Home environment may be cause of ovarian cancer

Residential Radon Levels and Ovarian Cancer Among Postmenopausal Women

https://tinyurl.com/ycxwyvy3

It has long been known that radiation exposure can result in ovarian cancer. Women exposed to the atomic bomb explosions in Japan during World War 2 had an increased incidence of the cancer.

This study looks at exposure to radon gas from naturally occurring sources and correlates the degree of exposure to the risk of developing ovarian cancer.

Radon gas arises from radioactive decay of isotopic material found in rocks most often uranium and thorium. High levels occur in different locations due to the geology, the highest being associated with granite or bluestone. The radiation emitted is of low intensity as alpha radiation which becomes harmful when inhaled.

Using data from the US geological survey areas of high, intermediate, and low levels of radon gas exposure were plotted. A prospective study using information from the women’s Health Initiative measured the risk of ovarian cancer and found that women who lived in high radon gas locations have about a one third greater risk.

Knowing this it may be possible to monitor women who live in these locations to ensure early diagnosis, and possibly reduce the risk by using safer house construction materials to avoid domestic exposure.

Re-purposed drug has FDA approval

FDA approves Relacorilant as combination treatment for platinum resistant ovarian cancer

https://tinyurl.com/2sjzmu7k

Following the success of the ROSELLA trial the FDA has approved the use of Relacorilant in combination with standard chemo for treatment of platinum resistant ovarian cancer.

This is an example of re-purposing of the drug Relacorilant, which was intended for use in adrenal insufficiency. The drug acts by glucocorticoid receptor blockade which also prevents the side effect of cortisol suppressing the immune response to ovarian cancer, by blocking cellular access.

The ROSELLA trial involving 381 patients with platinum resistant ovarian cancer showed a 35% increase in overall survival for the treatment group with a median survival of 16 months compared to 12 months for the control group.

Re-purposing of drugs is expected to become more frequent with the advent of artificial intelligence, which can quickly identify other possible uses. It is obviously beneficial to already know potential adverse effects prior to clinical trials and hopefully reduce costs for new therapy.

Sometimes being early is bad news

Diagnostic Timing and Ovarian Cancer Survival

https://tinyurl.com/3aekcbad

Common wisdom has it that the shorter the time before diagnosis of ovarian cancer, the better the outcome. This retrospective survey using data from the UNC cancer registry looked at the interval before diagnosis and compared the outcome of overall survival.

2309 women were included in the survey, the median delay in diagnosis was 33 days after investigation of a relevant presenting symptom. The group was divided into three according to the delay in diagnosis, early with intervals of less than 10 days, a standard group with a median delay of 80 days, and a delayed group whose diagnosis was delayed by more than 120 days.

Results from the survey showed that the early diagnosis and the late diagnosis groups had significantly worse survival outcomes. This finding appears counterintuitive in that the expectation is that a shorter diagnosis delay would result in smaller more confined disease. However, the authors suggest that many of those women diagnosed early may have more aggressive cancer and be sicker.

As in many aspects of ovarian cancer this study demonstrates the complexity of the management dilemma. It has been thought that applying scarce resources to enable early diagnosis would always improve cancer survival. Unfortunately, the study shows this to be debatable. However, it is still important to avoid a long delay before diagnosis which does shorten survival.