**June 2026** --- June brought a rich and clinically varied month for ovarian cancer research. The standout story was a large international study on people who have had exceptional long-term responses to PARP inhibitors, suggesting that functional cure may be possible for some. Alongside that, new findings addressed how to use PARP inhibitors in older patients, whether chemotherapy response during treatment predicts who benefits from maintenance therapy, and a striking new result from a randomized trial of aerosolized intraperitoneal chemotherapy for patients with residual disease after surgery. The month also included two important studies on racial disparities in ovarian cancer outcomes and in cascade genetic testing, a moving qualitative study about how people with advanced ovarian cancer maintain hope, and early preclinical findings in low-grade serous ovarian cancer. *The papers highlighted here represent a selection of those published during the month. The papers were selected and summarized by AI. Accuracy of the summaries was confirmed by a scientist.* This digest incorporates only open-access research articles that are free to be read by the entire community and that are explicitly licensed to be shared and reused. --- **PARP inhibitor maintenance: refining who benefits most and how long to treat** PARP inhibitors (drugs that block cancer cells' ability to repair their own DNA damage) are now central to ovarian cancer treatment, but important questions remain about patient selection, treatment duration, and what happens after disease recurs. - A real-world study from a single academic center in Canada found that how well a tumor responds to chemotherapy before surgery may help predict whether PARP inhibitor maintenance therapy will benefit a patient afterward. Among 213 patients, those whose tumors showed a strong pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (moderate-to-marked regression at interval debulking surgery) gained significantly more progression-free survival from maintenance PARP inhibitors than those with minimal response, suggesting the pathology response score could be a useful tool for counseling patients, especially when BRCA and HRD testing are unavailable. ([Read the full paper](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygyno.2026.06.006)) - A real-world single-center study from China examined PARP inhibitor maintenance in 56 patients aged 65 or older, a population underrepresented in clinical trials. Both olaparib and niraparib showed favorable outcomes, with a median progression-free survival of 24 months in the first-line maintenance group. Three factors were independently associated with longer progression-free survival: achieving no residual disease at initial surgery, having a BRCA mutation, and having a CA-125 level of 10 U/mL or lower before starting maintenance. Side effects were manageable and similar to those seen in younger patients. ([Read the full paper](https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2026.1737880)) - An indirect comparison analysis reconstructed individual patient data from published clinical trials to compare PARP inhibitor regimens across genetic and risk subgroups. In BRCA-mutated, high-risk patients, olaparib alone and olaparib combined with bevacizumab showed the most robust progression-free survival benefit, modestly outperforming niraparib. In the broader HRD-positive, BRCA wild-type group, olaparib plus bevacizumab and niraparib performed comparably. The authors emphasize that genetic profile and relapse risk together should guide treatment selection in clinical practice. ([Read the full paper](https://doi.org/10.32604/or.2026.077700)) --- **Intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy: a randomized trial changes the conversation for patients with residual disease** Pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC) delivers chemotherapy directly into the abdominal cavity as a fine mist during a minimally invasive procedure, allowing deeper tissue penetration than standard intravenous treatment. - A randomized phase II trial (PIPAC-OVA) conducted at a single center assigned 182 patients with advanced ovarian cancer and residual disease after primary cytoreductive surgery to receive either standard carboplatin/paclitaxel alone or the same chemotherapy plus three PIPAC sessions with cisplatin and doxorubicin. The results were striking: median progression-free survival was 19.7 months with PIPAC versus 12.5 months without it (hazard ratio 0.31), and median overall survival was 46.2 months versus 38.1 months. Complete macroscopic regression of peritoneal disease was achieved in 98.8% of PIPAC-treated patients. Grade 3–4 toxicity rates were similar between the two groups. These findings, from a single center in Russia, will need confirmation in larger multi-center trials, but they