Craif (Location: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, CEO: Ryuichi Onose, hereinafter referred to as “Craif”) has entered into a joint study agreement with National Cancer Center Japan (Location: Chuo-ku, Tokyo, President: Hitoshi Nakagama, hereinafter referred to as “NCCJ”). With the conclusion of this agreement, Craif and the National Cancer Center Hospital East (Location: Kashiwa, Chiba, Director: Atsushi Otsu) will conduct research to elucidate tumor immune responses to PARP inhibitors and to determine their clinical significance in ovarian cancer. 

■ Outline of Research
The number of new ovarian cancer cases in Japan is 13,049(*1) per year, and the mortality rate (per 100,000 population) is 7.5(*2). Since the ovary is a pelvic organ, there are few noticeable symptoms in the early-stage of ovarian cancer even when the tumor develops and grows. It is also said that almost half of the new cases are already in stage III or IV cancer when  it is first diagnosed (*3). Although recent medical advances have improved the treatment outcome, nearly 70% of the patients experience recurrence within 3 years after the initial treatment (*4). Hence, the 5-year survival rate is 46% for stage III, 25.1% for stage IV, and the long-term survival rate is very poor. In this study, we will perform a comprehensive analysis of urinary miRNA before and after treatment in patients with ovarian cancer who receive PARP inhibitors. With this analysis, we will capture changes in the ovarian cancer microenvironment before and after medical treatment in order to select patients who should receive PARP inhibitors using a non-invasive and simple urine test.

Source:
(*1) National Cancer Center Cancer Information Service, “Cancer Statistics” FY2018 (National Cancer Registry)
(*2) Cancer Statistics, Cancer Information Service, National Cancer Center
(Vital Statistics, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare)
(*3) Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gynecologic Oncology Committee Report FY2017 Patient Annual Report
(*4) Ledermann, J. A., et al. “Newly diagnosed and relapsed epithelial ovarian carcinoma: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. and follow-up.” Annals of oncology 24 (2013)