ObGyn Grand Rounds

Join us on Friday mornings from 7:30-8:30 a.m. for Ob/Gyn Grand Rounds.

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NCI Encourages Drug Treatment for Advanced Ovarian Cancer

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has issued an announcement encouraging treatment with anticancer drugs via two methods for women with advanced ovarian cancer. The combined methods, which deliver drugs directly into the abdomen, extend survival for women with advanced ovarian cancer by about a year. OHSU participated in the NCI-supported clinical trial that led to the announcement.

"This is exciting news for women with ovarian cancer, and it lives out a promise for intraperitoneal therapy that for about 20 years has been hoped for," said Joanna M. Cain, M.D., professor and chairwoman of obstetrics and gynecology in the OHSU School of Medicine and director of the OHSU Center for Women's Health and member of the OHSU Cancer Institute.

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New Ovarian Cancer Drug Being Studied at OHSU

A new targeted, "silver bullet" drug is being given to women with ovarian cancer as part of a new study by Fabio Cappuccini, M.D., OHSU Center for Women's Health researcher and surgical oncologist.

The drug, Telcyta, has been shown in animal studies to be effective in fighting ovarian cancer in subjects that are resistant to platinum, one of the best drugs to combat ovarian cancer. Fabio Cappuccini, M.D., principal investigator, described how Telcyta works: "The platinum drug is like the quarterback and Telcyta acts like a defensive lineman..."

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OHSU teams up with NASA to Improve Rural Obstetric Care

OHSU and NASA's new study, "Using Military and Aviation Simulation Experience to Improve Rural Obstetric Care," is very down-to-earth and will help reduce errors in emergency, high-risk births. The technology used to train astronauts is being applied to simulation of obstetric emergencies via use of a high-tech pregnant manikin that will be programmed to give birth during various life-threatening emergencies.

The goal of this project according to Jeanne-Marie Guise, M.D., M.P.H., the principal investigator, is to bring the space agency's simulation technology and training into the field of obstetrics. OHSU was awarded the $480,000, two-year grant which will be used to develop a standardized curriculum at OHSU and tested in several rural hospitals in Oregon.

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