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5 steps that will save lives now and in the future

Changing lives in 5,4,3,2,1

Late diagnosis, limited treatment options and recurrence.

These are some of the unacceptable reasons women are dying from ovarian cancer. Despite these challenges, there is hope.

From detecting cancer early to campaigning for equal care, we're committed to stopping women dying from ovarian cancer.

With your help, we've driven some of the biggest ovarian cancer research breakthroughs of the last two decades. But we need to do more, and we will do more.

We're delighted to share our five key goals that we know will save more lives.

1. Effective new treatments

Fortunately, surgery and chemotherapy are no longer the only options for ovarian cancer treatment. We now have some treatments that use drugs to precisely attack cancer cells and stop cancer from growing and spreading.

But for most, these only extend time before the cancer returns - surgery and chemotherapy are still the most common way to treat ovarian cancer.

We are committed to investing in new drugs and personalised treatments that will give women longer and save their lives.

2. Detect cancer early

The earlier ovarian cancer is detected the better chance a women has of survival. But there is no national screening programme for ovarian cancer in the UK. There simply isn't a test that reliably spots ovarian cancer at an early enough stage.

This needs to change.

Early detection through national screening would save countless lives. That's why we are making it a long-term priority goal.

3. Make prevention a possibility

We are discovering and sharing information on risk so every woman knows her options and can take control of her future. For instance, there are inherited gene faults (sometimes known as a gene mutation) like BRCA that significantly increase the risk of developing ovarian cancer.

We want to ensure every affected family in the UK has easy access to testing and clear, helpful advice. This information gives entire families the chance to protect their health.

4. Make care equal

No woman should lose her life to ovarian cancer because of her age, her race or where she lives.

We are committed to making sure every woman has the best treatment possible and making quality care equal across the UK.

5. Share the warning signs

In 2009 we led the campaign for the Department of Health to recognise the four main symptoms of ovarian cancer - end the myth that ovarian cancer is a silent killer.

This was a crucial step forward but our work doesn't stop there. We are committed to ensuring that every woman knows the signs to look our for, because we know that early diagnosis is key to saving lives.