raise important questions about whether PIPAC should become part of primary treatment for patients who cannot achieve complete cytoreduction. ([Read the full paper](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-026-16285-8)) - A systematic review and meta-analysis separately evaluated PIPAC in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, finding consistent signals of biological activity, including tumor regression by histological criteria, with a favorable toxicity profile across multiple published studies. The authors argue that PIPAC should be thought of not merely as palliative care but as a disease-modifying strategy that may open doors to further treatment, including eventual surgery. ([Read the full paper](https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15124443)) --- **Survivorship and quality of life: living with advanced ovarian cancer** The emotional and psychological dimensions of ovarian cancer, including how people make sense of their diagnosis and find ways to keep going, are increasingly recognized as essential parts of care. - A qualitative phenomenological study interviewed 16 women with advanced ovarian cancer in China across an 11-month period, using the Common Sense Model of illness to understand how they maintained hope over time. Researchers identified three interconnected processes: reframing ovarian cancer from an acute crisis to a manageable chronic condition (often by anchoring to stable scan results or drawing analogies to diabetes); building trust with care teams, who served as a "hope anchor" through honest but hope-oriented communication and shared decision-making; and actively managing what information they engaged with, focusing on actionable biomarkers rather than population-level statistics. Family members played a central role in co-constructing illness meaning and tracking milestones. Importantly, women who developed platinum resistance often returned to the acute crisis state, suggesting that hope maintenance is dynamic rather than permanent. The study points to concrete practices clinicians can support to help sustain adaptive hope: milestone framing, continuity of care, and family-centered communication. ([Read the full paper](https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.70506)) - For people who have been diagnosed with a BRCA mutation (a gene change that significantly elevates ovarian and breast cancer risk), navigating the healthcare system is a lifelong task. A survey study of 27 individuals with self-reported BRCA pathogenic variants, conducted in partnership with OCRA and SHARE Cancer Support, found near-universal preference for receiving all BRCA-related care from a single clinician or center, with same-day appointment availability and expertise spanning cancer screening, risk-reducing surgery, and menopause management. The findings provide patient-centered guidance for designing dedicated hereditary cancer programs. ([Read the full paper](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gore.2026.102104)) --- **Health disparities and equity: where we stand and what the data show** Understanding who is disproportionately affected by ovarian cancer and why is essential to improving outcomes across the community. - A major analysis from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium examined survival data from 14,552 women with epithelial ovarian cancer across 18 studies worldwide. After adjusting for age, stage, year of diagnosis, histotype, and other factors, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women had a 58% higher risk of death compared to non-Hispanic White women, and non-Hispanic Black women had a 31% higher risk. The disparity was especially pronounced for high-grade serous carcinoma in Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander women. The study's ability to disaggregate Asian and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander groups, often combined in research, is a methodological strength that reveals disparities typically obscured by lumping together diverse populations. The underlying reasons, whether differences in access to care, treatment quality, clinical trial enrollment, or biological factors, remain to be fully understood. ([Read the full paper](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41416-026-03509-8)) - A national study used incidence-based mortality data from the SEER database, corrected for historical oophorectomy rates (since women who have had their ovaries removed cannot develop ovarian cancer and removing them from the denominator gives a more accurate picture of true risk), to examine trends in ovarian cancer across racial and ethnic groups from 2000 to 2019. Overall ovarian cancer incidence declined modestly, while fallopian tube cancer incidence rose, consistent with ongoing reclassification of tumors previously