June 14, 2024- Cleveland Clinic researchers have discovered a new location for a protein that helps ovarian cancer cells resist chemotherapy treatments and that fosters aggressive cancer stem cell growth. Ovarian cancer is the second most common gynecologic cancer in the U.S. and the most common cause of death. The disease’s vague symptoms often lead to late-stage diagnosis, complicating treatment. Gynecologic cancer patients commonly see the cancer recur and develop resistance to chemotherapy. Ovarian cancer cells ‒ especially cancer stem cells ‒ can survive chemotherapy drugs. The lab studying Ovarian Cancer at Cleveland Clinic investigates chemoresistance biomarkers and targeted therapies.
Ovarian cancer treatment often involves waiting for one treatment to fail before trying something new. The Cleveland Clinic study’s findings may allow doctors and patients to decide to avoid chemotherapy if CD55 (driver of chemotherapy resistance) is already present in the cell nucleus. With the knowledge from the current findings, the lab is investigating therapeutic approaches including peptide-based, small molecule drugs and antibodies to stop CD55 from migrating to the nucleus.