Dorothy DePlanche

"I did it for myself, of course. But mostly, I did it for my daughter and the daughters of other women who have died from this disease," said Dorothy DePlanche. What Dorothy did was agree to participate in a clinical trial for ovarian cancer at Roswell Park.

Ovarian cancer, often called the silent killer, causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. Most women are diagnosed when their cancers have spread.

Dorothy believes she was one of the lucky ones. In June 1999, she found a lump on her right side and called her doctor. A week of diagnostic tests suggested ovarian cancer. Her family doctor recommended Roswell Park where she was diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer and where she had surgery followed by chemotherapy. In November 1999, a second look surgery found microscopic evidence of cancer and Dorothy was again treated with chemotherapy.

But, Dorothy wasn’t out of the woods yet. With a stage III ovarian cancer, the chance of recurrence is high. So, when Dorothy was asked to participate in a study for a new vaccine designed to prevent a return of the cancer, she agreed.

"Participating in the clinical trial is easy. I had a CAT scan and now every three weeks a physical exam and some blood work before they give me a shot."

Cancer vaccines are different from both traditional vaccines and cancer treatments. The goal of a cancer vaccine, unlike a vaccine for the flu, isn’t to prevent disease, but to trick the immune system into attacking cancer cells. Unlike traditional chemotherapy drugs, which kill cells unselectively, vaccines aim to help the body kill off only cancer cells.

"My greatest fear is the possibility that the cancer will come back. If this vaccine works, it would be a blessing, not just for me but for women who are facing this terrible illness."

Today, Dorothy continues her work as the office manager for the St. Charles Church in Niagara Falls. But, she says she has the satisfaction of knowing she has made an important contribution to scientific knowledge and is helping others by participating in a clinical trial.

Dorothy’s message of hope for the holidays: "Clinical trials are not for everyone, but if anyone asks you about participating, consider the request, not just for yourself but for others. It is only through clinical trials that new and better treatments for cancer will be found."