Ovarian cancer is a lady killer. Early detection folloed by effective & in time therapy are absolutely required to save a patient's lifẹ The following article in this ovarian cancer awareness week says it all. ===
Radical ovarian cancer treatment offers hope NICK MILLER February 24, 2010
Melissa Campbell is trialling a new drug for ovarian cancer. EARLY results from a new cancer treatment pioneered in Melbourne show that advanced ovarian cancer can be fought to a standstill - an against-the-odds result that could point to a radical new way of beating other cancers.
Researchers from the Royal Women's Hospital and Monash University say they are increasingly excited about the trial, which began last year.
The research comes as new national figures on ovarian cancer showed that almost two-thirds of Australians diagnosed with the disease will not be alive five years later.
Professor Michael Quinn, from the Royal Women's Hospital's cancer unit, is leading a team testing ''immune modulation'' therapy.
It works on the theory that the immune system has a 10 to 14-day cycle, during which it emits ''inhibitor cells'' that stop the body fighting cancer.
The team gives small, tightly targeted chemotherapy doses at exactly the right time in the cycle to block the inhibitor cells and boost the body's defence against the tumour.
Since last year they have given the therapy to seven women with advanced, recurrent ovarian cancer, while also working with Monash University's department of immunology to crack the secrets of the immune cycle.
Several of the women have responded positively to the treatment, Professor Quinn said. ''These are very, very promising results,'' he said. ''The tumours have stopped growing - that's all we had hoped for. I don't think this is the magic bullet yet but it's certainly enough for us to continue our work.''
The treatment avoids almost all the debilitating side effects of chemotherapy, allowing patients to live more normal lives. One of the patients is 44-year-old Melissa Campbell, who went to her doctor four years ago with back pain and a bloated tummy - and came back with a diagnosis of advanced ovarian cancer.
Since then, the cancer has recurred twice, putting her through surgery and excruciating chemotherapy and radiotherapy, as well as another experimental drug with severe side effects.
But she said the new treatment had been a totally different experience.
''It hasn't gotten rid of [the tumour],'' she said. ''But it hasn't gotten worse. It's keeping it under control, and fingers crossed it will get rid of it down the track.
''It's so much easier compared to the other times.''
The chemo comes in a simple pill a few days a fortnight, rather than a trip to hospital being hooked up to a drip. One drawback is having a blood test every two days.
Ms Campbell said one of the biggest problems with ovarian cancer was the lack of knowledge among both the public and doctors. Its vague symptoms mean it is often ignored until it is well advanced.
Most women she spoke to incorrectly thought it could be picked up with a pap smear.
Professor Quinn said his team was still on ''a learning curve'' with the treatment, but there was already preliminary work to see if it could be used on melanoma patients.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare figures released today show a slight increase in survival levels of ovarian cancer patients, but it is still among the biggest cancer killers.
The latest figures, from 2006, show there were 1226 cases of ovarian cancer diagnosed in Australia, meaning an average of three women were diagnosed with the disease every day.
An average of two per day died from ovarian cancer. Four out of 10 women who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer between 2000 and 2006 were alive five years after their diagnosis, an improvement on the 33 per cent of two decades before.
However, survival rates were significantly poorer for older women.
The research is sponsored by Monash University and the Women's Cancer Foundation.
? The WCF is holding the "We Can Walk it Out" walk and fun run at The Tan at 10am this Sunday.
