Profile of olaparib in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer.

Olaparib is a poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor that received accelerated approval from the US Food and Drug Administration as monotherapy for patients with germline BRCA mutations and ovarian cancer treated with three or more prior lines of chemotherapy. This article summarizes the mechanism of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibition, therapeutic profile and uses of olaparib, and current and ongoing literature pertaining to olaparib in advanced ovarian cancer.

Supporting quality public and patient engagement in health system organizations: development and usability testing of the Public and Patient Engagement Evaluation Tool.

Objectives: Only rudimentary tools exist to support health system organizations to evaluate their public and patient engagement (PPE) activities. This study responds to this gap by developing a generic evaluation tool for use in a wide range of organizations.

Methods: The evaluation tool was developed through an iterative, collaborative process informed by a review of published and grey literature and with the input of Canadian PPE researchers and practitioners.

Postoperative readmissions following ileostomy formation among patients with a gynecologic malignancy.

Objectives: Ileostomy results in a relatively poorer water reabsorption and is associated with dehydration and renal injury. These problems may be exacerbated in the setting of gynecologic cancers owing to both patient and disease-related factors. We evaluated the rate and reasons for hospital readmission within 30 days of ileostomy creation in patients with a gynecologic malignancy.

Method for obtaining primary ovarian cancer cells from solid specimens.

Reliable tools for investigating ovarian cancer initiation and progression are urgently needed. While the use of ovarian cancer cell lines remains a valuable tool for understanding ovarian cancer, their use has many limitations. These include the lack of heterogeneity and the plethora of genetic alterations associated with extended in vitro passaging.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 is a key regulator of hypoxia-induced vascular endothelial growth factor expression and vessel density in lung.

Although mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) is a key deactivator of MAP kinases, known effectors of lung vessel formation, whether it plays a role in the expression of proangiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in hypoxic lung is unknown. We therefore hypothesized that MKP-1 is a crucial modulator of hypoxia-stimulated vessel development by regulating lung VEGF levels. Wild-type MKP-1(+/+), heterozygous MKP-1(+/-), and deficient MKP-1(-/-) mice were exposed to sea level (SL), Denver altitude (DA) (1609 m [5280 feet]), and severe high altitude (HYP) (∼5182 m [∼17,000 feet]) for 6 weeks.

Share your story, shape your care: engaging the diverse and disperse population of Northwestern Ontario in healthcare priority setting.

In 2009, the North West Local Health Integration Network hosted Share Your Story, Shape Your Care, an innovative community engagement initiative. Over 800 residents and health service providers in Northwestern Ontario participated and identified healthcare priorities, reacted to proposed strategies and shared ideas and stories. Primarily web-based (with a Choicebook, message board, blog and YouTube video), paper copies and conversation guides supported informed and reflective participation.