Meet the Providers

Alexi Wright, M.D., MPH

Alexi Wright, MD, MPH is a Medical Oncologist in the Gynecologic Oncology Program at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and an Instructor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She is a health services researcher whose work focuses on improving advanced cancer patients’ quality of life and medical outcomes by developing an evidence base to guide chemotherapy decision-making at the end-of-life and translating these findings into communication-based interventions to ensure that advanced cancer patients’ care is both patient-centered and effective.

Another area of her research agenda focuses on cervical cancer, and specifically discovery work examining the molecular mutations underlying this disease, using high-throughput, next-generation sequencing technology, and understanding how these impact patient outcomes at a population-based level. Her research is supported by grants from the American Cancer Society, American Society for Clinical Oncology, the National Palliative Care Research Center, and generous support from donors.

Dr. Wright has been a regular contributor to The New England Journal of Medicine, and has published papers in Journal of the American Medical Association, The Journal of Clinical Oncology, Archives of Internal Medicine, and Cancer, among others. She is the recipient of merit awards from the American Society of Clinical Oncology in 2008 and 2009. In 2012 she received the Massachusetts General Hospital Institute for Technology Assessment’s Award for the “Best Trainee Paper” (2008-2012). She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Ovarian Cancer Outcomes Database, National Comprehensive Cancer Center Network.

After receiving her MD from the University of Pennsylvania, she completed an internship and residency at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, followed by a medical oncology fellowship at Dana-Farber. In 2011 Dr. Wright received her MPH from Harvard School of Public Health.

You are not alone

We all need the support of family and friends as we make our journeys through life, but even more so when faced with a life altering event like a cancer diagnosis.  Living with cancer can be overwhelming and leave a patient feeling that they have lost control over their life.  Sometimes there are things that are difficult or awkward to discuss with loved ones. That's why a support group can be an integral component in a patient's emotional well being through treatment and beyond.

It is important to find the right support group, one that will fit the patient's particular needs. The goal is to eliminate loneliness, reduce stress and provide hope. It is vital that the patient feels a connection with the other members and is comfortable sharing their own experiences and feelings with the group. Support groups may not be for everyone, and not all support groups are the same. Some patients may find it easier to join an online community rather than attend a session locally.

Dana-Farber has an excellent gynecologic cancer support group that meets monthly. Facilitated by Irene Goss-Werner, LICSW, the group allows patients the opportunity to talk about living with the uncertainty of cancer, how to effectively communicate with family & friends, and provide some tools to cope with the emotional impact of a gynecologic cancer diagnosis. The group meets on Thursdays  from 6:00 - 7:30pm, in the Dana-Farber building, 44 Binney Street, 16th floor, Room 1635. The next meeting is November 15th and registration is required.  To find out more information, or to register, please call Irene at 617-632-5836.

Tumor Subtypes Found

Tumor Subtypes Found

The extent of a key type of genetic damage in ovarian cancer cells offers clues for treatment

By ROB LEVY

September 20, 2012

New research may soon enable doctors to determine which patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC)—the most common cancer of the ovary—are likeliest to benefit from a certain class of drugs.


A team led by HMS researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute used technology able to pick out abnormalities in single units of the genetic code in order to sort tumor samples from HGSOC patients into three subtypes based on the extent of a particular kind of genetic damage within the cells. 

Patients in the subtype with the highest levels of damage—representing one-third to one-half of all HGSOC patients—were the slowest to develop resistance to platinum chemotherapy treatment such as carboplatin.  Overall, these patients lived longer without having their disease worsen than more did patients in the two other groups.

“Our findings suggest that, for the first time, we can determine which patients have the best chance of responding to specific categories of drugs for high-grade serous ovarian cancer,” said Ursula Matulonis, HMS associate professor of medicine at Dana-Farber and a senior author of the study. “For this disease, one of the most difficult to treat of all gynecologic cancers, the study is an important step forward.” The findings were published online by the journal Clinical Cancer Research.  J. Dirk Iglehart, HMS Anne E. Dyson Professor in Women's Cancers at Dana-Farber and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is the paper’s other senior author. Zhigang Wang, HMS assistant professor of surgery at Dana-Farber, is the first author.

