Utthara Nayar, PhD
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
Estrogen receptor mutations as a novel biomarker for response to endocrine therapy in ovarian cancer
Dr. Nayar is pursuing a fast track to the clinical testing of a new treatment for low-grade serous ovarian cancers (LGSOCs). Some LGSOCs develop mutations in the estrogen receptor (ER) molecule and stop responding to standard therapies. In breast cancer, tumors with ER mutations respond to a new class of anti-estrogen therapy called novel SERDs. Dr. Nayar will determine whether ER-mutated ovarian tumors respond to treatment with novel SERDs. Her findings can move rapidly to the clinic to begin clinical trials of novel SERDs in ovarian cancer. This research could revolutionize the treatment landscape for patients with LGSOC.