called "ovarian" as actually arising in the fallopian tube. Non-Hispanic Black women had the lowest 5-year survival rates even after adjusting for histotype and stage, pointing to persistent disparities in care. High-grade serous carcinoma accounted for 68% of cases but 83% of deaths. ([Read the full paper](https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.72003)) --- --- **Oncolytic virus therapy: a new approach to reversing platinum resistance** For people whose ovarian cancer has stopped responding to platinum-based chemotherapy, treatment options are limited. An oncolytic virus called Olvi-Vec (a modified vaccinia virus that infects and kills cancer cells) was evaluated in the VIRO-15 phase 1b/2 study in heavily pretreated patients with platinum-resistant or refractory ovarian cancer. The study found that Olvi-Vec treatment appeared to reverse platinum resistance in some patients: when platinum-doublet chemotherapy was given after Olvi-Vec, progression-free survival improved compared to those patients' last platinum treatment before enrollment, which is unusual in this setting where each successive line of treatment typically produces diminishing returns. Analysis of tumor biopsies before and after Olvi-Vec treatment showed large influxes of immune cells (CD8+ T cells) into the tumor, along with gene expression changes consistent with immune activation and cancer cell death. These are early-phase results requiring confirmation, but they represent a novel mechanism for resensitizing platinum-resistant tumors. ([Read the full paper](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gore.2026.102145)) --- **Low-grade serous ovarian cancer: a new target emerges** Low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGSOC) is a distinct, rarer subtype of ovarian cancer that tends to be chemotherapy-resistant and has limited treatment options beyond hormonal therapy and MEK inhibitors. - A preclinical study from Yale University examined whether a protein called TROP2 (a target already used in antibody-drug conjugate therapy for other cancers) is expressed in LGSOC tumors. An antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) is a targeted treatment that combines a tumor-seeking antibody with a chemotherapy drug, delivering the drug specifically to cancer cells. The researchers found TROP2 expression in all 29 LGSOC cases they examined, with moderate-to-strong expression in 79% of them. In a laboratory mouse model using a patient-derived LGSOC tumor resistant to chemotherapy, aromatase inhibitors, and MEK inhibitors, treatment with datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd, a TROP2-directed ADC) significantly inhibited tumor growth and extended survival. Median survival was not reached by day 50 in the treated group, compared to 22 days in the control group. This is preclinical data, but it provides a strong rationale for clinical trials of Dato-DXd in LGSOC. ([Read the full paper](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gore.2026.102146)) --- **BRCA testing and hereditary risk: what your specific mutation may mean** Not all BRCA mutations behave identically, and several June studies added important nuance to how the specific nature of a mutation affects risk, treatment outcomes, and variant interpretation. - Whole-exome sequencing of 231 individuals, including 39 people with high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) and 192 healthy controls stratified by family history, found pathogenic or likely pathogenic germline variants in 56% of HGSOC patients. Strikingly, the frequency and pattern of pathogenic variants among people with a family history of cancer who did not themselves have ovarian cancer closely resembled the HGSOC patient group. The authors suggest these findings support considering germline variant screening for people with a strong family history, even before a cancer diagnosis. ([Read the full paper](https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27125564)) - A computational and functional study took on the challenging problem of BRCA1 variants of uncertain significance, which are genetic changes found during testing whose effect on cancer risk is unknown, creating uncertainty for patients and clinicians. The researchers focused on the BRCA1 BRCT domain, a region of the protein that is prone to missense variants, and developed a machine-learning classifier combining nine established computational tools to predict whether a given missense change is pathogenic or benign. Of 22 variants assessed using this approach alongside laboratory functional assays, the results showed the classifier can meaningfully discriminate pathogenic from benign variants in this domain. The work offers a framework for reclassifying variants currently sitting in the uncertain zone. ([Read the full paper](https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol33060354)) --- **What Does This Mean for Me?