Investigating how chemotherapy affects ovarian cancer spread
Official title: Chemotherapy induced MASP activation and ovarian cancer metastasis
Funded at University of Maryland Baltimore · NIH-11127928 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how chemotherapy might sometimes make high-grade serous ovarian cancer spread more quickly, and it aims to find new ways to help prevent this from happening, so patients can have better treatment outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Maryland Baltimore NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2025 |
| Project end | January 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $465,020 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA292106-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11127928 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with high-grade serous ovarian cancer who are undergoing or have undergone chemotherapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage ovarian cancer who have not yet received chemotherapy may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding how chemotherapy can inadvertently promote the spread of high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) after treatment. It examines the mechanisms by which cancer cells may evolve and become more aggressive during chemotherapy, leading to metastasis. The study aims to identify potential new therapies that could prevent or reduce this metastatic process, ultimately improving outcomes for patients with ovarian cancer. By analyzing tumor behavior and responses to treatment, the research seeks to develop strategies that could enhance the effectiveness of existing therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved treatment strategies that reduce the risk of metastasis in ovarian cancer patients, potentially increasing survival rates.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has indicated that chemotherapy can have unintended effects on cancer metastasis, suggesting that this area of investigation is both relevant and necessary.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Maryland Baltimore
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Antalis, Toni M — University of Maryland Baltimore
- Study coordinator: Antalis, Toni M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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How chemotherapy can activate MASP and help ovarian cancer spread
This project looks at whether common chemotherapy drugs trigger a protein called MASP that helps high-grade serous ovarian cancer cells spread, with the aim of protecting patients from metastatic relapse.
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Photodynamic lipids to boost chemotherapy for metastatic ovarian cancer
A patient-friendly approach tests a light-activated method to make ovarian cancer metastases more sensitive to chemotherapy.
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Alternative NF-kB activation after chemotherapy in ovarian cancer
This grant studies how ovarian cancer might come back after chemotherapy by looking at specific signaling pathways in cancer cells and the tumor environment.
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Tumor-Niche Co-evolution in Ovarian Cancer Metastasis and Resistance
This research explores how ovarian cancer cells interact with their surrounding tissue to understand how metastasis and resistance to therapy develop, with potential to guide better treatments.
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How the tumor environment helps ovarian cancer spread by activating c‑Jun and AKT2
This work looks for molecular changes in the tumor surroundings that switch on c‑Jun and AKT2 and help ovarian cancer cells spread, aiming to guide new treatments for people with metastatic ovarian cancer.
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Understanding how chemotherapy-related changes fuel ovarian cancer relapse
Aims to uncover how changes after chemotherapy help ovarian cancer come back and how to block those signals to help patients stay cancer-free.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.