Florida Hospital Cancer Institute In Ovarian Cancer Trials

Published: 
August 27, 2007

Florida Hospital Cancer Institute Conducts Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trials

ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 27, 2007 - Florida Hospital Cancer Institute is currently conducting two clinical trials for women who have had ovarian cancer and who are now in remission.  The trials are studying whether new treatments can increase remission time for patients and/or prolong their life expectancy after being treated for ovarian cancer.

The clinical trial of Abagovomab, an experimental vaccine that attempts to generate an immune response in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer after complete responses to first line chemotherapy, is currently taking place at the Florida Hospital Cancer Institute (FHCI). The trial will study whether Abagovomab will increase remission times for patients as well as whether or not it can prolong of life expectancy. The injection will be administered every 2 weeks for the first 4 doses and then monthly for up to 45 months.

Another clinical trial that is taking place at FHCI is the study of catumaxomab, a consolidation study in ovarian cancer after a complete clinical response to standard primary platinum/taxane chemotherapy.  Catumaxomab is a bispecific antibody that simultaneously targets tumor cells and stimulates several immune reactions that may play a part in further targeting of cancer cells. The trial will test the safety and tolerability of the four-dose series and whether the drug increases the length of remission for women who have had ovarian cancer. 

According to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths among women. In 2005, more than 22,000 women were diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and 16,000 women died from the disease. Ovarian cancer is very treatable when it is caught early; however, most cases (80 percent) are not found until the cancer has spread beyond the ovaries.

The Florida Hospital Cancer Institute Clinical Research Center is active in hundreds of clinical trials annually, studying new therapies for cancer and blood disorders in adult and pediatric patients. The Clinical Research Center was one of twelve cancer centers in the U.S. to receive the American Society of Clinical Oncology's Clinical Trials Participation Award.

For more information, please contact Florida Hospital Media Relations at 407-303-8217.

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