on the current state of ovarian cancer diagnostics and therapeutics, and potential therapies and biomarkers, and biotargets.  Topics including potential new molecular targets for development of ovarian therapeutics, current changes in ovarian cancer clinical treatment protocols, chemo-resistance, and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer will be discussed.

International Dialogue in Gynecological Oncology, From Bench to Bedside, ovarian Cancer meeting flyer

To join by Zoom click the link below

https://temple.zoom.us/j/94458267823 

Agenda:

Introduction

  • 00/15.00 Professor Giordano and Professor Ercoli
  • 10/15.10 We Have Never Been Only Human: a new perspective to defeat ovarian cancer (C. Martinelli)

Molecular Section

  • 20/15.20 DNA Repair mechanisms: understanding their role in cancer development and chemoresistance (L. Alfano)
  • 35/15.35 Progranulins: a new target for oncological treatment (A. Morrione)
  • 50/15.50 Modulation of gene expression and its applications (M. Cuomo)
  • 10.05/16.05 Commanding the cell cycle: the role of CDKs (S.R. Burk
  • 10.20/16.20 Drug development from nature (M. D’Angelo

Clinical Section

  • 05/17.05 Core principles of Radiologic Diagnosis & Staging in Ovarian Cancer(A. Blandino)
  • 20/17.20 Key Indications for Nuclear Medicine in Ovarian Cancer (S. Baldari)
  • 35/17.35 Cutting Edge Decision: Understanding Surgical Indications and Outcomes in Ovarian Cancer (A. Ercoli)
  • 50/17.50 Gold Standard in Oncology for Ovarian Cancer (N. Silvestris)
  • 12.05/18.05 Role of Radiotherapy in Ovarian Cancer (S. Pergolizzi)

Conclusion

12.20/18.20 AI Applied to medical science (V. Carnevale)

Speakers

  • – Professor Alfredo Blandino: Professor Blandino holds the esteemed positions of Head of school of Radiology and director of the department of radiology at the University of Messina. He has made significant contributions to diagnostic imaging with over hundreds of publications to his name, Professor Blandino’s work exemplifies excellence and innovation in radiology.
  • – Professor Alfredo Ercoli, serves as the Director of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the “G. Martino” University Hospital in Messina. He is also head of school of gynecology and obstetrics at Messina University. Starting his research in France with studies on pelvic anatomy that became a cornerstone in medical literature, He is a pioneer in advanced gynecologic surgery, including laparoscopic and robotic procedures, having performed over thousands of surgical interventions. His research focuses on gynecologic oncology, advanced gynecologic surgery, and endometriosis, urogynecology. Professor Ercoli’s dedication to education and his numerous publications have significantly advanced the field of gynecology.
  • Professor Sergio Baldari, an eminent figure in nuclear medicine. Professor Baldari is the Director of the department of nuclear medicine and head of school of nuclear medicine at the  University of Messina. He has authored or co-authored over 500 publications, with a focus on diagnostic imaging and the use of PET and radiopharmaceuticals in cancer treatment. His leadership and expertise have been recognized through various prestigious positions and awards within the medical community.
  • – Professor Nicola Silvestris is the Director of UOC Oncologia Medica at the University of Messina. His extensive research in cancer, has led to over 360 peer-reviewed publications. Professor Silvestris has made significant contributions to translational research and the development of guidelines for managing complex oncological conditions. His work continues to shape the future of cancer treatment.
  • Professor Stefano Pergolizzi, a leading expert in radiation oncology. Professor Pergolizzi serves as the Director of the department of radiotherapy and head of the school of radiotherapya at the University of Messina. He is also the president of the Italian Association of Radiotherapy and Clinical Oncology (AIRO) His research focuses on advanced radiotherapy techniques for cancer treatment. With a career spanning several decades, Professor Pergolizzi has published numerous papers and has been instrumental in developing innovative therapeutic approaches. His dedication to patient care and education is exemplary.
  • Margherita D’angelo: Graduated in Molecular Biology with honors from the Federico II University of Naples.
    Third year intern in Food Science at the Luigi Vanvitelli University of Naples.
    Research intern in Molecular oncology with the project of developing novel drugs starting from food waste at the Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia (USA), directed by Dr A. Giordano.
  • Vincenzo Carnevale, Ph.D.

