Active clinical trials for "Ovarian Neoplasms"

The objective of this study is to evaluate the willingness of patients with ovarian cancer to undergo genetic testing, given the cost, their understanding and acceptance of genetic testing and the possibility of targeted therapy.

Background: Monocytes are a type of white blood cell found in human blood. They help the immune system. Researchers have found that monocytes taken from the blood of healthy people can kill tumor cells. Now they want to know if monocytes taken from the blood of people with ovarian cancer can kill tumor cells. In addition, native host anti-tumor cell mediated immune mechanisms may play a role in clinical outcome of epithelial ovarian cancer; data indicate that the presence of intra-tumoral CD3+ T-cells was shown to prognosticate improved outcome in advanced ovarian cancer. Furthermore, non-cellular components in the blood, such as exosomes, may influence outcome. Objective: - To see if monocytes taken from the blood of people with ovarian cancer can kill tumor cells. Eligibility: - Women 18 years and older with ovarian cancer. Design: Participants will be screened with: Medical history and physical exam. Blood tests. CT scan of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis and/or an MRI. For these scans, they will lie in a machine that takes pictures of their body. A small amount of blood (two tubes) will be collected by needle during one visit.

Ovarian cancer is deadly and generally diagnosed at late stage when the chances of survival are low. There is a current belief that this cancer starts in the fallopian tubes and progresses towards the ovaries, spreading to the cells on the surface. Within the fallopian tubes and the uterus, there is a constant flow of mucus which has only one exit through the cervix and out the vagina. Proteins that are generated within the entire female reproductive system are trapped into this viscous fluid and eventually released as waste. When a routine PAP test is performed, a sample of this mucus is collected along with any cells, and preserved in the PAP fluid. The fluid is currently discarded but contains a protein profile showing of the status of the cells in the female reproductive system. We have examined this fluid and found that it contains unique peptides/proteins that provide a diagnosis of ovarian cancer when compared against healthy controls. These markers will be initially refined using the comparison of ovarian cancer patients against those with benign adnexal masses that entered the clinic during the same time period. In this Phase II biomarker validation study we will further refine and validate these biomarkers using a new collection of samples from at least 200 ovarian cancer cases with epithelial ovarian cancer (endometroid and papillary serous histology, most common) and comparing these against 600 patients with a diagnosis of a benign adnexal mass that enter the clinics during the same time period. Patient samples will be collected on their first visit to the gynecologic oncologist at a number of collaborating clinics. Final processing of all of the samples will be performed within the proteomics research facilities of the Mitchell Cancer Institute using Selected Reaction Monitoring (SRM, with mass spectrometry) based on the refined set of makers statistically selected within the first aim. Biomarkers validated within this study will be compared with the well accepted CA-125 data for the patients. The research involves a three year validation and may allow detection of this cancer at a very early stage when the survival is as high as 90%. One aim examines a self-taken test that could allow its use in medically underrepresented and rural areas.

The objectives of this study are: To identify women at increased risk for developing ovarian cancer To detect ovarian cancers at an early stage To investigate the role of tumor membrane fragments as tumor markers for early ovarian carcinoma

The Polish breast, ovarian and endometrial cancer study is a complex molecular epidemiologic study that is expected to enroll about 2,500 breast cancer, 450 ovarian and 450 endometrial cancer cases and 2,500 controls from Warsaw and Lodz, two major cities in Poland. This large population-based study combines state-of-the-art techniques of exposure assessment and collection of biological specimens to allow for the study of a wide range of biomarkers. Exposure information is obtained through detailed personal interviews, anthropometric measurements, physical activity monitors, and collection of dust samples from the participants homes. The collection of biological specimens includes blood samples processed as cryopreserved whole blood, serum+ blood clot, plasma+buffy coat+red blood cells; 12-hour overnight urine; paraffin embedded tumor and normal tissue; and fresh tissue from tumors, non-neoplastic breast tissue and mammary fat tissue. Subject enrollment started in June 2000 and is expected to continue until January 2003 for breast cancer cases and controls and June 2003 for ovarian and endometrial cancer cases. As of May 2002, we have identified 2,207 breast, 138 ovarian and 235 endometrial cancer cases and 2,327 controls. The response rates to the interview are 81% for breast, 90% for ovarian and 83% for endometrial cancer cases and 70% for controls. Most women who agree to the interview agree to provide biological specimens (about 90% of cancer cases and controls agree to provide a blood sample), anthropometric measurements (95% of breast cancer cases and controls) and wear a physical activity monitor (79% breast cancer cases and 90% of controls)....

The main goal of this study is to employ a novel proteomic approach to identify predictive tumor biomarkers that will increase the efficacy of insulin-like growth factor (IGF1R) targeted therapy in epithelial ovarian cancer. It is expected that these predictive biomarkers will be applied to increase the response rate in selected groups of patients.

The presence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes involved in platinum and taxane metabolism and detoxification have been correlated to increased risk of severe adverse events (AEs) when patients receive these drugs. The investigators propose studies to validate a comprehensive panel of twelve SNPs in ovarian cancer patients that may predict AEs when treated with therapies that include platinum and taxanes. Using these results to stratify patients to different dosing regimens, routes of administration, or in recurrent cancer to aid in drug selection, may improve outcome and reduce costs for the management of drug related side effects while not changing standard of care. Since these differences can be detected from blood, the determination of genotypes can be done using a standard blood sample taken after ovarian cancer is confirmed on the patient's pathology report. These genetic differences can be detected by QPCR and Next Generation Sequencing.

This study evaluates the usefulness of serum levels of trefoil factor 3 (TFF3), secreted frizzled related protein 4 (sFRP-4), reactive oxygen species modulator 1 (Romo1) and nuclear factor (NF)-κB as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in ovarian carcinoma.

: Stages III and IV serum ovarian cancer are the most lethal of all gynecologic cancers; however, some advanced-stage ovarian cancer patients are long-term survivors. These patients may provide the key to long-term survival and bring hope to all women with Stages III and IV ovarian cancer. There is no meaningful explanation of why some patients with ovarian cancer become long-term survivors and what their quality of life is long after their initial diagnosis. This research project will specifically determine molecular features within tumors along with genetic, quality of life, and lifestyle features that predict for long-term survival for patients with Stages III and IV ovarian cancer. It will bring together sophisticated molecular techniques, researchers with longstanding interest, a wide spectrum of consumer advocates (a number being long-term survivors), and quality of life experts to analyze the most carefully maintained patient database in the world-the Gynecologic Oncology Group database. We anticipate the results from this project will identify specific biochemical pathways and genetic features associated with long-term survival that can be used to improve the treatment, survival, and survivorship of patients with this disease. There is clearly something unique among patients who survive Stage III or IV ovarian cancer long term, and we believe that when we understand what this is, we can increase the number of long- and longer-term survivors.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the quality of life of long-term gynecologic cancer survivors.