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Drug testing proves useful for ovarian cancer patients

Updated: 2009-11-12 22:09:29 CST Category: Cancer Detection and Tumor Markers

by Brendan Missett

Testing of a drug that is commonly prescribed to patients with leukemia revealed that the treatment may be effective in fighting ovarian cancer, new research suggests.

In a study published in the November 10 issue of the British Medical Journal, researchers at the University of California explained that the drug dasatinib, used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia, also appears to stunt the growth and invasive of ovarian cancer cells, HealthDay News reports.

"It is important to remember that this work is only on cancer cell lines, but it is significant enough that it should be used to justify clinical trials to confirm that women with ovarian cancer could benefit," said Gottfried Konecny, an assistant professor of hematology and lead author of the study.

According to the research, dasatinib is most effective for treating ovarian cancer when it is combined with chemotherapy, and it targets a specific type of cancer cells known as Src dependent.

About one-third of women with ovarian cancer have Src dependent cancer cells.

The National Cancer Institute reports that ovarian cancer testing can help detect the disease at an early stage, when it may be easier to treat.

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