Dr. Carnevale is an Associate Professor in the Institute for Computational Molecular Science in the College of Science & Technology, Temple University.  He holds multiple NIH RO1 and NSF grants. Vincenzo Carnevale received B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Physics from the University of Pisa and a PhD from SISSA – Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati in Trieste, Italy. The Carnevale research group uses statistical physics and machine learning approaches to investigate sequence-structure-function relations in proteins. A central theme of the group’s research is how interactions give rise to collective phenomena and complex emergent behaviors. At the level of genes, the group is interested in epistasis – the complex entanglement phenomenon that causes amino acids to evolve in a concerted fashion – and how this shapes molecular evolution. At the cellular level, the group investigates how intermolecular interactions drive biomolecules toward self-organization and pattern formation. A long-term goal of the group is understanding the molecular underpinnings of electrical signaling in excitable cells. Toward these goals, the group applies and actively develops an extensive arsenal of theoretical and computational approaches including statistical (mean)field theories, Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations, statistical inference of generative models, and deep learning.

  • Professor Andrea Morrione, Ph.D: Research Associate Professor, CST Temple University; After his studies in Biochemistry at Universita’ degli Studi Milano, Milan Italy, Dr. Morrione moved to USA in 1993 and has been working in the field of cancer biology since his postdoctoral training at the Kimmel Cancer Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA in the laboratory of Dr. Renato Baserga, one of the leading experts in IGF-IR oncogenic signaling. In 1997 Dr. Morrione joined the Faculty of Thomas Jefferson University in the Department of Microbiology. In 2002 after receiving an NIH/NIDDK Career Development Award Dr. Morrione joined the Department of Urology at Jefferson where from 2008 to 2018 serves as the Director for Urology Basic Science and Associate Professor. Dr. Morrione joined the Department of Biology and the Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine and Center for Biotechnology as Associate Professor of Research, and he is currently professor of Research and Deputy Director of the Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine and Center for Biotechnology. He is a full member of the AACR.

 

  • Canio Martinelli, M.D.: Dr. Marinelli received his MD from Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome, Visiting researcher at SHRO Temple University in Philadelphia, PhD candidate in Translational Molecular Medicine and Surgery & GYN-OB resident at UNIME. He has published numerous clinical papers in gynecologic oncology, risk reduction, and therapy and, most recently investigating clinical utilities of generative AI in gynecologic oncology.
  • Sharon Burk, Sharon Burk is a PhD student with Professor Antonio Giordano at the University of Siena, Italy in the department of Medical Biotechnologies, studying the role of Cyclin Dependent Kinase 10 in Triple Negative Breast Cancer. She received her Bachelor’s of Arts Degree from the University of California, Berkeley with a double major in molecular and cell biology and Italian studies.   She is a member of AACR.

This conference is being sponsored by Sbarro Health Research Organization and the Department of Biology, College of Science & Technology, Temple University.

To join by Zoom click the link below

https://temple.zoom.us/j/94458267823 

A QR code will be supplied at conference start, in addition to Zoom chat, to allow for questions to be submitted.

This conference is free to join on Zoom and will be covered live on @pharmaBI 

and on

 

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Study Finds that Both Women and their Primary Care Physicians Confusion over Ovarian Cancer Symptoms May Lead to Misdiagnosis

Reporter: Stephen J. Williams, Ph.D.

This post discusses the recently released “The Every Woman Study” conducted by the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition.  For full PDF of the study please click here: WOCC-Every-Woman-Study-Summary-Report-Oct-16

The findings are summarized nicely in the NPR article from Joanne Silberner below but just want to list a few takeaways from the study

  1.  Ovarian Cancer, while not the most common cancer in women, is still one of the most deadly malignancies.  A major reason for this is the inability to catch the disease in its early, and most treatable stages.  Much work is being done on early detection (a few posts on this area from this online journal are given at the end of this post for reference)
  2. The symptoms of ovarian cancer closely mimic symptoms of gastrointestinal distress and disorders and many times these symptoms are overlooked by women as benign, temporary issues and may be mis-self diagnosed.  In addition, if mistaken for common gastrointestinal discomfort or gynecologic discomfort (cramping)  women may self-medicate with over the counter agents which mask the symptoms of ovarian cancer
  3. certain lessons can be learned from the experiences in other countries regarding access to healthcare and diagnosis. For instance

Looking at the key findings of the study it becomes clear that countries have significant potential to
learn from each other:
• Women in Germany had the shortest time to diagnosis, but much less access to
specialist clinicians that are key to successful treatment.
• Women in the UK have almost universal access to specialists but the lowest
proportion of women diagnosed within a month of visiting a doctor.
• Women in Japan had one of the shortest times to diagnosis, but very little access to
genetic testing, and were least likely to get the emotional support they needed.
• Women in the USA were most likely to wait more than three months before
consulting a doctor about symptoms, but most likely to receive genetic testing.
• Women with ovarian cancer in Hungary were most aware of ovarian cancer before
their diagnosis, but were much less likely to be offered surgery to treat their disease.