** **If I've been on a PARP inhibitor for a long time and it's still working, should I keep taking it?** This is one of the most important questions for people currently benefiting from PARP inhibitor maintenance, and June’s findings can guide honest conversations with your oncologist about whether indefinitely continuing PARP inhibitor therapy is right for you, or whether a planned discontinuation might be considered. Ask: *"Based on how long I've been responding, would you consider me an exceptional responder? What does the evidence say about duration of treatment in my situation?"* **Should I make sure my family members have been offered BRCA testing?** Yes, and a June cascade testing study, that was excluded due to licensing restrictions, underscores how often family members don’t get genetic testing. If you carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation and have biological relatives who haven't been tested, sharing your genetic report (or connecting them directly with a genetic counselor) is one of the most impactful things you can do for your family's health. Ask your care team: *"What resources does this clinic offer to help me communicate my results to family members?"* Please check out [OCRA's Free Genetic Testing Program](https://ocrahope.org/resources-support/free-genetic-testing-program/), where eligible individuals can receive a free at-home genetic test kit. **What's the latest on treatment for low-grade serous ovarian cancer?** LGSOC has historically had very few treatment options once standard approaches stop working. The preclinical data on datopotamab deruxtecan targeting TROP2 is early (laboratory and mouse data, not human trials yet) but it's significant because TROP2 appears to be expressed very broadly in LGSOC, even in tumors resistant to everything else. If you have LGSOC, it's worth asking your oncologist about clinical trials involving TROP2-directed therapies, as trials in this space are expected to open based on findings like these. *This digest is prepared by OCRA (Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance) for patients, caregivers, and advocates. It is intended to inform, not to guide individual treatment decisions. Please speak with your care team about what research findings may mean for your specific situation.* --- **Sources** **Directly Referenced in This Digest** 1. Bergeron AM, et al. "Could chemotherapy response score act as a surrogate marker of response to PARP inhibitor maintenance treatment in patients with advanced ovarian cancer?" *Gynecologic Oncology.* June 15, 2026. PMID 42296694. 2. Lu J, et al. "Efficacy and safety of PARP inhibitor maintenance therapy in elderly ovarian cancer patients: a real-world single-center retrospective cohort study." *Frontiers in Oncology.* June 8, 2026. PMID 42339129. 3. Gasperoni L, et al. "Progression-Free Survival with PARP Inhibitors According to Clinical Risk in Patients with Ovarian Cancer: An Indirect Comparison Using Reconstructed Data." *Oncology Research.* June 16, 2026. PMID 42358828. 4. Dzasokhov AS, et al. "Adjuvant pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC) in suboptimally cytoreduced advanced ovarian cancer: a randomized phase II trial (PIPAC-OVA)." *BMC Cancer.* June 4, 2026. PMID 42243730. 5. Brebu D, et al. "Pressurized Intraperitoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy for Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Outcomes." *Journal of Clinical Medicine.* June 9, 2026. PMID 42355611. 6. Long Y, et al. "Navigating Hope and Illness Cognition in Advanced Ovarian Cancer Patients: A CSM-Based Phenomenological Study." *Psycho-Oncology.* June 2026. PMID 42287001. 7. Karimaghaie T, et al. "Navigating the healthcare system with a pathogenic variant: What do patients value?" *Gynecologic Oncology Reports.* May 9, 2026. PMID 42199934. 8. Meagher NS, et al. "Differences in overall survival for invasive epithelial ovarian cancer by race and ethnicity: results from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium." *British Journal of Cancer.* June 30, 2026. PMID 42373846. 9. Wentzensen N, et al. "Oophorectomy-Corrected Ovarian Cancer Incidence, Survival, and Mortality by Subtype, Race, Ethnicity." *Cancer Medicine.* June 2026. PMID 42332887. 10. Yu YA, et al. "Olvi-Vec oncolytic immunotherapy and reversal of platinum resistance in ovarian cancer." *Gynecologic Oncology Reports.* June 19, 2026. PMID 42383154. 11. Ottum S, et al. "Activity of datopotamab deruxtecan in TROP2-expressing low-grade serous ovarian cancer: a preclinical study." *Gynecologic Oncology Reports.* June 15, 2026. PMID 42368461. 12. Cho HL, et al. "Comprehensive Germline Profiling of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer Using Whole-Exome Sequencing." *International Journal of Molecular Sciences.