A new study is aiming to change the way ovarian cancer is treated in NSW, offering better outcomes for women with the disease.
The INOVATe program is open at nine study sites across Sydney, giving women in NSW with ovarian cancer an opportunity for more personalised care.
Professor Anna deFazio, Sydney West Chair of Translational Cancer Research at the Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, says after two years in NSW it is already making a real difference.
“Through INOVATe we now have the opportunity to allow more women with ovarian cancer to enter clinical trials to test treatment targeted to the specific characteristics of their individual tumour,” she explains.
“This is the first time this type of study has been applied across the spectrum of diseases we call ‘ovarian cancer’."
INOVATe is aiming to improve ovarian cancer survival rates by quickly identifying which treatment will give someone a better outcome.
Medical Oncologist, Dr Sally Baron-Hay, and Gynaecological Oncologists A/Professor Russell Hogg and Dr Greg Gard are involved in the study at Royal North Shore Hospital.
"We are delighted to be able to offer the opportunity to be part of this study to all of our patients with ovarian cancer," Dr Baron-Hay says.
"This exciting study brings a new level of understanding of these cancers at the molecular level, which has the potential to individualise treatment, making a significant difference to the lives of the patients we see in our clinics," A/Professor Hogg explains.
The study is being funded by the Cancer Institute NSW through a $3.75 million, five-year Translational Program Grant, awarded in 2015.
Why ovarian cancer?
Speaking about INOVATe’s beginnings, Professor deFazio says inspiration came from seeing this kind of study being tried in other cancer types, with mixed success.
“We saw the timing was right to apply this approach to ovarian cancer – new drugs are becoming available and we now have an increased understanding of the biology of ovarian cancer.”
A combination of the way ovarian cancer symptoms appear and how the disease spreads mean it can often be in advanced stages when a woman is diagnosed.
The disease has a poor five-year survival rate, and mortality rates have seen little change over recent decades.
Cancer Institute NSW data predict there will be over 570 cases of ovarian cancer in NSW each year by the year 2021.
By identifying the specific molecular changes in ovarian cancer tissue and starting treatment earlier, however, these researchers hope outcomes for women across NSW can be improved.
How is INOVATe improving treatment options for women?
INOVATe is providing information to help select the most appropriate treatment trials for women with ovarian cancer.
“The key to INOVATe is not thinking of ovarian cancer as one disease, but instead as many different ones that can’t be treated using a one-size-fits-all approach,” Professor deFazio explains.
“Ultimately we aim to identify which treatment will be most likely to give each patient a better outcome.”
INOVATe recognises ovarian cancer is not the same in every woman – clinical trials and drug treatments are changing to reflect this.
Rather than wait until later stages of the disease when the current treatments are no longer working, INOVATe investigators are aiming to define the molecular characteristics for all of the women at the very start.
The study is currently open at:
- Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre at Westmead Hospital
- Westmead Private Hospital
- Royal North Shore Hospital
- North Shore Private Hospital
- Royal Hospital for Women
- Prince of Wales Hospital
- Nepean Hospital
- Blacktown Hospital
- Sydney Adventist Hospital.
Deborah Marsh, Professor of Molecular Oncology at the Kolling Institute, University of Sydney and one of INOVATe’s Chief Investigators, says the shared vision for INOVATe is to integrate this level of precision medicine into routine care for women with ovarian cancer.
“INOVATe is a truly multidisciplinary initiative, where translational and basic scientists, gynaecological surgeons, oncologists and pathologists bring their collective knowledge and skills to the table with the goal of improving the outcomes for women with ovarian cancer,” she explains