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Ovarian Cancer

Why we focus on Ovarian Cancer

Over 200,000 women a year develop ovarian cancer worldwide and more than half will die of the disease. There is no screening technique, and most patients (~60%) present with advanced disease because symptoms are not easy to recognise or distinguish from other, less serious conditions, often leading to late or mis‑diagnosis. Treatment involves aggressive surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy, and progress in the last 30 years has led to the overall five year survival rate doubling and more than 40% of women now live for at least five years. However, for the majority who present with advanced disease, more than 70% will die within five years of diagnosis. Therefore, there is a great need to develop new therapies for this disease, based upon greater understanding of its biology.

What we do

  • Our focus is on translational research, aimed at developing new treatments for women with ovarian cancer.
  • We aim to understand the links between cancer and inflammation.
  • We are investigating the impact of modulating the tumour-promoting cells and mediators of inflammation.
  • Viral gene therapies are being developed.
  • We are investigating the interaction of oncolytic viruses with the host immune system.
  • We are exploring the relationship between cellular DNA damage repair and adenovirus biology, particularly homologous recombination.
  • Novel agents are being tested in Phase I and II clinical trials

Key Publications:

  • Connell et al. Genomic DNA damage and ATR‑Chk1 signalling determine oncolytic adenoviral efficacy in human ovarian cancer. J Clin Invest 2011; 121: 1283-97.
  • Coward et al. Interleukin-6 as a therapeutic target in human ovarian cancer. Clin Cancer Res 2011; 17: 6083-96.
  • Charles KA et al. The tumor-promoting actions of TNF-alpha involve TNFR1 and IL-17 in ovarian cancer in mice and humans. J Clin Invest 2009; 119: 3011-23.
  • Connell CM et al. Nuclear survivin abrogates multiple cell cycle checkpoints and enhances viral oncolysis. Cancer Res 2008; 68: 7923-31.

Who does the research

→ Click here for BCI senior researchers working on ovarian cancer.

Major Funders

  • Cancer Research UK
  • BBSRC
  • MRC
  • Ovarian Cancer Action