* June 19, 2026. PMID 42353278. 13. Torretto GC, et al. "Domain-Specific Computational, Functional and Structural Methods Enable Interpretation of BRCA1 BRCT Variants of Uncertain Significance." *Current Oncology.* June 11, 2026. PMID 42346254. **Additional Open-Access Papers Published in June 2026 on Related Topics** 14. Maestri C, et al. "Heterogeneity of Ex Vivo Tumor Responses in Ovarian Cancer Tissues." *Cancer Reports (Hoboken).* June 2026. PMID 42290131. *(Functional profiling study creating 3D microtumors from fresh biopsies to assess ex vivo drug response heterogeneity; highlights patient-to-patient variability in carboplatin, paclitaxel, gemcitabine, and olaparib responses, supporting the concept of personalized therapy testing.)* 15. Zhao M, et al. "Prognostic value of CA125, HE4, ROMA, and CPH-I in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer." *BMC Cancer.* June 4, 2026. PMID 42243732. *(Retrospective study showing elevated preoperative CA125, HE4, ROMA, and Copenhagen Index scores are associated with suboptimal cytoreduction, platinum resistance, and shorter progression-free survival; supports use of combined biomarker assessment in risk stratification.)* 16. Wang F, et al. "Exosomes in Ovarian Cancer: Promoters, Biomarkers, and Therapeutic Targets." *International Journal of Nanomedicine.* June 16, 2026. PMID 42325396. *(Review summarizing the role of exosomes — small vesicles released by cancer cells — in ovarian cancer progression, metastasis, and chemoresistance, and their potential as non-invasive biomarkers and drug delivery vehicles.)* 17. Cai S, et al. "Comparative Analysis of Serum and Tissue miRNA Expression Profiles and Regulatory Pathways in Early-Stage Ovarian Cancer Using Public Databases." *International Journal of Molecular Sciences.* June 22, 2026. PMID 42353343. *(Bioinformatics analysis of microRNA expression patterns in blood versus tumor tissue in early-stage ovarian cancer; finds that despite different expression profiles in the two compartments, regulatory functions converge, supporting liquid biopsy as a window into tumor biology.)* 18. Lee SS, et al. "A novel surname-based methodology to improve the disaggregation of Asian American ethnic subgroups in patients with ovarian cancer." *Gynecologic Oncology Reports.* May 15, 2026. PMID 42211240. *(Methodological study demonstrating that combining self-reported race/ethnicity with surname-based analysis can significantly improve the granularity of demographic reporting in ovarian cancer research, enabling disaggregation of Asian American subgroups.)* 19. Shore A, et al. "Granulosa cell tumors and menopausal hormone therapy: A narrative review." *Gynecologic Oncology Reports.* June 1, 2026. PMID 42294120. *(Review examining evidence on the safety of menopausal hormone therapy for patients who have had a granulosa cell tumor, a rare ovarian cancer subtype. Most younger patients experience surgical menopause; evidence on whether hormone therapy is safe in this context is limited, necessitating individualized discussions.)* 20. Ma M, et al. "Targeting EZH2-driven cholesterol metabolic vulnerability through Napabucasin suppresses ovarian cancer metastasis." *Cell Death & Disease.* June 27, 2026. PMID 42373608. *(Preclinical study identifying a mechanism by which EZH2, a gene-silencing protein overexpressed in ovarian cancer, promotes metastasis by reprogramming cholesterol metabolism; finds that Napabucasin, a drug candidate, blocks this pathway and suppresses metastasis in mouse models.)* 21. Chen H, et al. "Downregulation of ANKRD22 promotes ovarian cancer cell proliferation by enhancing the immunosuppressive capacity of M-MDSCs." *Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy.* June 30, 2026. PMID 42373967. *(Preclinical study showing that low expression of ANKRD22 in ovarian tumor immune cells (myeloid-derived suppressor cells) enhances their ability to suppress immune responses, thereby promoting tumor growth; suggests ANKRD22 as a potential target for immunotherapy.)* 22. Ailun G, et al. "Ovarian carcinosarcoma (malignant mixed Müllerian tumor, MMMT) in a premenopausal woman: a diagnostic challenge — a case report." *Journal of Medical Case Reports.* June 26, 2026. PMID 42363242. *(Case report of a 33-year-old with ovarian carcinosarcoma who achieved 46-month disease control with cytoreductive surgery plus platinum chemotherapy followed by off-label olaparib maintenance despite negative BRCA/HRD testing, highlighting the diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of this rare subtype.)* 23. Iida Y, et al. "Durable complete remission of pulmonary metastases with bevacizumab plus olaparib maintenance therapy in homologous recombination-deficient gynecologic large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma: A case report." *Gynecologic Oncology Reports.