Ovarian cancer research

Researchers around the world are trying to improve the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer.

Go to Cancer Research UK’s clinical trials database if you are looking for a trial for ovarian cancer in the UK. You need to talk to your specialist if there are any trials that you think you might be able to take part in.

Research and clinical trials

All cancer treatments must be fully researched before they can be used for everyone. This is so we can be sure that:

they work
they work better than the treatments already available
they are safe

To make sure the research is accurate, each trial has certain entry conditions for who can take part. These are different for each trial.

Hospitals do not take part in every clinical trial. Some trials are only done in a small number of hospitals, or in one area of the country. You may need to travel quite far if you take part in these trials.

About these trials

Some of the trials on this page are now closed to recruitment. It takes time before the results are available. This is because the trial team follows the patients for a period of time and collects and analyses the information.

We have included information about these ongoing trials. This is to give examples of the type of research being carried out.

Research into the prevention, early diagnosis and detection of ovarian cancer

There are various trials looking at ways to diagnose and detect ovarian cancer earlier.

Genetic testing

Doctors can now test for different gene changes involved in ovarian cancer. They can use this information to understand:

your risk of developing cancer
ways to prevent cancer
the best treatments if you have cancer

Researchers want to find out the:

best ways to access genetic testing
choices women make after genetic testing
emotional impact of genetic testing
financial cost of genetic testing

Tests

You usually have a blood test for a protein called CA125 to help diagnose ovarian cancer. But this is not a completely reliable test. This is because other medical conditions of the womb and ovaries can cause an increase in the levels of CA125.

Researchers are looking for other substances (biomarkers) in the blood and tissue that can pick up ovarian cancer. They hope these might help diagnose ovarian cancer earlier.

They are also looking at other tests and assessment tools to find the best way to detect ovarian cancer.

Research into ovarian cancer treatment

Before new treatments are introduced they need to be tested thoroughly. This is so we can be sure that they work and that they are safe.

Choosing and monitoring treatment

As well as using biomarkers to help diagnose ovarian cancer, researchers think they might be helpful for:

choosing what treatment is best
monitoring how well a treatment is working

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is one of the main treatments for ovarian cancer. Current research is looking at:

factors that affect how well chemotherapy works
why some cancers are more sensitive to chemotherapy than others
new chemotherapy drugs
chemotherapy for the different types of ovarian cancer
chemotherapy for advanced cancer or cancer that has come back
the side effects of these drugs and if the side effects can be reduced

Targeted and immunotherapy drugs

Targeted cancer drugs work by targeting the differences that a cancer cell has that helps the cancer to survive and grow. They are a common treatment for ovarian cancer.

Researchers are looking into targeted cancer drugs for ovarian cancer. They are looking at:

how well existing drugs work
new drugs
drugs that are already used for other cancers
combinations of targeted drugs
targeted drugs for advanced cancer, or cancer that has come back
combining targeted cancer drugs with other treatments

Immunotherapy helps the body's immune system to attack cancer. It isn’t used as a standard treatment Open a glossary item for ovarian cancer at the moment. There is research into how well immunotherapy drugs might work for ovarian cancer.

Surgery

Surgery is one of the main treatments for ovarian cancer. Most women have open surgery, meaning they have a large cut on their tummy (abdomen). Researchers are investigating whether less invasive surgery using a robot works as well.

Doctors also want to find out:

if there are ways to improve pain control after surgery
the impact of surgery on quality of life

Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy is not a common treatment for ovarian cancer. Researchers want to know if it can help as a treatment for ovarian cancer that has come back.