Unlocking the Clues to Clear Cell Ovarian Cancer

Clear cell ovarian cancer is rare in the UK, but by joining forces we can learn more about the disease, how it develops and how to develop effective treatments. Scientists at the Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre are collaborating with experts in Japan to unlock vital clues about this rare disease.

Why is it important for us to fund this research?

Clear cell ovarian cancer (also known as clear-cell carcinoma) is a rare type of ovarian cancer, accounting for around 3-5% of epithelial ovarian cancers. It mainly affects women over the age of 50 and, like endometrioid ovarian cancer, it can be linked to endometriosis. It is difficult to treat, and responds less well to chemotherapy.

Professor McNeish and Dr Takafumi Kuroda from Tokyo are leading a collaborative project between researchers in the UK and Japan, as the disease is more common in Japanese women. Researchers will sequence samples from patients in the UK and in Japan using a technique called spatial transcriptomics, which will tell us which genes are active in clear cell ovarian cancer, as well as where they are active.

What does this mean for women with ovarian cancer?

This project will give us key information that will help us understand how clear cell carcinoma develops, especially in cases of endometriosis, and how we might develop new, effective treatment strategies for this rare and underfunded cancer.