Advances in immunotherapies in ovarian cancer https://tinyurl.com/5397dpd5 Immunotherapy acts by promoting the activity of cell-mediated immunity to target and kill cancer cells. It is  extremely effecti ve for several cancers, such as melanoma, but thus far has been ineffective for ovarian cancer, which is considered to be immunologically "cold". This editorial review  shows  why this is so and suggests  targets for more effective treatment in the future. Cell-mediated immunity acts by T cells invading the tumour microenvironment (TME) . Ovarian cancer cells prevent this from happening , usually by reinforcing the cell membrane with antigen checkpoints that prevent the infiltration of these T c ells. Immunotherapy helps to overcome this protection either by direct checkpoint blockade or by  identifying the relevant antigen and using an antibody drug combi nation to overcome the resistance and access the TME. Manipulation of T cell activity by  g...

Endometriosis and ovarian cancer risk https://tinyurl.com/36vyrxjf Endometriosis is a chronic cause of pain for about 10% of women during their reproductive life. The cause remains uncertain; initially thought to result f rom retrograde menstruation, the implanted cells found throughout the pelvis, which have a similar appearance t o the uterine epithelium, may be due to stem ce ll activation. Chronic inflammation from endometriosis has been cited as a possible cause for ovarian cancer. This study, looking at all available information using a standard method ology known as the PRISMA guidelines, suggests that the risk is low for most types of ovarian cancer, altho ugh there is an increased risk of endometrioid and clear cell cancer,  which account for about 10% of the total. Because ovarian cancer generally has a low incidence , with about 11/1000 women developing the disease during their lifetime, the overal l risk increase due to endometriosis at about 1.3 means a smal...

‘What has changed?’: Insomnia could explain the rise in early-onset hormonal cancer in women https://tinyurl.com/4ph4v97e The incidence of cancer in young people is increasing. Why remains uncertain, with obesity and pollution having been suggested as potential causes. At the recent ASCO meeting , d ata from a study were disclosed which suggested insomnia may be contributing to this increase. A retrospective 5-year study of more than 400,000 adults with insomnia looked at cancer incidence and compared the outcomes with a large control group. Women with insomnia had a significantly greater chance of developing breast, uterine and ovarian cancer . Men with insomnia seem to be more likely to have prosta t e or testicular cancer, though the evidence is incomplete. Insomnia is said to affect about 16% of the population; behaviour modification may be protective. Melatonin , often deficient in insomnia, is an oestrogen blocker . Being an insomniac looks like a health hazard.

Recurrence and Malignant Transformation After Borderline Ovarian Tumo u rs : A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis https://tinyurl.com/yk7et5rw Borderline ovarian tumours make up 10 to 20% of ovarian masses. They present at an earlier age and rarely progress to invasive cancer. Because of this, surgery for these tumours is often limited to removal of the ovarian mass with preservation of fertility. This analysis of all the available information looks at the risks of recurrence and malignant change to determine whether limited fertility-saving  surgery is harmful. M ore than 5000 women were included who underwent surgery for borderline tumours, which included complete clearance for some, with others having less radical surgery , many for preservation of fertility . Recurrence of the tumour is more likely with limited surgical clearance , with as much as a 30% chance in some instances . Those women who had radical surgery had a low risk of recurrence at about 3% . Pr...