HAPPY TIMES

It is funny where you can pick up OVCA news if you keep tuned. As many of you know, I often amuse myself by pretending to be Warren Buffett – “playing” the stock market, using my kids’ inheritance. So far, Warren is beating me pretty badly. However, from time to time I run on financial press releases that bear on OVCA research. I did so today. There is this little drug company-that-could, named Immunogen (formerly known as Celsion), located in Lawrenceville, NJ, that seems to have hit the jackpot. It has won fast-track approval from the FDA for one of its products (they call it EAHERE) that seems to be successful in the usual preliminary trials. EAHERE is an ADG, which stands for antibody drug conjugate. It is a means to deliver a lethal dose of toxicity directly to the cancer cells, that causes no harm elsewhere. In my primitive understanding, the process involves extracting T cells that are fighting cancer, cloning them by the billions in the lab, attaching them to a “messenger” molecule, then reinjecting the whole mess, now known as an antigen drug conjugate – ADC – into the patient. Sounds simple, huh? Not likely. But let’s hope. I am, however, not planning to plunk down real money on IMGN stock, I did that several years ago, when CELSION issued an optimistic press release. I doubt if Warren did. So far my loss hovers at 90%

LINDA AT 16

tHERE WILL BE LITTLE NEW HERE, BUT IT IS WELLEXPRESSED AND WORTH A GLANCE

PINEDALE, WYOMING

News about early detection, from a peculiar source/

INSIDE THE CRATER, SANTORINI

This is more of continuing experiment, designed to unfix the “upgrade” Bill Gates foisted on me several weeks ago. I now can get picture and text together but the web address gets plastered on the text part, making it hard to open. So, now I will try simply placing the computer stuff in a Comment. That way, those of you who are into the biology/medical stuff can get at it easily – and those of you who just like the pictures don’t have to feel guilty. Anyway, here goes.

HORNEY LADY

Genuine OVCA “news” has been scarce of late – unless of course, you have at least a MS in microbiology and are not intimidated by technical terms longer than the typical place name in rural Iceland. So, largely to test my new posting technique, I present below a news item from Fred Hutch, laying out their choice of the best Seattle docs for various maladies. I guess it might prove useful someday. Who knows? https://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/releases/2022/09/seattle-cancer-care-alliance-physicians-named-in-seattle-met-s-2.html

LINDA IN YORKSURE

I can think of almost no reasons to live in Los Angeles. One exception is the presence there of Cedars-Sinai Caner Institute, one of the very best in the world. They have recently published the results of some research, summarized below, done in conjunction with Cambridge University. The work involved the influence of “copy variations” on ovarian cancer susceptibility. Copy variations occur when dividing cells misplace or miscount a segment of DNA. The segment may be duplicated, misplaced, or eliminated altogether. If that “segment” is a gene associated with cancer prevention, such as BRCA, bad things may occur, It isn’t clear to me how this bit of knowledge will help eliminate OVCA – but, then, I’m just a dumb geologist. Anyway, read the article; it’s interesting. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20221011/Two-new-studies-help-improve-the-understanding-of-ovarian-cancer.aspx

TEMPLE FOR RAMSES II CHIEF WIFE

Here is some information I hope you will never need. It emanates from MD Anderson, one of the very top cancer clinics in the world. It is deficient in that it doesn’t explain how the cancer is further divided into sub-stages A, B, and C. I will leave that to you. https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/ovarian-cancer-stages--how-they-are-determined.h00-159543690.html

JUST A NICE PICTURE OF LINDA AND CAROLYN

It appears to be a slow news day, regarding ovarian cancer that is. Swedish Hospital in Seattle has leaped into the breech and posted a general description of their efforts to combat OVCA. The web address – the longest I have ever seen – is given below. (Thank God for copy and paste!) Swedish is a top notch oncology hospital. My daughter was treated there, and it was home to the efforts of my favorite human being. Dr. Saul Rivkin. The Rivkin Institute is housed there. So I think it okay to pass on what is essentially their add. Maybe it will do some good. https://www.swedish.org/services/cancer-institute/cancer-types/ovarian-cancer?placement=&target=&keyword=ovarian%20cancer&matchtype=e&hgcrm_channel=paid_search&hgcrm_source=google_adwords&hgcrm_agency=mh&hgcrm_campaignid=10479&hgcrm_tacticid=16131&hgcrm_trackingsetid=23273&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=sp22-1151_ps_onc_centralps-ovariancancergrowth&campaign_id=18253982799&adgroup_id=140475936426&utm_term=ovarian%20cancer&target_id=kwd-24208680&matchtype=e&network=g&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkt6aBhDKARIsAAyeLJ0Prcs26td77TyK5rv_j1MJweTVCS6FZMyRAEishMakv8Cc1WIaBPoaAhljEALw_wcB&gad_acct_id=751-070-6692&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkt6aBhDKARIsAAyeLJ0Prcs26td77TyK5rv_j1MJweTVCS6FZMyRAEishMakv8Cc1WIaBPoaAhljEALw_wcB

KEEPING WARM AT THE CABIN

Here is more evidence against the quasi-evolutionary theory of Intelligent Design. If I read this article correctly, three OCRA-funded scientists have shown that development of the fallopian tubes – essential for reproduction BUT the place where the most deadly kind of OVCA develops – requires a protein which, together with another protein, PROMOTES the development of the cancer! If that isn’t a Rube Goldberg to build a body I don’t know what is! Geez! One can only hope that new therapies will devolve from this peculiar discovery. I have faith, by golly. https://ocrahope.org/2022/05/study-pax8-sox17-proteins-may-contribute-to-ovarian-cancer/

