New treatments for ovarian cancers with ARID1A gene changes
Mechanistic basis and therapeutic strategies for ARID1A mutation in ovarian cancer
This project targets the IRE1a/XBP1 cell stress pathway, alone or with immunotherapy, to treat ovarian cancers that have ARID1A mutations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11257731 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have an ARID1A-mutated ovarian cancer, researchers are focusing on a specific cell stress pathway (IRE1a/XBP1) that these tumors rely on. They plan to use drugs that block this pathway and combine them with anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy to see if tumors are more likely to die. Much of the work uses laboratory models of ovarian clear cell and endometrioid cancers and molecular studies of tumor cells to understand how the pathway creates a vulnerability. The long-term aim is to turn those findings into a treatment approach for patients whose tumors carry ARID1A mutations.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with ovarian clear cell or endometrioid cancers whose tumors test positive for ARID1A loss or mutation.
Not a fit: Patients whose tumors do not have ARID1A mutations or who have very different ovarian cancer subtypes are less likely to benefit from this specific approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could offer a new targeted therapy and improve outcomes for patients with ARID1A-mutated ovarian cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Targeting ER stress pathways and combining them with PD-L1 blockade has shown promising results in preclinical studies but remains early with limited clinical proof to date.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Rugang — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Rugang
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 below.