The establishment of a new biobank of 3D ovarian cancer tumours will make the discovery of targeted ovarian cancer therapies a possibility, providing hope for patients of the disease that claims the lives of more than 1000 Australians every year.

The Cabrini Cancer Institute, in partnership with Monash University’s Biomedicine Discovery Institute (BDI), is building Australia’s most extensive and only biologically comprehensive library of ovarian cancer organoids – 3D cancer models – which will help to shape the future of personalised cancer treatment for ovarian cancer patients.

Oncologist and Group Director of Cabrini Research, Professor Gary Richardson OAM, said there is currently a heavy reliance on symptoms to diagnose ovarian cancer.

“The disease is often advanced and has spread to other parts of the body when identified,” he said. “This means three-quarters of ovarian cancer patients require chemotherapy or immunotherapy, and only half survive beyond five years.”

The establishment of this biobank offers hope for the 1700-plus Australians diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year.

“We’re hopeful we can intervene earlier, with more targeted therapies that are personalised specifically for the patient,” Prof Richardson said.

With the help of Cabrini’s gynaecological surgeons, researchers are collecting ovarian cancer tissues from patients, then growing the organoids in the lab, which can then be used to better predict how individual patients might respond to different forms of treatment, and aid in drug discovery research.

Cabrini Cancer Institute and BDI Papa Lab researcher, Dr Sylvia Mahara, said the new biobank will be accessible to researchers Australia-wide.

“These organoids are valuable pre-clinical models to study ovarian cancer, particularly their response to drug treatment,” she said.

“They can mimic patient-specific characteristics, allowing us to test various treatment strategies to find what works best for the patient’s specific type of tumour. This could make a significant difference to their survival outcomes and quality of life.”

Ovarian cancer patient Helen Goode from South Yarra in Victoria was the first Cabrini patient to donate her tissue for collection as part of the new organoid program. Using her sample, organoids have now been generated and cryopreserved for long-term storage. The research team will grow organoids from 50 patient samples during the first stage of the program.

“I didn’t hesitate to say yes to donating my tissue to this new organoid program,” Helen, a lecturer at the University of Melbourne said.

“It’s an opportunity to help contribute to important ovarian cancer research, which I hope one day will make significant advancements in the same way breast cancer survival rates have improved. I hope my diagnosis can help others.”

Unlike other cancer types, the generation of ovarian cancer organoids is highly challenging due to the lack of availability and difficulty in acquiring samples, and the complex biological structures and behaviours of ovarian cancer, which are difficult to replicate within a laboratory.

“There are more than 30 known subtypes of ovarian cancers,” Dr Mahara said. “But we are working to overcome the barriers and generate ovarian cancer organoids that aim to accurately replicate features not only of tumours but also their surrounding microenvironment, which is closely associated with ovarian cancer progression and treatment resistance.”

The new organoids program is made possible due to the recent expansion of the Cabrini Cancer Institute. Following a Federal Government grant, the integration of the Institute within Cabrini’s Malvern hospital allows researchers and clinicians to better collaborate and bring pioneering cancer research closer to the patients it serves.

Cabrini’s flagship genomic research programs are supported by donor funding and aim to develop breakthroughs and deliver better health outcomes for all cancer patients.

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For media enquiries, please contact:
Catherine Butterfield | M: 0436 928 801 | E: media@cabrini.com.au