 

In summary it appears there are three key areas needing to be addressed with regard to improving early reporting of symptoms of ovarian cancer

  1. information and awareness of symptoms by BOTH women and their physicians
  2. family risk assessment programs are very important to make women aware of their risks and needs for screening
  3. access to specialist treatment is important in the early diagnosis and treatment of this disease

 

Learn the Symptoms

Symptoms (from the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation)

Historically ovarian cancer was called the “silent killer” because symptoms were not thought to develop until the chance of cure was poor. However, recent studies have shown this term is untrue and that the following symptoms are much more likely to occur in women with ovarian cancer than women in the general population. These symptoms include:

  • Bloating
  • Pelvic or abdominal pain
  • Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
  • Urinary symptoms (urgency or frequency)

Women with ovarian cancer report that symptoms are persistent and represent a change from normal for their bodies. The frequency and/or number of such symptoms are key factors in the diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Several studies show that even early stage ovarian cancer can produce these symptoms.

Women who have these symptoms almost daily for more than a few weeks should see their doctor, preferably a gynecologist. Prompt medical evaluation may lead to detection at the earliest possible stage of the disease. Early stage diagnosis is associated with an improved prognosis.

Several other symptoms have been commonly reported by women with ovarian cancer. These symptoms include fatigue, indigestion, back pain, pain with intercourse, constipation and menstrual irregularities. However, these other symptoms are not as useful in identifying ovarian cancer because they are also found in equal frequency in women in the general population who do not have ovarian cancer.

 

In addition there are serum biomarker tests which have shown useful in the screening for ovarian cancer however these tests have their caveats and not generally suggested for whole population screening due to number of false postitives which may occur (these tests will be discussed in further posts)

Serum biomarker tests include:

 Taken From NPR at https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2018/10/21/658798956/report-women-everywhere-dont-know-enough-about-ovarian-cancer

Report: Women Everywhere Don’t Know Enough About Ovarian Cancer

Colored scanning electron micrograph of dividing ovarian cancer cells.

Steve Gschmeissner/Science Source

new study of women with ovarian cancer shows that ignorance about the condition is common among patients in all 44 countries surveyed. And that ignorance has a cost. The disease is more treatable, even potentially curable, in its early stages.

The women’s answers also suggested their doctors were ignorant. Many of them reported that diagnosis took a long time and that they weren’t referred to proper specialists.

The study was based on an online survey of 1,531 women who had been diagnosed with the cancer and was conducted by the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition, a nonprofit support group between March and May of this year.

Ovarian cancer is the eighth leading cause of cancer in women, according to the World Health Organization. Nearly 300,000 women will develop it this year. The World Ovarian Cancer Coalition estimates that one in six will die within three months of diagnosis and fewer than half will be alive in five years.

Prior to their diagnosis, two-thirds of the women surveyed either had never heard of ovarian cancer or were familiar with the name but didn’t know anything about the disease.

 

Other articles related to Ovarian Cancer on this online Open Access Journal Include:

Model mimicking clinical profile of patients with ovarian cancer @ Yale School of Medicine

New Findings in Endometrial Cancer: Mutations, Molecular Types and Immune Responses Evoked by Mutation-prone Endometrial, Ovarian Cancer Subtypes

Good and Bad News Reported for Ovarian Cancer Therapy

Efficacy of Ovariectomy in Presence of BRCA1 vs BRCA2 and the Risk for Ovarian Cancer

Testing for Multiple Genetic Mutations via NGS for Patients: Very Strong Family History of Breast & Ovarian Cancer, Diagnosed at Young Ages, & Negative on BRCA Test

Ultrasound-based Screening for Ovarian Cancer

Warning signs may lead to better early detection of ovarian cancer

Epigenetics, Environment and Cancer: Articles of Note @PharmaceuticalIntelligence.com

Early Diagnosis [Early Detection Research Networks]

 

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Ultrasound-based Screening for Ovarian Cancer

Author: Dror Nir, PhD

Occasionally, I check for news on ovarian cancer screening. I do that for sentimental reasons; I started the HistoScanning project aiming to develop an effective ultrasound-based screening solution for this cancer.

