Preventing disease recurrence and increasing disease free survival rates for ovarian cancer patients.

Majority of ovarian cancer patients are diagnosed with widespread disease on first clinical presentation. The initial response to chemotherapy and surgery is promising, however close to 90% develop recurrent, resistant disease at which point therapeutic options are limited. This project is focused on finding ways to prevent the spread of tumour cells following initial diagnosis and treatment, with the ultimate aim of increasing disease free lifespan and preventing disease recurrence in ovarian cancer patients. The project utilizes novel models of ovarian cancer metastasis to examine the early interactions between cancer cells and healthy tissue. You will investigate key changes that occur at the earliest point of ovarian cancer spread and devise ways to target molecules that drive the spread of ovarian cancer cells to stabilise disease, prevent tumour spread and recurrence.