Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry

The Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry, located at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, is dedicated to enrolling families with two or more close relatives with ovarian cancer, promoting and conducting research into the causes and treatment of familial ovarian cancer, and providing information and support to affected individuals and family members. Comedienne Gilda Radner died in 1989 after a long, courageous battle against ovarian cancer. Neither she nor her husband, Gene Wilder, knew that her family history of ovarian and breast cancer put her at a high risk for developing ovarian cancer. The registry, which was renamed in her honor, currently has over 1,700 families enrolled. Ovarian cancer refers to a group of diseases that are characterized by uncontrolled growth and division of cells of the ovary. The cells may grow to form a tumor on the ovary and may also break off from the main tumor and spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. The Gilda Radner Familial Ovarian Cancer Registry conducts research into the causes of familial ovarian cancer in collaboration with investigators at Stanford University of Medicine and Cambridge University. Research goals include identifying new genes associated with familial ovarian cancer and characterizing lifestyle choices that may reduce ovarian cancer risk in women who may be more susceptible to the disease. The ultimate goal of the registry is to acquire information that will lead to better methods of detecting ovarian cancer and prevent the disease in future generations.