* May 19, 2026. PMID 42199932. *(Case report of durable complete remission in a rare HRD-positive gynecologic neuroendocrine carcinoma treated with bevacizumab plus olaparib maintenance after chemotherapy, suggesting HRD testing may be useful even for unusual histologies.)* 24. Gitto SB, et al. "Opportunities to enhance cancer research through advocate-researcher partnerships." *Cancer Research.* June 23, 2026. PMID 42333993. *(Commentary co-authored by OCRA staff on how lived-experience advocates and researchers can work more effectively together, identifying barriers and suggesting structural improvements to make cancer research more patient-centered and inclusive.)* *(Note: license not confirmed from available metadata; included here given OCRA authorship and relevance to the community.)* 25. Gootzen TA, et al. "Recommendations for the use of CanRisk for tubo-ovarian cancer risk estimation: a focus group and Research ANd Development-modified Delphi-based study." *European Journal of Cancer Prevention.* June 9, 2026. PMID 42301251. *(Mixed-methods study using focus groups and expert consensus to develop recommendations for using CanRisk — an online ovarian cancer risk prediction tool — in clinical practice, including guidance on counseling, data entry, and surgical decision-making.)* 26. Chen W, et al. "Research progress of ferroptosis in gynecological diseases." *Annals of Medicine.* June 19, 2026. PMID 42318797. *(Review of ferroptosis — a form of cell death driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation — and its potential role in ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, and endometriosis, including therapeutic implications.)* **Papers Excluded Due to Licensing Restrictions** 27. Haggstrom L, et al. "Long-Term Outcomes in Patients With Recurrent Ovarian Cancer and Exceptional Response to PARP Inhibitors." *JAMA Oncology.* June 25, 2026. PMID 42348196. *(Excluded: CC BY-NC-ND. Topic: International multicenter retrospective cohort study of 320 patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer who had exceptional responses to PARP inhibitors, defined as progression-free survival of 5 years or longer; finds that 78.7% remained progression-free at 10 years, that patients who discontinued PARP inhibitors for non-progression reasons had numerically favorable outcomes compared to those who continued, and that late MDS/AML occurred in only 1.6% of patients. Highly significant for treatment duration counseling.)* 28. Namey E, et al. "Differences in Cascade Genetic Testing Among Families With Hereditary Cancer Risk." *JAMA Network Open.* June 1, 2026. PMID 42377955. *(Excluded: CC BY-NC-ND. Topic: Retrospective cross-sectional study of 22,932 probands with pathogenic variants in BRCA1/2 or Lynch syndrome genes; finds that only 24% had a family member who underwent cascade testing, with lower rates among Black, Asian, Hispanic, and male probands than non-Hispanic White probands, and that free family testing did not substantially boost participation.)* 29. Meagher NS, et al. "Differences in overall survival for invasive epithelial ovarian cancer by race and ethnicity: results from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium." *British Journal of Cancer.* June 30, 2026. PMID 42373846. *(Excluded: License not confirmed as CC-permissive despite "The Author(s)" copyright statement. Topic: Survival disparities for ovarian cancer across racial and ethnic groups in a large international consortium study; finds significantly worse outcomes for Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander and non-Hispanic Black women. \[Note: this paper is cited in the body for its patient-facing importance; the citation is included here for transparency given licensing ambiguity.\])* 30. Wu T, et al. "Beyond the 'cold' barrier: Redefining the clinical paradigm of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in ovarian cancer." *Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology.* June 26, 2026. PMID 42362076. *(Excluded: All rights reserved (Elsevier). Topic: Clinician-centric review of immunotherapy in ovarian cancer; discusses the KEYNOTE-B96 pembrolizumab trial showing benefit in platinum-resistant disease, the immunotherapy-sensitive profile of ovarian clear cell carcinoma, and a multidimensional biomarker framework for future precision immunotherapy.)* 31. Bergeron AM, et al. "Could chemotherapy response score act as a surrogate marker of response to PARP inhibitor maintenance treatment in patients with advanced ovarian cancer?" *Gynecologic Oncology.* June 15, 2026. PMID 42296694. *(Note: This paper is cited in the body; Gynecologic Oncology publishes under Elsevier's hybrid model, and this article's individual license could not be confirmed as open access. It is listed here as a precaution for full transparency.)