OUR SKINNY PHASE

You should read this straight through. It highlights the extremely good quality of the people on the front line of the battle against ovarian cancer. It left me encouraged, but with a renewed appreciation of how far we still must go. https://ocrahope.org/2022/09/ie-ming-shih-md-phd-ovarian-cancer-researcher/? utm_source=OCRAEmail&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Newsletter&utm_content=Oct2022

WITH CAROLYN ON DUNGENESS SPIT

Oh, God! Bill Gates has screwed around with my OS again. It will be touch and go if I manage to post this tidbit. If it doesn’t show up you will know Bill & Co won. Oh, that doesn’t make sense, does it? Anyway, I am trying to tell you that Jeff Bezos, who is even richer than Bill, has just laid more than $700 million on Fred Hutch, for some highly commendable purposes: see below. This amounts to about $70 million per year for the ten year duration of the grant. That will sure buy a lot of test tubes. Bernie Sanders might, in his disgruntled, killjoy fashion, point out that, relative to his net worth, that is less than I contribute to the Hutch annually. However, Jeff undoubtedly contributes to worthwhile causes elsewhere, whereas anything left over after my lavish life style mainly goes to Irish Death beer. Besides, Jeff-sized contributions spur new avenues of research where my pittance probably DOES go for test tubes. So, let’s hear it for greedy capitalism! https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?pli=1#search/fred+/FMfcgzGqQvvRpSsjtMdkSQqRNPrzMXvb

BETTER TIMES

More use for genetic analysis in combating OVCA and BRCA. Maybe, eventually, this will sink into the brains of those who divvy up the research money. At least I sincerely hope so. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2022-10-gene-mutations-routinely-ovarian-cancer.html

i'm trying

sO, i used to be able to assemble these posts easily, and in a manner that made them easy to peruse. No more. Windows has foisted an "upgrade" on me which has screwed it all up. Or was it Google? Anyway from now on I will put links in the comments section, which I hope will make them easier to navigate. I will do so for the last few entries. I sure hope it works.

PICKING OUT A GOURD TO DECORATE

Mutations cause cancer, right? Well, not always. In fact, rarely. Our bodies are riddled with mutations, but a cancer results only under (blessedly) rare circumstances. Why? Well, it seems largely to be because of the cellular environment; neighboring cells somehow stifle bad tendencies on the part of a flawed cell. How and why are the subjects of this Fred Hutch research report. Easy to read, largely untechnical. But long. Go to it. https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#search/Fred+Hutch/FMfcgzGqQSTbXpzCdgwlZwLpnQhSRHxC

A KALAMAZOO AUTUMN

I am embarrassed to keep peppering you with general discussions about OVCA; the fact is that this seems to be a slack time in reportage of really significant news. Anyway, here is a useful video that takes about five minutes to watch. The two ladies are gynecological oncologists from the well regarded Roswell Park clinic in Buffalo, New York. https://www.roswellpark.org/cancertalk/202209/frequently-searched-questions-ovarian-cancer

LINDA , FRIEND - AND RA HIRAKTI

Slow news day. This maybe usefull https://www.everydayhealth.com/ovarian-cancer/things-to-read-watch-and-listen-to-about-ovarian-cancer/

GENETICS COUNSILOR

My wonderful and intelligent daughter Kristen (center; white coat) trained to be a genetics councilor. Although fully qualified, through a combination of unlucky circumstances, mostly economic, she was unable to secure a suitable position. She now holds an important job as a data analyst for a hospital chain. She is happy, healthy and (well, almost) wealthy now, but I am sorry she didn’t get to follow her plotted course. Here is a glimps of what she would have been doing. https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzGqQctTXSHBCHwsvMtHCsdNBgbW

MISSMATCH REPAIR

Linda with yet another baby I am still struggling with this new Windows operating system (which was foisted on me, all unknowing, in the dead of night several weeks ago) in an effort to create well organized, attractive and readable blog postings. So there is nothing much of useful information here. Sorry. But: you know about the harmful effects of mutations of the BRCA genes. Turns out there is another mutation they look for: MMR. This stands for mismatch repair. When a cell divides, as you have known for years, the two strands of the DNA double helix separate and are copied to form the code for the new cells. As there are literally billions of bases to copy, inevitably some mistakes occur; MMR searches them out and repairs them. If the MMR gene is buggered, unrepaired mutations will accumulate – and some combination of them may lead to cancer. Google MMR and see if you can understand what comes forth. Now to see if I can post this properly.

LINDA WITH UNKNOWN BABY SNATCHED FROM PARKED CAR!

Here is a PBS film clip on ovarian cancer risk-assessment. Speaks for itself. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/whos-at-the-greatest-risk-of-ovarian-cancer

LINDA WITH ELLA (?), AND CAT

\ You all know that mutations in the BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 genes render a woman much more at risk from breast and ovarian cancer. Heretofore that information has been quite useful as a warning to women carrying such mutations to form a tight and immediate acquaintanceship with a damned good oncologist. (The problem of course is that few women actually know their BRCA status.) Now, however, thanks to the donation described in this article, scientists will be able to research ways to frustrate the knavish tricks (to quote the British national anthem) of the malfunctioning BRCA gene, thus sparing many women a lifetime of worry. This makes me wish that I had spent my life accumulating money, instead of entries on a publication list. I would like to be able to gift Fred Hutch with a cool $50 million. But, nah - I’d have made a piss-poor capitalist. https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/55m-gift-creates-new-cancer-interception-institute-penns-basser-center-brca-stop-hereditary