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Clinical Trials for New Ovarian Cancer Drug

Ovarian cancer is one of the most difficult of women's cancers to diagnose. There is no accurate screening test and early symptoms are vague.

Because of that, it's the most deadly reproductive cancer for women. Clinical trials are about to begin on a new drug for women just diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer. They want to see if it's better than current treatment options at offering them hope for a longer life with fewer side effects.

Unfortunately, most women with ovarian cancer are like Eileen Snodgrass.

They don't recognize symptoms until the disease is far advanced.

"All of a sudden I thought I have a little pouch here, so I went on Slimfast, but nothing happened. And then one night I woke up in pain. So I went in and they did a vaginal ultrasound and it came up on the screen. I could see it. There was a tumor in there about the size of a grapefruit," said Snodgrass.

That was March 1999, one recurrence, one bald head and many rounds of chemotherapy ago.

"I do get tired. I say I don't want to go in there because I know I'm going to feel sick, but I do it. If I want to be around for that miracle put up with some things," she said.

At the same time, Eileen knows the odds are against her.

"Barring a miracle, when these stop working someday, that'll be it."

For Eileen, and all the Eileens, the search goes on. Miracles are hard to find, but progress is being made.

"Ten years ago you talked to patients and it was a death sentence and it was terrible. If it wasn't the cancer that they succumbed to it was the treatments that had so many side effects," Dr. James Bianco of Cell Therapeutics said.

The first of a new generation of "smart" chemotherapy drugs has just been developed by Cell Therapeutics in Seattle. "Xyotax" is a new form of Taxol that targets the potent drug directly to the cancer.

"The concept of not just living with cancer, but having a quality of life with your cancer and learning to get control of your disease without the terrible side effects. The hope is that cancer can become a chronic disease - treatable until a cure is finally found," Dr. James Bianco of Cell Therapeutics said.

For the latest study, Xyotax is going to be tested on women who are facing their first battle with ovarian cancer. If you'd like more information about the clinical trials, call 1-800-916-9280.

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