UCL Institute for Women's Health (IfWH)

UK Ovarian Cancer Population Study

Principle Investigators

Prof Usha Menon
Prof Ian Jacobs
Dr Simon Gayther

Research objectives

UKOPS is a UK-based case control study of ovarian cancer patients and healthy women. The aims are to assesss genetic predisposition (by participating in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium OCAC, an amalgamation of 18 groups around the world), discover and validate novel biomarkers and improve understanding of ovarian cancer symptoms.

The secondary objectives of the study are to build a model of individualised ovarian cancer risk prediction based on the genetic and biomarker profiles and establish a serum bank for future assessment of novel tumour markers.

Women were recruited from 10 Gynaecological Oncology centres in the UK.

Identification of new markers for ovarian cancer

Proteomics 

Led by Dr John Timms, collaborations with Prof Rainer Cramer (University of Reading) and Prof Alex Gammerman (Royal Holloway)

Antibody-based assays

Collaboration with Dr Ian Hampson (University of Manchester)

Lipidomics

Collaboration with Prof Mahesh Choolani (University of Singapore)

Cancer Predisposition

Genomics

Dr Simon Gayther, Dr Susan Ramus

Epigenetics

Prof Martin Widschwendter

Symptoms for ovarian cancer

Prof Usha Menon / Prof Peter Sasieni

Useful Links

• Consent Form
• Cases Patient Information
• Controls Patient Information
• Questionnaire
• UKOPS brochure
• Invitation Letter