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About Ovarian Cancer

The Silent Killer

Ovarian cancer is also called ‘The Silent Killer’ because the disease has very non-specific symptoms that can be easily confused with other, less serious, diagnoses. Therefore, the disease is too often discovered too late, ie. when the cancer has spread and the possibilities for a cure are very poor. Very few are cured – and this is not how it should be – more research is needed to cure women. Ovarian cancer has a very low survival rate, and every year 550 Danish women are diagnosed with the disease. That equates to 1.5 women a day.[1]

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Our research projects

OvaCure’s research projects are primarily developed through the OvaCure Model. However, we also support research projects in collaboration with other NGOs or by receiving applications for specific innovative projects. OvaCure also has 9 criteria that must be met before we can support a project.

Our three research areas in
random order are:

Better treatment

The treatments for ovarian cancer include, among other things, options for chemotherapy, surgery, and immunotherapy, and this has made a big difference for patients with ovarian cancer. Unfortunately, the effect is still far from good enough, and there is a need to develop these treatments to be more effective so patients with ovarian cancer can have greater benefits.

A cure

A future without ovarian cancer is a future where women won’t fear dying from this cancer and where mothers will not fear having passed down this cancer to their daughters without the possibility of a cure.

Early detection and better diagnosis

Detecting the disease at an early stage will have a huge effect in terms of how effectively one can treat ovarian cancer. Today, there are no good methods to detect ovarian cancer early. The statistics speak for themselves. If a patient begins treatment in stage I, 94.7% survive more than 3 years, but only 35.1% will survive more than 3 years if the patient first begins treatment in stage IV.

We strive to be involved in several areas of specialty and themes within the above focus areas,
to ensure diversity in our project portfolio.

How do we start new projects?

In OvaCure, we have three approaches to how we initiate, accelerate and develop research projects. Our primary method is through the OvaCure Model, but we also initiate research through collaborations with other NGOs and through completely classic methods such as receiving an application for an innovative project.

1. The OvaCure way: Via the OvaCure Model, research projects are developed and initiated through our Innovation Challenge.

2. The Classical way: Through contact with us or through projects we encounter at conferences and scientific meetings, research projects are initiated or included. Through OvaCure’s work, we follow current trends and can help propel and support promising research we encounter.

3.The Partnership Method: Collaboration between national or international organizations (eg NGOs) that collaborate to seek support for research projects.

Criteria for research projects supported and initiated by OvaCure

For a project to be admitted and approved as an OvaCure project, it must be able to meet OvaCure’s 9 project criteria:

  • OvaCure is mainly looking for new, ground-breaking approaches to ultimately cure ovarian cancer by applying new insights, new technology, and protocols that might have proved effective in other relevant disease areas.
  • A project should consist of a collaboration between different institutes, specialties, and/or universities.
  • Pure commercial drug projects will not be considered, as pharma can support classical drug trials themselves.
  • A project may be a clinical study or have the perspective to initiate a clinical study, so women with ovarian cancer will benefit from the research faster.
  • Results obtained during the study will be published in international, peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences and OvaCure events.
  • OvaCure’s involvement as accelerator and initiator shall be acknowledged at all times, e.g. during the presentation of results, both in oral and written presentations and in publications.
  • A project must have a Danish component besides OvaCure’s support.
  • All OvaCure projects follow a Milestone Match System. A project must be able to be part of an OvaCure milestone match system.
  • It will be an advantage if the project meets the conditions for receiving EU funding.

Results

Since its inception in 2014, OvaCure has achieved many results for research purposes. In addition, OvaCure has developed international networks and partnerships across borders and helped to bring research and as well as jobs to Denmark.