UPMC Hillman ovarian cancer treatment program
HCC Ovarian Cancer SPORE
This program tests three new drug approaches to overcome treatment resistance in people with ovarian cancer, including drugs paired with chemotherapy, drugs to restore PARP inhibitor response, and drugs to improve immunotherapy outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11173676 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This program at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center runs three linked clinical trials that each test a different drug strategy for ovarian cancer: blocking EZH2 to help chemotherapy work better, using BET inhibitors to overcome resistance to PARP inhibitors, and targeting hedgehog signaling to make immunotherapy more effective. Each trial includes lab studies and biomarker testing from patient tumor samples and blood to identify who is most likely to respond. The team will enroll patients, give the experimental drugs alongside standard treatments, and monitor tumor response, side effects, and molecular changes over time. Results aim to guide more personalized treatment choices for future patients with resistant ovarian cancer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with ovarian cancer—particularly those with recurrent disease or disease that has stopped responding to platinum chemotherapy, PARP inhibitors, or immunotherapy—are the most likely candidates.
Not a fit: Patients with early-stage ovarian cancer already cured by surgery, people with tumors of a different origin, or those who are medically unable to tolerate experimental therapies may not receive benefit from these trials.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these approaches could help patients overcome treatment resistance and extend survival or time without disease progression.
How similar studies have performed: Early-phase clinical and laboratory studies provide encouraging signals for these mechanisms, but combining them in patients remains experimental and not yet broadly proven.
Where this research is happening
Pittsburgh, United States
- University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh — Pittsburgh, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Buckanovich, Ronald J — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Buckanovich, Ronald J
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.