Juan Gaertner - Shutterstock
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
Oxford University researchers have found a way to detect ovarian cancer early and identified an enzyme that is key in making ovarian cancer more deadly. Their results, published in two journals, provide new research routes for scientists trying to detect and beat the disease.
Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cancer for women in the UK, with about 7100 new cases each year. However, it can be difficult to diagnose because it grows virtually unseen into the abdominal cavity. If detected early enough, ovarian cancer responds well to chemotherapy. However, once it metastasizes (spreads) it becomes resistant to chemotherapy and far more likely to kill.