Private MD News
Home |
News |
Ovarian
Ovarian cancer researchers testing new drug
Updated: 2009-09-09 22:11:02 CST Category: Ovarian
by Brendan Missett
Coincident with Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, the National Cancer Institute is beginning to test a new drug it hopes will more effectively treat types of breast and ovarian cancer.
Dr. Elise Kohn of the Center for Cancer Research will head a clinical trial which tests the effectiveness of the drug AZD2281 in thwarting the repair of mutated genes. The trial is in phase I, which means that safety of the treatment will be the main factor examined.
Prior research has shown that women who have mutations to their BRCA, or tumor suppressor genes, are at a much higher risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer. In the new trial, researchers will administer the new drug and hope that it stunts the capacity of damaged cancer cells to repair themselves.
Kohn summarized the trial stating, "The idea is to stress the cancer cells with [chemotherapy], which is known to be effective in ovarian cancer and possibly some breast cancers, while blocking DNA repair pathways."
Tests on animals have demonstrated that the AZD2281 drug is significantly more toxic to cells with BRCA gene mutations than to cells with normal tumor suppressor genes.
The NCI reports that ovarian cancer testing can help find cancer at an early stage and increase the likelihood that it can be successfully treated.

Related Articles from Private MD:
Share on Facebook
Subscribe to Private MD Health News RSS Feed: 
News Categories:
Advanced Lipid Treatment I
Allergy Testing
Anemia and RBC disorders
Autoimmune Diseases
Bariatric Lab Testing
Blood and Blood Diseases
Breast
Cancer Detection and Tumor Markers
Celiac Disease Testing
Chlamydia
Coagulation and blood clotting disorders
Colon
Diabetes
DNA, Paternity and Genetic testing
Drug Screening
Environmental Toxin Testing
Female Specific Tests
Gastrointestinal Diseases
General Health
General Wellness
Heart Health and Cholesterol
Herpes
HIV
HIV monitoring/Treatment/Testing/Post Diagnos
Hormones and Metabolism
Infectious Diseases
Infertility Testing-Male
Infertitlity Hormone Testing
Kidney Diseases
Leukemia and WBC disorders
Liver
Liver Diseases
Lyme Disease
Male Specific Tests
Menopause/Peri-Menopausal Diagnosis
Organ Specific Testing
Ovarian
Prostate
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Thyroid Diseases
Vitamin D Deficiency-Diagnosis and Treatment
Visit the Health News Archive: Click Here
Questions about online blood testing or how to order a lab test? Click
here to get started or call us toll-free at
1.877.283.7882. Our certified professionals are ready to assist
you.