The Pacific Ovarian Cancer Research Consortium (POCRC) is a community-based, multidisciplinary, translational research program that involves clinicians, laboratory scientists and public health scientists from six research and medical institutions on the Pacific Coast. The community-based approach allows the pooling of clinical resources to facilitate population-based studies despite the low incidence of ovarian cancer. The themes of the program are biomarkers for risk and early detection of disease, molecular targets for prognosis and therapy, and antigens for immunotherapy. We hypothesize that through early detection we can improve outcomes significantly because currently available treatments are more effective in disease confined to the ovary; new, less toxic immunotherapeutic approaches are expected to be particularly effective in early-stage disease. The POCRC will conduct 5 translational research projects including a screening trial in high-risk women using serum markers validated in preclinical samples, a novel imaging trial using targeted microbubbles to improve ultrasound performance, validation of a microRNA plasma signature for respectability, exploration of restoration of wild-type BRCA1 function in the development of resistance to cicplatin, and a Phase 1 trial of an anti-lGFBP2 vaccine. Each project addresses at least one of the translational areas outlined in the SPORE guidelines and together the program addresses 5 of the 6 translational pathways defined by the TRWG, All projects build on work performed during the current and previous funding periods. A Developmental Research Program and a Career Development Program are also included as part of our Renewal. Projects are supported by a Leadership and Administration Core, a Clinical Specimen Management and Characterization Core, a Participant Recruitment, Enrollment and Characterization Core, and a Biostatistics and Data Management Core.
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