The commonest variety of ovarian cancers arise from the same cells as most fallopian tube and "primary peritoneal" cancers. For this reason research on these 3 cancers is combined and these cancers are typically treated the same way.
Ovarian cancer is usually diagnosed in advanced stages (stage III or IV). In most cases the initial treatment is surgery followed by "adjuvant" chemotherapy (with or without bevacizumab). Cure rates with this approach are about 20%, which means 80% of patients are destined to suffer relapses of their cancers.
The highest response rate for recurrent ovarian cancer in my library is with Abraxane (Teneriello M et al JCO Vol 27 No 9 March 20 2009) which yielded a 64% response rate in a small phase II trial. Most of the patients whose cancers responded suffered progression of their cancers in 15-months. Obviously better treatments are needed, making recurrent ovarian cancer an obvious target for cancer research.
Recurrent ovarian cancer is divided into "platinum refractory" and "platinum sensitive" disease. Platinum refractory disease is diagnosed when the cancer grows within 6-months of the last dose of cisplatin or carboplatin. While all recurrent cancer is bad, platinum refractory disease is worse than platinum sensitive disease.
NRG-GY005 is a clinical trial testing targeted agents in the treatment of platinum refractory recurrent ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer or primary peritoneal cancer.
Cediranib is a drug that is taken by mouth and blocks growth of new blood vessels. It does this by blocking 3 enzymes: Tyrosine kinases linked to the three receptors for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).
Olaparib inhibits an enzyme called polyadenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase 1 (PARP1). This enzyme's job is to repair single strand breaks in DNA. Normal cells have little trouble when PARP1 is inhibited, but for some cancer cells PARP inhibition is lethal.
NRG-GY005 is a trial of Cediranib and olaparib compared with either drug alone or standard chemotherapy in women with recurrent platinum-resistant or refractory ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer.
It has been reviewed by the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) central Institutional Review Board (cIRB) and as a result is available at select medical oncology practices that are permitted to use the NCI's cIRB. PCR Oncology was allowed to use the NCI's cIRB following a long vetting process after which we joined the National Community Oncology Research Program. As a result this clinical trial is available at our office in Arroyo Grande. It is the same treatment that would be offered to patients with platinum resistant ovarian cancer who flew to Bethesda and enrolled as patients at the NCI.
If you or someone you know is interested in this trial call the office and request an appointment.