* 32. Schnaiter S, et al. "Homologous recombination deficiency-driven genomic instability in ovarian cancer as an indicator of BRCA1 and BRCA2 variant pathogenicity." *American Journal of Human Genetics.* June 23, 2026. PMID 42335889. *(Excluded: All rights reserved (Elsevier). Topic: Large ENIGMA consortium study showing that HRD genomic instability score provides statistically robust supporting evidence for classifying BRCA1/2 variants as pathogenic or benign; potential implications for reclassifying variants of uncertain significance.)* 33. Gootzen TA, et al. "International Trends in Concurrent Hysterectomy at Risk-Reducing Surgery in BRCA1/2 pathogenic variant carriers: A mixed-methods study." *American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.* June 20, 2026. PMID 42323120. *(Excluded: All rights reserved (Elsevier). Topic: Mixed-methods study of 2,181 BRCA1/2 carriers undergoing risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy; finds large international variation in concurrent hysterectomy rates (49% in North and South America, 3% in Europe), with focus groups identifying lack of guidelines, cultural variation, and departmental disagreement as key drivers.)* 34. Yarunin A, et al. "Technical evaluation of commercially available homologous recombination deficiency assays using MyChoice CDx as reference in ovarian cancer." *Gynecologic Oncology.* June 25, 2026. PMID 42349204. *(Excluded: Elsevier hybrid journal, individual article license not confirmed. Topic: Head-to-head comparison of four commercially available HRD testing assays against the FDA-approved MyChoice CDx standard; overall percentage agreement ranged from 76–89%, with implications for clinical implementation of alternative HRD tests.)* 35. Yuen J, et al. "Understanding shared and sex-specific considerations in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) testing decision-making in Singapore." *Journal of Genetic Counseling.* June 2026. PMID 42295046. *(Excluded: License not confirmed (National Society of Genetic Counselors copyright). Topic: Qualitative interview study of 28 individuals considering HBOC genetic testing in Singapore; identifies sex differences in decision-making, with males driven more by clinical and family support needs and females by informational needs and social factors.)* 36. Giusti I, Taverna S. "Extracellular vesicles in ovarian cancer liquid biopsy: Advances, challenges, and clinical potential." *Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology.* June 26, 2026. PMID 42362074. *(Excluded: All rights reserved (Elsevier). Topic: Review of extracellular vesicle-based liquid biopsy approaches for ovarian cancer early detection and monitoring, including biomarker cargo analysis and technological barriers to clinical translation.)* 37. Zafarjanovna KM, et al. "Microfluidic biosensors for early detection of ovarian cancer." *Clinica Chimica Acta.* June 13, 2026. PMID 42288273. *(Excluded: All rights reserved (Elsevier). Topic: Comprehensive review of microfluidic biosensor platforms for detecting ovarian cancer biomarkers including CA125, HE4, circulating tumor cells, exosomes, and circulating tumor DNA; discusses performance metrics and clinical translation barriers.)* 38. Murakami K, et al. "IL-17-driven tumor cell-intrinsic inflammatory programming creates an immunotherapy-permissive microenvironment." *Molecular Cancer.* June 30, 2026. PMID 42380903. *(Excluded: License not confirmed despite "The Author(s)" copyright. Springer Nature open access — likely CC BY but could not be verified in metadata. Topic: Preclinical study finding that a subset of ovarian clear cell carcinomas with IL-17/Th17 signaling have an immune-permissive microenvironment responsive to anti-PD-L1 checkpoint therapy.)* 39. Barretina-Ginesta MP, Redondo A, et al. "Assessing platinum response in first-line advanced ovarian cancer: clinical implications and future directions." *International Journal of Gynecological Cancer.* April 3, 2026. PMID 42127859. *(Note: Publication date April 3, 2026, is outside the June 2026 window. Excluded on date grounds. Topic: Review of methods to assess platinum response — radiological, biochemical, pathological, and molecular — and their clinical implications for treatment decisions in first-line advanced ovarian cancer.)* 40. Mejia-Gomez J, et al. "The use of menopause hormone therapy in borderline ovarian tumor survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis." *Climacteric.* June 8, 2026. PMID 42258345. *(Excluded: License not confirmed from available metadata. Topic: Systematic review finding heterogeneous evidence on whether menopausal hormone therapy is associated with borderline ovarian tumors, with combined estrogen-progestin showing a modest statistical association; post-surgical safety data remain very limited.)*

The Month in Ovarian Cancer Research

Published