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Vital research is being conducted in all areas of women’s reproductive cancers. Scientists continue to study ovarian cancer to obtain information about causes, treatment and prevention of the disease.

Some of the most current research in ovarian cancer includes:

• Cancer detection. Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness of multimodal screening for early ovarian cancer detection. Such screening would combine blood tests, ultrasound and the use of newer screening guidelines to reliably detect ovarian cancer in the early stages, when it is more curable. The CA-125 blood test is being used and other blood tests are being studied. In addition, transvaginal sonography is being studied as a form of ovarian cancer screening.
  
  
• Cancer treatment. Various treatments are being developed for ovarian cancer in several research studies. New drugs are also being evaluated that treat advanced ovarian cancer, or that block the development of new blood supply to tumors, thus preventing the tumors from growing. In addition, researchers have studied the placement of chemotherapy drugs in treatment. Studies have indicated that placing the drugs into the body cavity, not just a vein, may improve a woman’s chance of survival.
  
  
  Other studies are testing biological therapy drugs in clinical trials for ovarian cancer. These studies have included combinations of chemotherapy drugs and biological therapy drugs such as monoclonal antibodies. The biological therapy drugs can block proteins called vascular endothelial growth factors, which help blood vessels feed tumors. Additional research is continuing to evaluate the effectiveness of viruses in treating cancer of the ovaries. Other studies have investigated monoclonal antibodies combined with therapeutic vaccines made from the individual patient.