Clinical Briefing:
Penn's Gynecologic Oncology
Research Program Studies Immune
Therapy in Ovarian Cancer
September / October 2006
Only 40 percent of women
who are diagnosed with advanced
ovarian cancer survive longer than five
years. Finding new and effective treatments
for advanced ovarian cancer is critical.
Penn's Gynecologic Oncology Research
Program is at the forefront of research
advances in the field, finding more
encouraging treatment options for
women with gynecologic cancer than
ever before.
George
Coukos, MD, PhD, Director of Gynecologic Oncology Research at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, states: "Currently, Penn's main research interests focus on
the immune biology and immune therapy of ovarian cancer.
Our laboratory was the first to discover that the presence
of certain immune cells, tumor infiltrating T-cells, can
predict an improvement in the outcome of patients with advanced
ovarian cancer. Our team of physicians and scientists perform
groundbreaking clinical and basic science research to develop
new treatments for recurrent and advanced cancer and new
approaches for cancer detection and prevention."
Immune Therapy Research
Penn researchers identified the presence of tumor-infiltrating
T-cells in 102 of 186 women with ovarian cancer tumors. Among
the
advanced ovarian cancer patients with these T-cells, 38 percent
were
alive five years after their cancer diagnosis while only
4.5 percent
of the women without these T-cells were still alive.
Among
the
patients who received aggressive chemotherapy, those who
had tumor-infiltrating
T-cells were more likely to survive than patients without
T-cells. A subset of patients who had optimal surgical resection,
complete response to chemotherapy, and evidence of anti-tumor
response, experienced up to a 70 percent survival at 10
years – a remarkable survival rate
for advanced ovarian cancer.
This study, published in the
New England Journal of Medicine,
marks the first time that researchers have found that a
spontaneous
immune response against cancer influences the course of
the disease.
Dr. Coukos and his team are now investigating why some
patients' immune systems attack tumors while others
do not. The
answer could improve ovarian cancer survival outcomes by
yielding
new treatment modalities that induce anti-tumor responses
in
the later group.
Dr. Coukos and Christina
Chu, MD, in collaboration
with
Carl June, MD, and other investigators from the Abramson
Cancer
Research Institute have launched the first
therapeutic vaccine trial for
patients with stage III and IV ovarian and peritoneal cancer
in first
remission or with recurrent early stage ovarian cancer
in second
remission.
Additional therapies
are under development in Dr. Coukos'
laboratory including whole tumor antigen vaccines, T-cell
therapies
and combination therapies. Dr. Coukos anticipates that
in the future,
immunotherapy in combination with surgery and chemotherapy
will become a standard of care for ovarian cancer.
Our Team of Faculty
Penn scientists and physicians
from the Department of Obstetrics and
Gynecology, the Center for Research
in Reproduction and Women's Health,
the Abramson Cancer Center of the
University of Pennsylvania and the Joan
Karnell Cancer Center at Pennsylvania
Hospital are working together to increase
our knowledge about gynecologic
cancers and to find new ways to prevent
and treat these diseases.
Stephen C. Rubin, MD
Chief of Gynecologic Oncology
Franklin Payne Professor of
Gynecologic Oncology
Hospital of the University of
Pennsylvania
George Coukos, MD, PhD
Director of Gynecologic
Oncology Research
Associate Professor of Obstetrics
and Gynecology
Hospital of the University of
Pennsylvania
Christina S. Chu, MD
Assistant Professor of Obstetrics
and Gynecology
Hospital of the University of
Pennsylvania
Tom Randall, MD
Director of Gynecologic Oncology
at Pennsylvania Hospital and
the Joan Karnell Cancer Center
Assistant Professor of Clinical
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Pennsylvania Hospital
Carl June, MD
Director, Translational Research
Professor, Department of Pathology
and Laboratory Medicine
Abramson Cancer Center of the
University of Pennsylvania
Clinical Trial
Randomized Phase I/II Pilot Study
of the Immunogenicity of
Cyclophosphamide with Peptide
Pulsed Mature Dendritic Cells for
Patients With Previously Treated
Ovarian Epithelial or Primary
Peritoneal Carcinoma
The doctors at the Hospital of the
University of Pennsylvania, along
with Immuno-Designed Molecules,
Inc., are studying patients with
ovarian cancer in an attempt to find
better ways to treat ovarian cancer.
The purpose of this study is to
determine if using a vaccine made
from a patient's own white blood
cells can stimulate the body's
immune system to attack their
cancer.
The investigators will also
be evaluating the vaccine's safety.
The investigators are actively
seeking patients to participate in
this study. To find out participant
requirements, please call Christina
Chu, MD, at (215) 662-3318
or Denise Bendig, BSN, at
(215) 746-3637.
Additional Online Resources
Oncolink,
the Abramson Cancer Center's award-winning Internet
resource, contains information
about all aspects of cancer, the latest
treatments, clinical trials, research
advances, patient support services,
and related issues. Access information
from the Abramson Cancer Center,
the National Cancer Institute, and
other sources. Additional information about
our gynecologic
oncology program
at Penn Ob/Gyn Care is also available.
Locations
Hospital of the University of
Pennsylvania
1000 Courtyard Building
3400 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Pennsylvania Hospital
Spruce Building, 7th floor
801 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Chestnut Hill Hospital
8811 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19118
Abramson Cancer Center
of the University of Pennsylvania
16 Penn Tower
3400 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Joan Karnell Cancer Center
at Pennsylvania Hospital
230 W. Washington Square
Farm Journal Building, 2nd Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19107
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Referring Physicians: To speak with a Penn physician
or refer a patient, contact PennHealth through the secure online
referral form or by calling
1-800-789-PENN
(7366). |
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