Breakthrough Research Unveils Potential Game-Changer in Ovarian Cancer Treatment

 

A woman's risk of getting ovarian cancer during her lifetime is about 1 in 87. 

A groundbreaking study led by the University of Minnesota’s Masonic Cancer Center has the potential to revolutionize the treatment landscape for ovarian cancer. Published in JAMA Network Open, the research reveals that ovarian cancer patients with a high proportion of stromal tissue within their tumors are twice as likely to develop resistance to standard chemotherapy treatments. Stroma refers to the non-cancerous tissue that supports tumors.

The study, led by Drs. Martina Bazzaro and Emil Lou builds on earlier research indicating that the proportion of stromal tissue (Tumor Stroma Proportion, or TSP) is a powerful predictor of patient outcomes and chemoresistance. TSP is determined by comparing the amount of non-cancerous tissue in a tumor to the cancerous portion. This research demonstrates that a straightforward assessment of TSP can serve as a valuable biomarker for clinical outcomes.

"While previous studies have linked the expression of stromal genes to poorer progression-free and overall survival rates in ovarian cancer, our study demonstrates that a straightforward assessment of tumor-stroma proportion can serve as a valuable biomarker for clinical outcomes," said Dr. Bazzaro, PhD, associate professor at the U of M Medical School and Masonic Cancer Center researcher.

The international research team included experts from the University of Tübingen in Germany and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. The study was conducted independently in two cohorts: 103 cases from The Cancer Genome Atlas and 192 cases from the University of Tübingen. All patients underwent surgery to remove their cancer and received chemotherapy.

Researchers analyzed digital images of patient tissue samples, categorizing tumors based on their stromal tissue content. Tumors with 50% or more stromal tissue were associated with poorer patient outcomes and a higher likelihood of chemotherapy resistance.

Dr. Emil Lou, MD, PhD, emphasizes the clinical potential of these findings: "This research marks a significant step forward in the fight against ovarian cancer. We are committed to translating these findings to the forefront of clinical practice for patients diagnosed with this cancer. Our work paves the way for utilizing a readily obtainable, effective, and relatively inexpensive biomarker to help tailor more effective treatments based on individual tumor profiles."

The researchers advocate for the standardization of TSP measurement and its integration into prospective clinical trials as a predictive biomarker for drug resistance. Future plans include leveraging national cooperative groups to validate TSP as a routine practice biomarker and incorporating artificial intelligence to develop a predictive algorithm based on TSP.

The breakthrough findings hold promise for significantly improving the clinical management of ovarian cancer, offering personalized and effective treatment strategies.