PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Ovarian cancer discovery deepens knowledge of survival outcomes

10-gene biomarker identified as a tool in evaluating diagnosis, potential response to treatment and overall prognosis

2013-12-09
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Cara Martinez
cara.martinez@cshs.org
310-423-7798
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Ovarian cancer discovery deepens knowledge of survival outcomes 10-gene biomarker identified as a tool in evaluating diagnosis, potential response to treatment and overall prognosis LOS ANGELES (Dec. 9, 2013) – Researchers in the Women's Cancer Program at Cedars-Sinai's Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute have identified a series of 10 genes that may signify a trifecta of benefits for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer and ultimately reflect improved survival outcomes.

The research, led by Dong-Joo (Ellen) Cheon, PhD, found that the 10-gene biomarker panel may identify the aggressiveness of a patient's disease, help predict survival outcomes and result in novel therapeutic strategies tailored to patients with the most adverse survival outcomes.

When a patient's tumor is identified as having elevated levels of these 10 specific genes, doctors may be able to better predict which treatments would be most effective, said Cheon, whose research was published in Clinical Cancer Research.

That is an important advance because ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic cancer and is often diagnosed in later, more aggressive stages, resulting in poor prognosis and survival. These outcomes differ due to development of tumors that become resistant to chemotherapy. By identifying chemo-resistant tumors and identifying the risk of poor survival outcomes during the diagnostic process, investigators hope to extend lives and improve treatment responses for women with ovarian cancer.

"The ultimate goal is to use the 10-gene biomarker panel to develop a diagnostic kit that will identify patients with the most adverse outcome and provide targeted therapeutic strategies," said Cheon. "Among the biomarkers identified, the gene COL11A1 was shown to be the most abundantly expressed in ovarian cancer progression. But when we blocked expression of COL11A1 in murine cancer cells, tumor growth and spread was significantly reduced."

The 10-gene biomarker panel revealed another promising benefit. The 10 genes associated with the panel all share one common biological process — the formation of a collagen matrix around cancerous cells. This thick, collagen-rich matrix can protect cancer cells from the lethal effect of chemotherapy and serve as an incubator for increasingly aggressive cancer cells. Understanding how this collagen-rich environment may contribute to aggressive tumor cell behavior may ultimately lead to more efficient therapies.

"This data, based on the analysis of nearly 800 ovarian cancer patients, suggests that patients who have elevated levels of genes associated with the biomarker panel have shorter survival and more aggressive forms of disease," said Sandra Orsulic, PhD, senior author of this study, director of women's cancer biology in the Women's Cancer Program and associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. "These findings indicate that even though patients present with the same disease stage at diagnosis, their survival outcomes differ."

The findings suggest that the 10-gene signature may have both predictive value and biological relevance that may be useful in treating patients.

### Cedars-Sinai collaborators include Beth Y. Karlan, MD, director of the Women's Cancer Program, director in the Division of Gynecologic Oncology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, director of the Gilda Radner Hereditary Cancer Program and the Board of Governors Chair in Gynecologic Oncology; Yunguang Tong, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Medicine; Dror Berel, senior biostatistician in the Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Research Core Xiaojiang Cui, PhD, associate professor in the Women's Cancer Program; Jessica A. Beach, a graduate student in the Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences and Translational Medicine; Mourad Tighiouart, PhD, associate director in the department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics; and Ann E. Walts, MD, a research pathologist in the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute.

Myung-Shin Sim, DrPH, from the John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John's Health Center, and Judy Dering, PhD, from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, contributed to the study. The research was supported with grants from the American Cancer Society (RSG-10-252-01-TBG), Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation and the Pacific Ovarian Cancer Research Consortium (Developmental Grant, P50 CA083636) and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (UL1TR000124).

Citation: Clinical Cancer Research. 2013 Nov 11: Collagen-remodeling gene signature predicts poor survival.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

REiNS collaboration seeks common outcome measures for neurofibromatosis clinical trials

2013-12-09
REiNS collaboration seeks common outcome measures for neurofibromatosis clinical trials Initial consensus recommendations for studies of NF appear in special supplement to Neurology Philadelphia, Pa. (December 9, 2013) - As potentially effective new treatments ...

Peaceful bumblebee becomes invasive

2013-12-09
Peaceful bumblebee becomes invasive Bombus terrestris invades South America Bumblebees look cute. They have a thick fur, fly somewhat clumsily and are less aggressive than honeybees or wasps. They are very much appreciated by farmers as keen pollen collectors. ...