Cancer genetics research

HGSOC cells have a high degree of genomic instability, their nuclei littered with large numbers of extra or missing chromosomes or chromosome fragments.  One of the consequences of this havoc is a process known as loss of heterozygosity (LOH). LOH occurs in cells that lack the usual complement of two normal copies of each gene, having instead a normal and mutant copy of certain genes. When the normal gene in these mismatched pairs becomes inactive or mutated, the cell has no normal copy of the gene left – and is said to have lost heterozygosity.

In the study, investigators used single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays—which read the elements of the genetic code one by one—to probe HGSOC tissue samples for instances of LOH.  The samples tested fell neatly into three groups based on the patterns of LOH within them. One of these groups was distinguished by a high level of LOH and a deleted segment of chromosome 13.  When researchers reviewed the medical records of patients in this group, they found the patients were slow to develop resistance to chemotherapy drugs.

“Patients with the greatest burden of LOH had the longest progression-free survival – the period of time after treatment when their disease is not advancing,” Wang said. “This is the group which stands to derive the most from treatment with certain classes of drugs.”

Potential cancer treatment

LOH hampers cancer cells’ ability to survive, rendering the cells particularly dependent on proteins that repair damaged chromosomes.  Drugs that target those repair proteins, including a class of agents known as PARP inhibitors, may be especially effective against HGSOC cells with high levels of LOH, the study authors assert.

The authors also found that LOH patterns in HGSOC were similar to those in triple-negative breast cancer, a form of breast cancer also characterized by a high level of chromosomal instability. The discovery suggests that agents effective in treating HGSOC might be effective against this type of breast cancer as well, the authors claim.

The study’s other authors include additional researchers from Dana-Farber and Brigham and Women’s and from the Technical University of Denmark; the University of Melbourne, Australia; the University of Bergen, Norway; and the University of Sydney, Australia

Principal funding for the study was provided by the Breast Cancer Foundation.

Adapted from a Dana Farber Cancer Institute news release. 

On Monday, September 17, 2012, the Massachusetts State House uveiled a banner for Ovarian Cancer Awareness month. The banner brings awareness to ovarian cancer, the sign and symptoms, as well as the need for additional research. Ovarian cancer effects everyone - women, husbands, daughters, sons, mothers, fathers, family and friends. Alexi Wright, M.D. respresented the Gynecologoc Oncology Program this year as the banner was unveiled.

On Thursday, September 20, 2012, the OvarianCancerAwareness.org coalition held a 60-minute informational webcast on ovarian cancer. The webcast was hosted by NECN news anchor Latoyia Edwards. The production featured OCA coalition member Nancy Farrell (President, The M. Patricia Cronin Foundation to Fight Ovarian Cancer), Ursula Matulonis, MD (Medical Director of Gynecologic Oncology, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center) and Anne Tonachel (an ovarian cancer survivor).

The webcast featured television spots that the coalition has produced throughout its 11 year campaign as well as questions from the viewing audience.

You can view the 60-minute program in its entirety on their website.

http://www.ovariancancerawareness.org/ovarian-cancer-webcast.html

girlygirl P.A.R.T.S. 3rd Annual 5K Run/Walk for Ovarian Cancer

Join Dr. Matulonis & Dr. Berlin at the 5k Run/Walk tomorrow sponsored by girlygirl P.A.R.T.S (Pre-screening Awareness Required to Silence...) The event is being held at 10am in Sandwich MA at the Sandwich Boardwalk. Last year the event drew over 1,200 walkers & runners. For more information on the girlygirl P.A.R.T.S. organization visit their website: http://www.girlygirlparts.net

Pictures of this year's event coming soon!

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Public Service Spot Showing on a TV Near You.

Dr. Matulonis recently filmed a public service announcement to assist in the effort to raise awareness about the symptoms of ovarian cancer. The spot is currently running on telelvision, but in case you haven't seen it you can watch it on youtube now: Ovarian Cancer Awareness PSA

Ribbons to Remember

We would like to share with you a program Diane Riche, the President and Founder of Ribbons to Remember, has started. Diane's story is remarkable. After losing her mother only 5 weeks after her initial diagnosis, Diane dedicated herself to raising ovarian cancer awareness and education. Her commitment and dedication to this goal has been unwavering, and her accomplishments in the past two years have been an inspiration to everyone who has been touched by this disease. Ribbons to Remember has partnered with the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance in an effort to reach out to professional health students and educate them from the point of view of ovarian cancer survivors. We encourage you to to stop by the Ribbons to Remember website and/or contribute your story to the project below.

