Ovarian cancer remains one of the deadliest gynecologic cancers, often diagnosed late and prone to recurrence. For Black women, who face systemic barriers to early detection and equitable care, the stakes are even higher. Now, a promising new approach called CAR-T cell therapy is offering a glimmer of hope for patients with advanced disease.
The research is still unfolding, but here’s what we know so far about how CAR-T therapy is being used to treat ovarian cancer.
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What Makes Ovarian Cancer So Hard to Treat
According to the National Cancer Institute’s SEER Program, an estimated 20,890 women in the United States will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2025. About 12,730 are expected to die from the disease. The five-year relative survival rate is 51.6 percent, but that number drops significantly for Black women, who face unique barriers to early detection, timely treatment, and access to clinical trials.
As Dr. Oliver Dorigo, director of gynecologic oncology at Stanford Medicine, explained in a Stanford Cancer Institute report, “Ovarian cancer remains a very difficult disease to treat, especially when it recurs. Many patients are in dire need of better therapies.”
What Is CAR-T Cell Therapy?
CAR-T stands for chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. It’s a form of immunotherapy that modifies a patient’s own T cells, white blood cells that help fight disease, to better recognize and destroy cancer cells. Researchers collect T cells from the blood, reprogram them in a lab, and return them to the body, where they act as targeted cancer hunters.
This therapy has shown remarkable success in blood cancers like leukemia. Now, researchers are adapting CAR-T therapy for solid tumors, including ovarian cancer.
Inside the Promise of CAR-T Therapy
Stanford researchers, including Dr. Oliver Dorigo and Dr. Crystal Mackall, a leading expert in cell therapy, are testing CAR-T cells that target a protein called B7-H3, which is highly expressed in ovarian tumors. Their phase 1 trial, launched in late 2024, is exploring both intravenous and direct abdominal delivery. That abdominal approach could offer more precise targeting, since ovarian cancer often remains confined to the abdomen.
Early Results and What Comes Next
Initial findings from the trial are encouraging. Researchers saw early promise and learned from side effects in the first six patients, helping to refine the therapy.
Researchers are also exploring ways to improve CAR-T therapy for solid tumors, including ovarian cancer. That includes pairing it with other treatments and finding ways to help immune cells reach tumors more effectively.
What This Means for Black Women
While these therapies are still in early stages, they reflect a shift toward more personalized, immune-based treatment. Approaches like CAR-T could eventually offer longer-lasting results with fewer side effects.
But access matters. For Black women, who are often underrepresented in clinical trials and underserved in cancer care, these innovations won’t mean much unless they’re available to everyone. A recently updated PARP inhibitors trial, which tested a targeted therapy for ovarian cancer, included only 1.6 percent Black participants, according to data from ClinicalTrials.gov. Without diverse participation, researchers can’t fully understand how well these treatments work for the people who may need them most.
Breakthroughs Without Representation
Studies show that Black women are 25 percent less likely than white women to receive ovarian cancer treatment that follows national guidelines, according to a meta-analysis published by Oxford University Press.
Even when cancer stage and treatment type are similar, Black women often face worse outcomes. Many Black women experience resistance to chemotherapy and recurrence sooner than other groups.
These gaps in care aren’t explained by biology alone. Many Black women are diagnosed with high-grade serous tumors, the most aggressive form of ovarian cancer. Yet access to genetic testing, personalized treatment plans, and clinical trials remains limited. Some providers delay referrals or underestimate symptoms. Others fail to explain options in ways that feel trustworthy or culturally relevant.
As therapies advance, advocacy must ensure that Black women are included in research. They must be informed about emerging treatments and supported through care that respects their experiences and meets their needs.
And CAR-T cell therapy may be just that, a new beginning in a story that needs change.
Resources:
Ovarian Cancer — Cancer Stat Facts
Using CAR-T cells to treat ovarian cancer | Stanford Cancer Institute
