Experimental Drug Boosts Ovarian Cancer Survival Rates

Hematologist and oncologist Kenneth D. Nahum, DO, practices at Regional Cancer Care Associates, LLC, in Howell, New Jersey. With more than three decades of medical experience, he has skillfully divided his time between clinical practice and medical research. Over the years, Dr. Kenneth D. Nahum has studied numerous conditions, including ovarian cancer.

A deadly form of cancer, ovarian cancer has nearly a 70 percent recurrence rate. The reason for this high rate of recurrence relates to the continued presence of stem-like cells in the body once ovarian cancer is treated. Upon diagnosis, patients usually go through a round of chemotherapy or other treatments. These kill 90 to 99 percent of ovarian cancer cells, thus effectively sending the condition into remission.

However, routine ovarian cancer treatment does not kill stem-like ovarian cancer cells. These cells behave similarly to a plant and can take root in the body after ovarian cancer is destroyed. Over time, the cells grow into a new tumor, a process that can be enabled when as few 11 stem-like cells are left behind.

To address this issue, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh, Magee-Womens Research Institute (MWRI), and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center examined the efficacy of a new drug that targets these stem-like cells. An experimental drug known as 673A was discovered by these researchers and tested in mice with ovarian cancer cells. When used in combination with chemotherapy, this drug significantly improves survival rates among mice with ovarian cancer.

673A works by targeting the ALDH pathway in the body. This pathway clears the toxins produced by stem-like cells, thus allowing them to multiply so quickly. While 673A only kills 3 to 5 percent of stem-like cells, the impact was significant and allowed roughly 60 percent of mice treated with chemotherapy and the drug to survive past the six-month point. Only 10 percent of mice treated with just chemotherapy survived to this point.