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Gynaecological cancers are the world’s fourth largest cancer killer of women. There are 1 million new cases per year worldwide, compared to 1.2 million cases of breast cancer. Together, these cancers (ovarian, cervix, womb and vulva) account for 10% of all cancers and have a mortality rate in excess of 65%.
In the UK, ovarian cancer is the most urgent challenge. Known as the silent killer, ovarian cancer is often diagnosed too late for effective treatment. Of the 7,000 women who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer every year, 5,000 die. That is a 72% death rate (compared to a similar survival rate for breast cancer). Advanced stage ovarian cancer statistics are even more devastating with 85% of these women dying from the disease.
Despite these grim statistics ovarian cancer is not a well profiled, nor well funded cause.
The Eve Appeal is determined to change this. Launched to the public in January 2005, its purpose is to fund pioneering research focused on developing effective methods of prediction, detection, treatment and care of gynaecological cancers.
The world-leading research that we fund is complicated and challenging, but the research team’s ambition is simple: to identify techniques, within the next 5 years, that could reduce deaths from these cancers by 50%.
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