Immune Response Worsens Outcomes For African American Patients With Ovarian Cancer, Usa Health Study Finds

By University of South Alabama

African American patients with advanced ovarian cancer were found to have a pre-existing immune response linked to worse survival rates compared with their white counterparts, according to research led by Dr. Rodney Rocconi, a gynecologic oncologist and interim director of the USA Health Mitchell Cancer Institute.

In the study, researchers employed ribonucleic acid gene sequencing to examine the immune responses of 94 ovarian cancer patients from across the U.S. They identified five genes that were overexpressed in African American patients and were associated with the IDO immune pathway. The overexpression led to worse survivals, the study found.

“Our research suggests that there may be an opportunity to selectively use immunotherapy targeted to the IDO pathway to potentially close the racial disparity gap in ovarian cancer,” Rocconi said.The study was one of two presentations on gynecologic cancers and race given by Rocconi at the Society of Gynecologic Oncology’s 50th Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer in Honolulu.

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