Interim results from a phase II study suggest a novel drug combination could provide a much-needed advancement in the treatment of a rare form of ovarian cancer.
The research findings, which are being presented at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, demonstrate nearly twice the efficacy of the current best treatment for advanced low-grade serous ovarian cancer (LGSOC).
About the Study
The RAMP-201 study, led by researchers from The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and The Institute of Cancer Research in London, tested the drugs avutometinib and defactinib, both alone and in combination, in 29 LGSOC patients.
These drugs work by blocking signals that stimulate cancer cell growth. Current treatment options in the U.K., such as chemotherapy and hormone therapy, have response rates ranging from 0%–14%.
A targeted treatment, trametinib, is available via the Cancer Drugs Fund and has a response rate of 26%.
Findings
Nearly half (45%) of patients treated with the combination of avutometinib and defactinib saw significant tumor shrinkage, making this treatment almost twice as effective as the next best option.
Patients with a KRAS gene mutation saw particularly promising results, with 60% experiencing significant tumor shrinkage.
Combating Resistance
Avutometinib, a dual RAF and MEK inhibitor, blocks proteins that facilitate cancer growth and survival. Over time, however, tumors can develop resistance to this treatment.
Defactinib is designed to counteract a protein that promotes drug resistance, which, when combined with avutometinib, may enhance the efficacy of the latter.
Next Steps
These interim findings offer promise for a new, more effective treatment for LGSOC, a form of ovarian cancer that affects approximately 1 in 10 cases and has a notably poor response rate to current treatments.
With around 700 women in the U.K. and 80,000 globally diagnosed each year, this breakthrough could significantly improve patient outcomes.
The researchers are hopeful that this drug combination will become the standard care for women with LGSOC in the future.
Patient Experience
One patient, diagnosed with LGSOC in 2009, joined the earlier phase I FRAME trial at The Royal Marsden in 2020.
After her cancer completely resisted chemotherapy and hormone therapy, she began the new drug combination treatment.
Her latest scan results show no evidence of the disease, demonstrating the potential real-world impact of this innovative treatment approach.
If you care about cancer, please read studies that a low-fat diet could help improve survival in breast cancer, and what you need to know about cancer and booster shot.
For more information about cancer, please see recent studies about a new way to increase the longevity of cancer survivors, and results showing vitamin D supplements strongly reduces cancer death.
The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Copyright © 2023 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