Better preparedness against Tamiflu-resistant influenza viruses

2013-12-09
Better preparedness against Tamiflu-resistant influenza viruses Swedish researchers in Umeå and Uppsala have found that residues of the influenza drug Tamiflu in our environment can make the influenza virus in birds resistant. This can have serious ...

How 'good cholesterol' stops inflammation

2013-12-09
How 'good cholesterol' stops inflammation Researchers at the University Hospital and the University of Bonn have discovered a central molecular switch High-density lipoprotein (HDL), known colloquially as "good cholesterol", protects against dangerous deposits ...

ABC transporters enable leaf beetle larvae to accumulate defensive precursors when feeding

2013-12-09
ABC transporters enable leaf beetle larvae to accumulate defensive precursors when feeding Similar membrane proteins play a crucial role in the transport of toxic substances out of the cell This news release is available in German. Scientists ...

Recycled plastic proves effective in killing drug-resistant fungi

2013-12-09
Recycled plastic proves effective in killing drug-resistant fungi IBN and IBM discover new medical application for converted PET bottles Singapore, December 9, 2013 – Researchers at Singapore's Institute of Bioengineering ...

Reproductive Health Matters announces publication of its latest themed issue: New development paradigm

2013-12-09
Reproductive Health Matters announces publication of its latest themed issue: New development paradigm London, December 9, 2013 – The world is still underfunding health: so what kind of new development paradigm will succeed in ensuring comprehensive and equitable ...

Life and work -- 1 and the same?

2013-12-09
Life and work -- 1 and the same? London, Los Angeles CA (09 December, 2013). Flexible workplaces may seem attractive when considering work-life balance but new research being published shows it's not unusual for firms to cash-in, profiting from our "free" time ...

Solar cell degradation observed directly for the first time

2013-12-09
Solar cell degradation observed directly for the first time X-ray examination shows structural changes in 'plastics' solar cells This news release is available in German. With the help of DESY's X-ray light source PETRA III, researchers of ...

Aging out of bounds

2013-12-09
Aging out of bounds New demographic data show how diversely different species age -- biologists cannot explain why This news release is available in German. Despite aging being one the hottest topic in the media recently, scientists have ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Robotic space rovers keep getting stuck. UW engineers have figured out why

New research shows how immigration status can become a death sentence during public health crisis

University of Toronto Engineering researchers develop safer alternative non-stick coating

Good vibrations: Scientists use imaging technology to visualize heat

More ecological diversity means better nutritional resources in Fiji’s agroforests

New global study shows freshwater is disappearing at alarming rates

Scientists create an artificial cell capable of navigating its environment using chemistry alone

A little salt is good for battery health

Deep-sea fish confirmed as a significant source of ocean carbonate

How to keep kids with eating disorders home after hospital stay? Therapy

Sex differences affect efficacy of opioid overdose treatment

Aligning AI with Human Values and Well-Being

Engineering the next generation of experimental physics

The scuba diving industry is funding marine ecosystem conservation and employing locals

BATMAN brings TCR therapy out of the shadows

Surrogates more likely to be diagnosed with mental illness, study finds

Columbia Engineering researchers turn dairy byproduct into tissue repair gel

Global estimates of lives and life-years saved by COVID-19 vaccination during 2020-2024

Potential trade-offs of proposed cuts to the NIH

New research simulates cancer cell behavior

COVID, over 2.5 million deaths prevented worldwide thanks to vaccines. One life saved for every 5,400 doses administered

Scuba diving generates up to $20 billion annually

Scientists advance efforts to create ‘virtual cell lab’ as testing ground for future research with live cells

How DNA packaging controls the “genome’s guardian”

Simplified models, deeper insights: Coarse-grained models unlock new potential for ionic liquid simulations

Gorillas’ personal circumstances shape their aggression towards groupmates

Which signalling pathways in the cell lead to possible therapies for Parkinson's disease

Identifying landslide threats using hydrological predictors

First graders who use more educational media spend more time reading

Exploring the meaning in life through phenomenology and philosophy

[Press-News.org] Ovarian cancer discovery deepens knowledge of survival outcomes
10-gene biomarker identified as a tool in evaluating diagnosis, potential response to treatment and overall prognosis