University of Auckland researchers are working to develop a new test that they say could help women access a revolutionary treatment for ovarian cancer.
A new type of drug – PARP inhibitors – work “extremely well” for some women with ovarian cancer, says University of Auckland Professor Andrew Shelling, who is Director of Research at the University’s Centre for Cancer Research.
Some PARP inhibitors, such as Olaparib, are available through the public health system. However, current genetic tests to gauge whether a patient would benefit from the drug cost thousands of dollars, so the tests remain available only for the few who can afford them privately.
“Olaparib is not being well directed to patients in New Zealand,” said Prof Shelling.
“A lot of women are getting the drug, who will have no benefit, and others are not getting it who could benefit.
“Up until now, it has been that if you could afford genetic tests, you could get the drug,” he said.
The research team hopes to develop a more affordable test that is widely available through the public health system.
The team is led by University of Auckland immunologist, Dr Alicia Disbury, mentored by Prof Shelling and biological sciences Professor Rod Dunbar, and includes Auckland Hospital clinical director for cancer and blood research Dr Michelle Wilson.
“It’s so exciting to be working on a test that could help women with ovarian cancer access this treatment more easily, because in the past, about 60 to 70% of women with ovarian cancer died within five years,” says Prof Shelling, who has been studying ovarian cancer for more than 30 years.
“We’re seeing really good outcomes with the new treatment in a small sub-set of women, without the toxicity associated with chemotherapy.”
About one-in-70 women develop ovarian cancer, according to international research.
“Ovarian cancer has been referred to as a silent killer,” says Prof Shelling. “Often women don’t know they’ve got it until it has spread through their body.
“A large tumour can grow in the ovaries without any signs or symptoms, so ovarian cancer is often diagnosed late.”
The Precision Medicine Initiative granted $100,000 earlier this year for the team to develop a new multi-colour immunohistochemistry panel to identify women with ovarian cancer who would benefit from PARP inhibitor treatment.
The researchers are now applying for overseas funding for the project.
The existing genetic test might not work as well for Māori and Pacific women, so the new test will be developed to ensure equity of care in New Zealand, Prof Shelling says.