As awareness for ovarian cancer is highest in the USA, I checked for the latest news on the NCI web-site. I found that to-date: “There is no standard or routine screening test for ovarian cancer. Screening for ovarian cancer has not been proven to decrease the death rate from the disease.

Screening for ovarian cancer is under study and there are screening clinical trials taking place in many parts of the country. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.”

I also found that:

Estimated new cases and deaths from ovarian cancer in the United States in 2013:

  • New cases: 22,240
  • Deaths: 14,030

To get an idea on the significance of these numbers, lets compare them to the numbers related to breast cancer:

Estimated new cases and deaths from breast cancer in the United States in 2013:

  • New cases: 232,340 (female); 2,240 (male)
  • Deaths: 39,620 (female); 410 (male)

Death rate of ovarian cancer patients is almost 4 times higher than the rate in breast cancer patients!

Therefore, I decided to raise awareness to the results achieved for ovarian HistoScanning in a double-blind multicenter European study that was published in European Radiology three years ago. The gynecologists who recruited patients to this study used standard ultrasound machines of GE-Medical. I would like as well to disclose that I am one of the authors of this paper:

A new computer-aided diagnostic tool for non-invasive characterisation of malignant ovarian masses: results of a multicentre validation study, Olivier Lucidarme et.al., European Radiology, August 2010, Volume 20, Issue 8, pp 1822-1830

Abstract

Objectives

To prospectively assess an innovative computer-aided diagnostic technology that quantifies characteristic features of backscattered ultrasound and theoretically allows transvaginal sonography (TVS) to discriminate benign from malignant adnexal masses.

Methods

Women (n = 264) scheduled for surgical removal of at least one ovary in five centres were included. Preoperative three-dimensional (3D)-TVS was performed and the voxel data were analysed by the new technology. The findings at 3D-TVS, serum CA125 levels and the TVS-based diagnosis were compared with histology. Cancer was deemed present when invasive or borderline cancerous processes were observed histologically.

Results

Among 375 removed ovaries, 141 cancers (83 adenocarcinomas, 24 borderline, 16 cases of carcinomatosis, nine of metastases and nine others) and 234 non-cancerous ovaries (107 normal, 127 benign tumours) were histologically diagnosed. The new computer-aided technology correctly identified 138/141 malignant lesions and 206/234 non-malignant tissues (98% sensitivity, 88% specificity). There were no false-negative results among the 47 FIGO stage I/II ovarian lesions. Standard TVS and CA125 had sensitivities/specificities of 94%/66% and 89%/75%, respectively. Combining standard TVS and the new technology in parallel significantly improved TVS specificity from 66% to 92% (p < 0.0001).

table 3

table 4

An example of an ovary considered to be normal with TVS.

An example of an ovary considered to be normal with TVS.

The same TVS false-negative ovary with OVHS-detected foci of malignancy. The presence of an adenocarcinoma was confirmed histologically.

The same TVS
false-negative ovary with OVHS-detected foci of malignancy. The presence of an
adenocarcinoma was confirmed histologically.

Conclusions

Computer-aided quantification of backscattered ultrasound is  highly sensitive for the diagnosis of malignant ovarian masses.

 Personal note:

Based on this study a promising offer for ultrasound-based screening method for ovarian cancer was published in:  Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2011 Jan;21(1):35-43. doi: 10.1097/IGC.0b013e3182000528.: Mathematical models to discriminate between benign and malignant adnexal masses: potential diagnostic improvement using ovarian HistoScanning. Vaes EManchanda RNir RNir DBleiberg HAutier PMenon URobert A.

Regrettably, the results of these studies were never transformed into routine clinical products due to financial reasons.

Other research papers related to the management of Prostate cancer were published on this Scientific Web site:

Beta-Blockers help in better survival in ovarian cancer

Ovarian Cancer and fluorescence-guided surgery: A report

Role of Primary Cilia in Ovarian Cancer

Squeezing Ovarian Cancer Cells to Predict Metastatic Potential: Cell Stiffness as Possible Biomarker

BRCA1 a tumour suppressor in breast and ovarian cancer – functions in transcription, ubiquitination and DNA repair

Warning signs may lead to better early detection of ovarian cancer

 

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