Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Current Oncology Propose a Special Issue

Journal Browser

Ovarian Cancer in the Age of Precision Medicine

Print Special Issue Flyer
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Current Oncology (ISSN 1718-7729). This special issue belongs to the section "Gynecologic Oncology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 August 2024 | Viewed by 3717

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Alicia A. Tone

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Ovarian Cancer Canada, Toronto, ON M5A 1E3, Canada
Interests: ovarian cancer; prevention; genetics; molecular pathology; precision oncology; patient engagement

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ovarian cancer remains the most fatal gynecologic malignancy, with no effective screening modalities or diagnostic tests. While recent treatment advances are enabling a subset of people diagnosed with ovarian cancer to live longer with a better quality of life, few options exist for many patients and long-term survival outcomes have not changed in 50 years. This Special Issue will focus on the progress, challenges, and promise of omics to enable precision medicine for individuals with all types of ovarian cancer and how advances in precision medicine along the entire care continuum (prevention, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship) are needed to improve patient outcomes. The important role of the patient voice in shaping precision medicine strategies—in addition to equitable access to advances for all individuals with or at risk for ovarian cancer—will also be included.

In this Special Issue, original research articles, commentaries, and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

New samples, technologies, and/or approaches for early detection, most notably for high-grade serous ovarian/tubal/peritoneal cancer;
Targeted prevention strategies based on lifetime risk of ovarian cancer;
Novel precision treatments for less common types of ovarian cancer;
Understanding and overcoming resistance to targeted treatments;
Using omics to increase the efficacy of immune-based treatments in ovarian cancer;
Patient engagement in basic, preclinical, and clinical research investigating precision medicine strategies;
Novel approaches for personalized survivorship.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Alicia A. Tone
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Current Oncology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

ovarian cancer
omics
prevention
diagnosis
treatment
survivorship
equity
patient engagement

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

Jump to: Review

23 pages, 3577 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Immunogenicity of Non-Mutated Ovarian Cancer-Specific Antigens

by Leslie Hesnard, Catherine Thériault, Maxime Cahuzac, Chantal Durette, Krystel Vincent, Marie-Pierre Hardy, Joël Lanoix, Gabriel Ouellet Lavallée, Juliette Humeau, Pierre Thibault and Claude Perreault

Curr. Oncol. 2024, 31(6), 3099-3121; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol31060236 (registering DOI) - 30 May 2024

Abstract

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) has not significantly benefited from advances in immunotherapy, mainly because of the lack of well-defined actionable antigen targets. Using proteogenomic analyses of primary EOC tumors, we previously identified 91 aberrantly expressed tumor-specific antigens (TSAs) originating from unmutated genomic sequences. Most of these TSAs derive from non-exonic regions, and their expression results from cancer-specific epigenetic changes. The present study aimed to evaluate the immunogenicity of 48 TSAs selected according to two criteria: presentation by highly prevalent HLA allotypes and expression in a significant fraction of EOC tumors. Using targeted mass spectrometry analyses, we found that pulsing with synthetic TSA peptides leads to a high-level presentation on dendritic cells. TSA abundance correlated with the predicted binding affinity to the HLA allotype. We stimulated naïve CD8 T cells from healthy blood donors with TSA-pulsed dendritic cells and assessed their expansion with two assays: MHC-peptide tetramer staining and TCR Vβ CDR3 sequencing. We report that these TSAs can expand sizeable populations of CD8 T cells and, therefore, represent attractive targets for EOC immunotherapy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ovarian Cancer in the Age of Precision Medicine)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 1507 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

The Development and Testing of a Patient Decision Aid for Individuals with Homologous Recombinant Proficient Ovarian Cancer Who Are Considering Niraparib Maintenance Therapy

by Laura Hopkins, Mark Carey, Linda Brown, Sabryna McCrea, Mark Milne, Dawne Tokaryk and Dawn Stacey

Curr. Oncol. 2024, 31(3), 1416-1425; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol31030107 - 8 Mar 2024

Viewed by 1222

Abstract

New treatments for ovarian cancer are available that require trade-offs between progression-free survival and quality of life. The aim of this study was to develop a decision aid for patients with homologous recombinant proficient (HRP) tumors, as the benefit–harm ratio of niraparib needs consideration. This decision aid was created with a systematic and iterative development process based on the Ottawa Decision Support Framework. The decision aid was user-tested for acceptability, usability, and comprehensibility using a survey completed by a sample of patients with ovarian cancer and oncologists. This decision aid follows the International Patient Decision Aids Standards (IPDAS) criteria in its development. User-test respondents (n = 13 patients; 13 physicians) reported that the decision aid used language that was easy to follow (69% patients; 85% physicians), was an appropriate length (69% patients; 62% physicians) and provided the right amount of information (54% patients; 54% physicians). Most respondents (92% patients; 62% physicians) would recommend this decision aid for HRP patients considering niraparib. This is the first decision aid for patients with HRP ovarian cancers who are considering niraparib maintenance therapy. It is available on-line and is being further evaluated in a pragmatic clinical trial in Saskatchewan. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ovarian Cancer in the Age of Precision Medicine)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

16 pages, 1586 KiB

Open AccessReview

Ovarian Cancer: From Precursor Lesion Identification to Population-Based Prevention Programs

by Ramlogan Sowamber, Alexandra Lukey, David Huntsman and Gillian Hanley

Curr. Oncol. 2023, 30(12), 10179-10194; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol30120741 - 29 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1701

Abstract

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a heterogeneous group of malignancies, including high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC). HGSC is often diagnosed at advanced stages and is linked to TP53 variants. While BRCA variants elevate risk, most HGSC cases occur in individuals without known genetic variants, necessitating prevention strategies for people without known high-risk genetic variants. Effective prevention programs are also needed due to the lack of traditional screening options. An emerging primary prevention strategy is opportunistic salpingectomy, which involves removing fallopian tubes during another planned pelvic surgery. Opportunistic salpingectomy offers a safe and cost-effective preventative option that is gaining global adoption. With the publication of the first cohort study of patients who underwent salpingectomy, specifically for cancer prevention, attention has turned to broadening opportunities for salpingectomy in addition to more targeted approaches. Prevention opportunities are promising with increasing adoption of salpingectomy and the increased understanding of the etiology of the distinct histotypes of ovarian cancer. Yet, further research on targeted risk-reducing salpingectomy with thoughtful consideration of equity is necessary to reduce death and suffering from ovarian cancer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ovarian Cancer in the Age of Precision Medicine)

► Show Figures