Overview of the research lines

Management of ovarian cancer and sensitivity to PARP-inhibitors

PARP inhibitors have profoundly changed the treatment of ovarian cancer. In ovarian cancer, Breast Cancer Susceptibility Gene (BRCA) pathogenic variants and homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) status represent well-known predictive biomarkers of higher sensitivity to treatment with PARP inhibitors. However, the understanding of many aspects of the biological basis of sensitivity and resistance to PARP inhibition remains limited.

In this context, the Clinical Oncology Section of DiSCOG is involved in observational and translational studies aimed to assess the real-world outcomes of treatment with PARP inhibitors for ovarian cancer and to identify potential clinical and biological features related to sensitivity and resistance to PARP inhibitors and to different prognosis in patients treated with PARP inhibitors.

Publications

Adverse events in the placebo arm of SOLO2/ENGOT-Ov21 maintenance trial of olaparib in recurrent ovarian cancer. Francis, K. E., Simon, S., Gebski, V., Joly, F., Ledermann, J. A., Penson, R. T., Oza, A. M., Korach, J., Lainez, N., Cecere, S. C., Tasca, G., Gropp-Meier, M., Fujiwara, K., Lowe, E. S., Friedlander, M., Pujade-Lauraine, E., & Lee, C. K. Gynecologic oncology 2025, 192, 50–55

Harmonization of homologous recombination deficiency testing in ovarian cancer: Results from the MITO16A/MaNGO-OV2 trial. Roma, C., Esposito Abate, R., Sacco, A., Califano, D., Arenare, L., Bergantino, F., Pisano, C., Cecere, S. C., Scambia, G., Lorusso, D., Artioli, G., Tasca, G., Spina, A., Russo, D., Gadducci, A., De Angelis, C., Bologna, A., Marchini, S., Capoluongo, E. D., Perrone, F., … Normanno, N. European journal of cancer 2024, 206, 114127.

Consensus statements and treatment algorithm to guide clinicians in the selection of maintenance therapy for patients with newly diagnosed, advanced ovarian carcinoma: Results of a Delphi study. Colombo, N., Gadducci, A., Landoni, F., Lorusso, D., Sabbatini, R., Artioli, G., Berardi, R., Ceccherini, R., Cecere, S. C., Cormio, G., De Angelis, C., Legge, F., Lissoni, A., Mammoliti, S., Mangili, G., Naglieri, E., Petrella, M. C., Ricciardi, G. R. R., Ronzino, G., Salutari, V.,… Pignata, S. Gynecologic oncology 2023, 175, 182–189.

Randomized phase II trial of weekly paclitaxel vs. cediranib-olaparib (continuous or intermittent schedule) in platinum-resistant high-grade epithelial ovarian cancer. Colombo N, Tomao F, Benedetti Panici P, Nicoletto MO, Tognon G, Bologna A, Lissoni AA, DeCensi A, Lapresa M, Mancari R, Palaia I, Tasca G, Tettamanzi F, Alvisi MF, Rulli E, Poli D, Carlucci L, Torri V, Fossati R, Biagioli E; BAROCCO study group. Gynecol Oncol. 2022 Mar;164(3):505-513.

Synchronous and Metachronous Breast and Ovarian Cancer: Experience From Two Large Cancer Center. Tasca G, Dieci MV, Baretta Z, Faggioni G, Montagna M, Nicoletto MO, Peccatori FA, Guarneri V, Colombo N. Front Oncol. 2020 Dec 14;10:608783

Recommendations for the implementation of BRCA testing in ovarian cancer patients and their relatives. Gori S, Barberis M, Bella MA, Buttitta F, Capoluongo E, Carrera P, Colombo N, Cortesi L, Genuardi M, Gion M, Guarneri V, Incorvaia L, La Verde N, Lorusso D, Marchetti A, Marchetti P, Normanno N, Pasini B, Pensabene M, Pignata S, Radice P, Ricevuto E, Sapino A, Tagliaferri P, Tassone P, Trevisiol C, Truini M, Varesco L, Russo A; AIOM-SIGU-SIBIOC-SIAPEC-IAP Working Group. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2019 Aug;140:67-72.

