Ibrutinib Could Suppress CA-125 in Ovarian Cancer: A Hypothesis

• Main Authors: Julian Matthias Metzler, Daniel Fink, Patrick Imesch
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-12-01
• Series: Applied Sciences
• Subjects: ibrutinib; Bruton’s tyrosine kinase; Btk; kinase inhibitor; ovarian cancer; gynecological oncology
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/1/222

Ibrutinib is a small-molecule inhibitor of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase, an enzyme central in B cell development. It is indicated as a therapy for certain hematological diseases such as chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), but also exerts off-target effects on several receptors and kinases. In this paper, we hypothesize that ibrutinib may suppress the tumor marker CA-125 in ovarian cancer. The hypothesis is based on an observation of CA-125 normalization in a patient with low-grade serous ovarian cancer who received ibrutinib for concurrent CLL. We propose a mechanistic model explaining this possible drug effect as a foundation for further research.