New Ovarian Cancer Therapy Triples Response Rate vs Chemotherapy

Tejal Somvanshi

Low-grade serous ovarian cancer affects younger women and resists standard treatments, but scientists have mapped a new path forward.

Photo Source: Edward Jenner

Traditional ovarian cancer treatments have remained unchanged for decades with platinum-based chemotherapy showing response rates below 15% for LGSC patients.

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Using cutting-edge Deep Visual Proteomics technology, researchers created molecular maps showing exactly how tumors evolve within tissue environments.

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Scientists identified the NOVA2 protein found only in invasive forms of the tumor - potentially a key "switch" driving cancer cell invasion.

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The groundbreaking research identified 16 potential drug targets and tested a novel combination therapy: Milciclib paired with Mirvetuximab.

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How does this combination work? Milciclib blocks cell division while Mirvetuximab delivers a toxic payload specifically to cancer cells expressing the FOLR1 protein.

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Clinical trials showed a 42.3% response rate with the new treatment compared to just 15.9% with standard chemotherapy - nearly triple the effectiveness.

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Mirvetuximab received FDA approval in March 2024 after studies showed it increased overall survival from 12.75 months to 16.46 months.

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Treatment consists of an intravenous infusion once every three weeks, with duration of response averaging 6.9 months - significantly better than the 3-4 months with standard treatments.

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Cost remains a significant hurdle - studies suggest a 70-73% reduction would be needed to meet standard cost-effectiveness thresholds.

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"By mapping thousands of proteins at single-cell resolution, we can now visualize how tumors evolve in real-time," says Professor Matthias Mann.

Photo Source: Polina Tankilevitch

For the 5-10% of ovarian cancer patients diagnosed with LGSC, these advances offer renewed hope for more effective and less toxic treatment options.

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