Are you an ovarian cancer survivor in the New England area?

Would you like to share your story to increase health professional students’ awareness about ovarian cancer symptoms and risk factors?

If so, become part of an innovative program called Survivors Teaching Students: Saving Women’s Lives^®, sponsored by the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance.

This program helps health professional students understand firsthand about ovarian cancer symptoms and risk factors so that these future physicians, nurses and physician assistants diagnose and detect the disease sooner. Survivors Teaching Students: Saving Women’s Lives brings ovarian cancer survivors into the classrooms to share their stories and key information on the disease.

As a survivor presenter, you will be trained on how to share your story with the students. 

This is a critical opportunity to teach future medical professionals about the importance of detecting and diagnosing ovarian cancer. You will join hundreds of other women who speak to medical, nursing and physician assistant students throughout the United States. Like them, you may find that sharing your story not only makes an impact on other women’s lives, but is an incredibly rewarding experience for you.

If you are interested in participating in the training or learning more about the Survivors Teaching Students program, please contact Diane Riche at diane@RibbonsToRemember.org or call 508-827-1212.

Weekend Events

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month and several events are happening in and around Boston this month. The first two are this Sunday, September 9, 2012

First up is the 14^th annual NOCC (National Ovarian Cancer Coalition) Run/Walk to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer. The location is Carson Beach & Mother's Rest Area in South Boston. Dr. Matulonis will be the keynote speaker prior to the beginning of the event. The Massachusetts Chapter of the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition's (NOCC) mission is to raise awareness and promote education about ovarian cancer. To find out more about their work visit their website at: http://www.ovarian.org/chapter_presidents_message.php

On the afternoon of September 9^th Dr. Matulonis will be walking in the Boston Marathon Jimmy Fund Walk.  Over the past 24 years, the Walk has contributed more than $80 million to support cancer research and care at Dana-Farber.  There are several teams donating their time, effort and devotion to the cause of beating Ovarian Cancer including The Ovarian Cancer Brigade and Team Diane . There is still time to support a participant or a team, just log on to http://www.jimmyfundwalk.org/faf/home/ccp.asp?ievent=1000775&ccp=621088

The Animation of Karen Aqua

On Wednesday May 30, 2012 there will be a tribute screening of the Animation of Karen Aqua at the Regent Theatre in Arlington MA to commemorate the one year anniversary of Karen's passing. The event begins at 7PM and the proceeds will benefit the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Dr. Ursula Matulonis, who was Karen's medical oncologist, will be hosting the event along with Karen's husband, Ken Field. It is suggested that you purchase advance tickets: http://regenttheatre.com/details/animation_by_karen_aqua

Since 1976, Karen Aqua created animated films exploring the themes of ritual, journeys, transformation, and the human spirit. Much of her work reflects an interest in symbols, mythology, and prehistoric and tribal cultures, and includes elements of rhythm, dance, and music. Her award-winning films have been screened nationally and internationally, at film festivals, museums, and universities. Aqua’s animation appears regularly on “Sesame Street.”

I encourage all of you to go to Karen's website at http://www.karenaqua.com/ to learn more about her extraordinary contributions to cinema and art. A complete DVD compliation is also available of Karen's work. You can order it online at: http://www.microcinemadvd.com/product/DVD/1277/Animation_by_Karen_Aqua_19542011.html

We all look forward to seeing you there!

Our Quest for a Cure Continues

Dr. Ursula Matulonis began building the gynecologic oncology team at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in 2004, and the program continues to grow at a remarkable rate. In 2011, six medical oncologists and five gynecologic oncology surgeons saw more than 3,700 patients. Since 2008, fifteen clinical trials in recurrent ovarian cancer have been completed and closed, and there are currently eight open clinical trials for recurrent ovarian cancer. Every member of the Dana-Farber Gynecologic Oncology Program is dedicated to contributing to the advancement of ground-breaking research for gynecological cancer patients, and they are making progress every day towards eradicating gynecologic malignancies.

This blog has been created in an effort to raise awareness, and offer information & support for the approximately 71, 000 women who receive a diagnosis of a gynecologic cancer every year, and for the people who love and care for them.