Short course of beta-blocker plus COX-2 blocker around surgery to lower ovarian cancer spread
Official title: Inhibiting beta-adrenergic and COX-2 signaling during the perioperative period to reduce ovarian cancer progression
Funded at Tel Aviv University · NIH-11179154 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Women having ovarian cancer surgery are given a short course of a beta-blocker and a COX-2 inhibitor around the time of their operation to see if it lowers cancer spread.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Tel Aviv University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tel Aviv, Israel) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $137,569 |
| NIH project number | 5R21CA291683-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11179154 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are women scheduled for primary ovarian cancer surgery who meet the trial's medical and safety criteria.
✕Less likely to help
People not undergoing ovarian cancer surgery or those with medical contraindications to beta-blockers or COX-2 inhibitors are unlikely to benefit from this trial.
What this research studies
If you join, you'll be randomly assigned to receive a short perioperative course of a beta-blocker and a COX-2 inhibitor or matching placebos around the time of your ovarian cancer surgery. The team will collect blood and tumor samples and measure molecular markers of stress, inflammation, and tumor activity before and after surgery. The drugs are given only for a few days around the operation and have shown good safety in small prior trials. About 60 women will be enrolled to look for early biological signals and initial safety information.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce the chance that ovarian cancer spreads after surgery and improve long-term outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Small randomized trials in breast and colorectal cancer showed favorable biomarker changes and good safety with similar perioperative beta-blocker plus COX-2 regimens, but clinical benefit in ovarian cancer remains unproven.
Where this research is happening
-
Tel Aviv University
Tel Aviv, Israel Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ben-Eliyahu, Shamgar — Tel Aviv University
- Study coordinator: Ben-Eliyahu, Shamgar
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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.