Breakthrough in ovarian cancer treatment: Professor Wang Yu leads award-winning research

By Li Zhen and Fang Jiawei

Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital achieved a major milestone in the field of medicine as Professor Wang Yu, the hospital's president, led a groundbreaking research project.

The project, titled "Innovation and Mechanism Research on Key Diagnosis and Treatment Techniques for Metastatic Ovarian Cancer," recently received the prestigious first prize at the 2022 Shanghai Medical Science and Technology Awards.

Ovarian cancer, known for its high fatality rate among gynecological malignancies, poses a severe threat to women's health. Metastatic ovarian cancer accounts for over 70 percent of ovarian cancer cases and a five-year survival rate of less than 30 percent. 

The treatment of metastatic ovarian cancer has long been challenged by the difficulty of tumor cell debulking surgery, resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy and limited effectiveness of alternative therapies.

Under Wang's leadership, the research team focused on overcoming these critical obstacles in ovarian cancer diagnosis and treatment. 

Through a series of technological breakthroughs, they enhanced the accuracy of preoperative assessment, improved the curative potential and safety of ovarian cancer surgery and shifted the intervention window for platinum-resistant patients. 

The research also led to the development of a novel ovarian cancer-specific nanovaccine, holding promise for boosting the effectiveness of ovarian cancer immunotherapy.

The implementation of these diagnostic and treatment techniques and strategies resulted in a significant increase in the five-year survival rate of ovarian cancer patients at the hospital, surpassing the international average. 

Moreover, these achievements have advanced the field of ovarian cancer diagnosis and treatment research, with their widespread adoption in hospitals across multiple Chinese provinces. Nearly 10 thousand ovarian cancer patients have already benefited from these innovations, leading to substantial societal and economic gains.