Gene discovery ‘could aid treatment of ovarian cancer’

A new study has uncovered a gene that could prove instrumental in determining which patients will react best to a common treatment for ovarian cancer.

Scientists from the University of Dundee, using funding from Cancer Research UK and the Scottish Funding Council, have been able to determine that a gene called FGF1 is highly active in aggressive, advanced ovarian cancers.

Moreover, it is found at higher levels in cancer cells that are resistant to platinum chemotherapy treatments, meaning patients who are found to have lower FGF1 readings could be prioritised for therapy.

It was also shown that blocking FGF1 in ovarian cancer cells can help to make these cells sensitive to chemotherapy again.

Dr Julie Sharp, senior science information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: "This research is a step towards addressing the urgent need to develop tests that can tell us more about each woman's ovarian cancer and help personalise treatment to save more lives."

Cancer of the ovary affects more than 6,500 women in the UK each year, making it the fifth most common cancer type among females.