Current strategies for the targeted treatment of high-grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer and relevance of BRCA mutational status. Gadducci A, Guarneri V, Peccatori FA, Ronzino G, Scandurra G, Zamagni C, Zola P, Salutari V. J Ovarian Res. 2019 Jan 28;12(1):9.

Sharing real-world experiences to optimize the management of olaparib toxicities: a practical guidance from an Italian expert panel. Lorusso D, Bologna A, Cecere SC, De Matteis E, Scandurra G, Zamagni C, Arcangeli V, Artioli F, Bella M, Blanco G, Cardalesi C, Casartelli C, De Vivo R, Di Napoli M, Gisone EB, Lauria R, Lissoni AA, Loizzi V, Maccaroni E, Mangili G, Marchetti C, Martella F, Naglieri E, Parolin V, Ricciardi G, Ronzino G, Salutari V, Scarfone G, Secondino S, Spagnoletti I, Tasca G, Tognon G, Guarneri V. Support Care Cancer. 2020 May;28(5):2435-2442.

Funding

5x1000 IOV – Junior Grant: BIOPARP
Progetti Pubblico Privari CORIS 2019: RENEW

Immunotherapy in gynecological cancers

The clinical implementation of immunotherapy is changing the treatment of gynecological cancers beyond ovarian cancer. In endometrial cancer, microsatellite instability (MSI) represents a promising biomarker of higher sensitivity to immunotherapy. However, real-world data regarding outcomes and adverse events observed with this treatment in a wider unselected patient population remains limited. Moreover, understanding of the tumor microenvironment of endometrial cancer and biological mechanisms potentially linked to sensitivity and resistance to immunotherapy remains limited.

In this context, the Clinical Oncology Section of DiSCOG is involved in observational and translational studies aimed at evaluating the real-world outcomes of immunotherapy treatment in gynecological diseases and identifying potential clinical and biological features related to sensitivity and resistance to immunotherapy.

Publications

Pembrolizumab or Placebo Plus Adjuvant Chemotherapy With or Without Radiotherapy for Newly Diagnosed, High-Risk Endometrial Cancer: Results in Mismatch Repair-Deficient Tumors. Slomovitz, B. M., Cibula, D., Lv, W., Ortaç, F., Hietanen, S., Backes, F., Kikuchi, A., Lorusso, D., Dańska-Bidzińska, A., Samouëlian, V., Barretina-Ginesta, M. P., Vulsteke, C., Lai, C. H., Pothuri, B., Zhang, Y., Magallanes-Maciel, M., Amit, A., Guarneri, V., Zagouri, F., Bell, M., … Van Gorp, T. Journal of clinical oncology: official journal of the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2025, 43(3), 251–259.

PD-1 and PD-L1 Expression in Endometrial Cancer: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Tommasi, O., Marchetti, M., Tripepi, M., Bigardi, S., Incognito, G. G., Tuninetti, V., Facchetti, E., Tasca, G., Noventa, M., Saccardi, C., Tozzi, R., & Spagnol, G. Journal of clinical medicine 2025, 14(2), 401.

Atezolizumab and chemotherapy for advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer (AtTEnd): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. Colombo, N., Biagioli, E., Harano, K., Galli, F., Hudson, E., Antill, Y., Choi, C. H., Rabaglio, M., Marmé, F., Marth, C., Parma, G., Fariñas-Madrid, L., Nishio, S., Allan, K., Lee, Y. C., Piovano, E., Pardo, B., Nakagawa, S., McQueen, J., Zamagni, C; AtTEnd study group. The Lancet. Oncology 2024, 25(9), 1135–1146.

The Role of Immunotherapy in MMR-Deficient Endometrial Carcinoma: State of the Art and Future Perspectives. Marchetti, M., Ferrari, J., Vezzaro, T., Masatti, L., Tasca, G., Maggino, T., Tozzi, R., Saccardi, C., Noventa, M., & Spagnol, G. Journal of clinical medicine 2024, 13(23), 7041.

People involved:

Guarneri Valentina, Full Professor
Dieci Maria Vittoria, Associate Professor
Pasello Giulia, Associate Professor
Griguolo Gaia, Assistant Professor
Bonanno Laura, Assistant Professor
Miglietta Federica, Assistant Professor

Group members

Tasca Giulia, Girardi Fabio, Davide Massa