To mark Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, Professor Christina Fotopoulou, Chair in Gynaecological Cancer Surgery and Professor of Gynaecological Cancer in the Department of Surgery and Cancer, and consultant gynaecological oncologist at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust—reflects on Imperial’s recent breakthroughs in the field. Delving into Imperial’s pioneering efforts to enhance diagnosis, treatment, and understanding of this complex disease, Christina also sheds light on some of the unique challenges faced.
[Updated September 2025]
The time has come once again for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in the UK. This is our annual opportunity to shine a spotlight on ovarian cancer and increase awareness of a disease that has been a significant challenge for women for centuries (see fig. 1).
Imperial and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust have made significant strides towards improving the diagnosis and management of ovarian cancer for many years, and there is even long-term hope of a cure in the future. Through pioneering systemic and surgical therapeutic strategies and conducting ground-breaking research, the Imperial clinicians and researchers have established themselves as global leaders in the field of gynaecological cancer.
We now are very happy to announce our partnership with a large european consortium to advance novel approaches for risk assessment and early detection of this challenging disease, with the ultimate aim of improving outcomes of our patients. The European Union’s European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HADEA), has launched DISARM, a Horizon Europe Innovation Action project that brings together 28 partners from 12 countries, including the UK and Canada. The project officially launched on 1 September 2025 and will run for four years with €13.2 million in funding under the EU Mission on Cancer. Imperial College London is a core partner in the consortium. The project is led at Imperial by Professor Christina Fotopoulou, Principal Investigator, with Dr Paula Cunnea, Dr Jonathan Krell and Professor Iain McNeish as co-investigators, all based in the Department of Surgery and Cancer.
The fight continues for better care, improved quality of life and increased survival rates for patients.