All posts tagged: ovarian

Ovarian cancer patients given rare disease pill ‘less likely to die’

Ovarian cancer patients given rare disease pill ‘less likely to die’

Published by Sam Flores

Researchers found that those taking relacorilant were 35% less likely to die (Image: Getty) A medication used to treat a rare condition may help extend the lives of ovarian cancer patients, according to a groundbreaking new trial. Women suffering from a particular form of ovarian cancer could potentially benefit from taking a drug ordinarily prescribed for Cushing’s syndrome – a rare disorder caused by an excess of the hormone cortisol in the body. On average, patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer only live for around one year after diagnosis. Women are deemed to have this type of disease if their cancer progresses within six months of having platinum-based chemotherapy. A new study discovered that patients who took relacorilant, a pill currently used to treat Cushing’s syndrome and other cancers, alongside standard treatment, lived four months longer than women receiving usual care. The study, which has been published in The Lancet and presented at the SGO 2026 annual meeting on women’s cancer, examined data on 381 platinum-resistant ovarian cancer patients. Researchers established that those taking relacorilant were …

Pill for Cushing’s syndrome could benefit patients with treatment resistant ovarian cancer, study suggests | UK News

Pill for Cushing’s syndrome could benefit patients with treatment resistant ovarian cancer, study suggests | UK News

Published by Sam Flores

A drug taken to treat a rare condition could also extend the life of some ovarian cancer patients, a trial has suggested. Published in The Lancet medical journal and presented at the SGO 2026 annual meeting on women’s cancer, the study says relacorilant, a pill currently used to treat Cushing’s syndrome, could benefit patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. On average, patients with this treatment-resistant cancer only live for around one year to 18 months after diagnosis. Women are deemed to have it if their disease progresses within six months of having platinum-based chemotherapy – a standard treatment. You need javascript enabled to view this content Enable javascript to share Share From March: Will prostate cancer screening be rolled out? Researchers studied data from 381 platinum-resistant ovarian cancer patients and found those taking relacorilant were 35% less likely to die compared to those receiving usual care. The study suggested that patients taking the pill lived for an average of 16 months, compared to 11.9 months for those who had usual care. Authors said: “These outcomes – …

AI-powered electronic nose can ‘smell’ early signs of ovarian cancer in the blood

AI-powered electronic nose can ‘smell’ early signs of ovarian cancer in the blood

Published by Jenni Sidey

A blood sample does not have an obvious odor to a person in a lab coat. But to an electronic nose, it can carry a chemical signature that points toward disease. In a new study from Linköping University in Sweden, researchers report that a sensor device paired with machine learning can sort blood-plasma samples into three groups, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, and healthy controls. The team says the approach may eventually help screen for several cancers, without relying on a single biomarker test. “We’re trying to mimic the mammalian sense of smell artificially. We’ve now developed an algorithm that can distinguish ovarian cancer from endometrial cancer and healthy control groups, using data from an electronic nose,” said Donatella Puglisi, an associate professor at Linköping University. Using machine learning, an electronic nose can “smell” early signs of ovarian cancer in the blood. (CREDIT: Olov Planthaber) Vague symptoms, late diagnoses Ovarian cancer is often detected late because early symptoms can be hard to pin down. They can look like far more common problems, and that makes it …

Medical tampon could detect early signs of ovarian cancer | Science, Climate & Tech News

Medical tampon could detect early signs of ovarian cancer | Science, Climate & Tech News

Published by skeptic

A new medical tampon may be able to detect the earliest signs of ovarian cancer, scientists have said. Researchers in Southampton are to carry out a trial of the new device, which identifies biological signals in vaginal fluid. There are around 7,600 new cases of ovarian cancer in the UK each year. Many of them are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Around 250 women are being recruited for the study, named Violet. It will include patients who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer and are having their ovaries removed, as well as women with the BRCA gene mutation who are choosing to have risk-reducing surgery. According to Cancer Research UK, people with this gene mutation have a higher risk of developing several cancers, including breast, ovarian, pancreatic and prostate. You need javascript enabled to view this content Enable javascript to share Share From January: Government unveils cancer strategy Dr Jemma Longley, consultant medical oncologist at University Hospital Southampton and chief investigator for the trial, said: “There is currently no screening programme available for ovarian cancer, …

Am I more likely to get ovarian cancer as I get older?

Am I more likely to get ovarian cancer as I get older?

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the Well Enough newsletter with Harry Bullmore for tips on living a healthier, happier and longer life Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore It’s easy to brush off abdominal discomfort and changes in bowel habits as a normal part of menopause, but it’s important to listen to your body and to not ignore any persistent or unusual symptoms. Ahead of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in March, we spoke to Professor Christina Fotopoulou, consultant gynaecologist at King Edward VII’s Hospital, who explained how the risk of ovarian cancer can change as we get older. What causes ovarian cancer and how does age play into this? Ovarian cancer is when abnormal cells in the ovary, fallopian tube or peritoneum grow and divide in an uncontrolled way forming a tumour, according to Cancer Research UK’s website. “The origins of any cancer is when a mistake [mutation] happens in the division of a cell, so then instead of having a controlled duplication and replication of the cells, they …

Researchers repurpose existing lung cancer drug to fight ovarian tumors

Researchers repurpose existing lung cancer drug to fight ovarian tumors

Published by Jenni Sidey

As is often the case with cancer treatments, many patients are able to benefit from therapy for a time. Tumor activity decreases, scans show improvement, and patient lifespans are prolonged for some period. Following this initial benefit, however, patients frequently develop resistance to treatment sooner than their physician anticipates. Researchers from Mayo Clinic are now of the opinion that this treatment failure phenomenon may result from the development of drug resistance that occurs quite quickly after the onset of therapy. Based on newly published findings, ovarian cancer cells activate a protective mechanism immediately after exposure to PARP inhibitors, a type of drug commonly used to treat ovarian cancer. By blocking the early activation of this protective mechanism, scientists demonstrated that the efficacy and duration of PARP inhibitor therapy could be improved. PARP inhibitors are currently a standard of care for high-grade serous ovarian cancer, which is the most frequent and deadliest subtype of ovarian cancer. More than half of these tumors have a defect in the DNA damage response pathway, typically involving BRCA1 or BRCA2, …

Rising ovarian cancer burden in Europe demands action now

Rising ovarian cancer burden in Europe demands action now

Published by Sam Flores

Developed and funded by AbbVie in collaboration with the World Ovarian Cancer Coalition (the Coalition) and based on an interview with Christel Paganoni-Bruijns, chief executive officer of the Coalition, and Frances Reid, programme director of the Coalition Late diagnoses, burdensome treatments and disease recurrence are realities for many women with ovarian cancer.1,2,3,4,5 Their stories are evidence of systemic challenges impacting care that policymakers have the power to combat. The World Ovarian Cancer Coalition (the Coalition), the only global ovarian cancer patient advocacy organization, is driving evidence generation to inform tangible policy reforms that could reduce the socioeconomic burden of this disease on individuals and wider societies.6 Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest cancers affecting women in Europe, yet it remains overlooked.7,8 While other areas of women’s health benefit from policy frameworks and public awareness, ovarian cancer continues to sit in the margins, creating real human consequences. In 2022, Europe recorded the highest rates of ovarian cancer incidence and mortality worldwide.8 Only 40 percent of women in Europe remain alive five years after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer, with advanced-stage diagnoses often having poorer outcomes.8 Despite this, ovarian cancer remains absent from many national cancer plans and there is still no unified European policy framework to address it.  In partnership with European patient groups, the Coalition is convening a …