Discovery Innovations showcases the latest advances in cancer treatment, research, and prevention. These achievements demonstrate progress made in ending cancer as we know it.
Funding for the research necessary to achieve these advances comes from state and federal support, Huntsman Cancer Foundation, and from individuals like you.
Landmark Study Shows Elevated Cancer Risk for Women with Endometriosis
A landmark study published in the reveals strong associations between specific types of and distinct forms of ovarian cancer. Researchers , an associate professor of public health at the University of Utah (the U), and , an investigator at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor of population health sciences at the U, utilized the Utah Population Database—a vast repository of linked health information—to uncover that women with endometriosis have a 4.2-fold increased risk of developing ovarian cancer.
Notably, women with deep-infiltrating endometriosis, an advanced form of the condition, face 10 times the risk compared to those without the condition. “These are really important findings,” says Doherty. “This research is likely to spark further studies to understand the mechanisms through which specific types of endometriosis cause different types of ovarian cancer, which could lead to novel prevention and treatment modalities.” The study also benefited from contributions by Kathyrn Maurer, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the U, and , associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the U.
Majority of Advanced Bladder Cancer Patients Only Pursue One Line of Therapy
In a , researchers from Huntsman Cancer Institute discovered that patients with advanced urothelial (bladder) cancer are unlikely to pursue more than one line of therapy. These patients have tumors that are inoperable and likely incurable, yet the use of first, second, and third-line therapies can extend their lives by several years.
Investigators and Umang Swami, MD, both assistant professors of oncology at the U, found that once first-line treatment ceased to be effective, most patients did not proceed to additional therapies. In the cohort study, only 37.4% of patients received a minimum of two lines of therapy, and a mere 11.8% pursued at least three lines. Several factors may contribute to these sharp declines, including socioeconomic challenges, lack of access to affordable health care, and low treatment tolerability. “Urothelial cancer is a very aggressive cancer that needs to be tackled head-on," Matthew Thomas emphasizes. "If patients aren’t receiving more than one line of treatment, we need to give the most effective treatments upfront.”
Neeraj Agarwal, MD, FASCO, senior director for clinical research at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor of medicine at the U, also played a key role in designing the study.
ACA Broadens Health Insurance Access for Childhood Cancer Survivors
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) likely expanded private non-employer health insurance options for childhood cancer survivors, according to research published in the . , an investigator at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor of pediatrics at the U, along with , note that childhood cancer survivors may be less likely to work as adults due to ongoing health issues and barriers to education. In a country where insurance is often tied to employment, the ACA provided survivors with more options for coverage and protection from exclusions based on pre-existing conditions. However, survivors with middle to lower incomes may still face challenges in accessing adequate coverage. “I think analyses like this are really important to show that while the ACA has benefited many in the United States, insurance is still not accessible to all. We're still leaving a lot of populations extraordinarily vulnerable,” says Kirchhoff. “Everyone, including cancer survivors, should have access to the health care they need to remain healthy and have a high quality of life.”
The critical research happening every day at Huntsman Cancer Institute is supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute, including cancer center support grant P30 CA042014, as well as Huntsman Cancer Foundation.
Media Contact
Heather Simonsen
Public Affairs Senior Manager
Huntsman Cancer Institute
801 581-3194
public.affairs@hci.utah.edu
About Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the is the National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center for Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming. With a legacy of innovative cancer research, groundbreaking discoveries, and world-class patient care, we are transforming the way cancer is understood, prevented, diagnosed, treated, and survived. Huntsman Cancer Institute focuses on delivering the most advanced cancer healing and prevention through scientific breakthroughs and cutting-edge technology to advance cancer treatments of the future beyond the standard of care today. We have more than 300 open clinical trials and 250 research teams studying cancer. More genes for inherited cancers have been discovered at Huntsman Cancer Institute than at any other cancer center. Our scientists are world-renowned for understanding how cancer begins and using that knowledge to develop innovative approaches to treat each patient’s unique СAPP. Huntsman Cancer Institute was founded by Jon M. and Karen Huntsman.
Resources for Media
The critical research happening every day at Huntsman Cancer Institute is supported by the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute, including cancer center support grant P30 CA042014, as well as Huntsman Cancer Foundation.