Australian fashion label Camilla and Marc have long been championing research for ovarian cancer with their charity ‘Ovaries. Let’s Talk About them’. Today, they release their latest limited edition range of t-shirts, hoodies and caps which are used to not only bring awareness to the cause, but to raise money for it.
“I hosted Camilla Freeman-Topper and Marc Freeman for a lab tour about four years ago and was moved by their very personal connection to ovarian cancer through losing their mum to this disease,” says Caroline Ford, a professor from the University of New South Wales leading groundbreaking research focused on ovarian and endometrial cancer.
Ford’s team is working on developing an early detection test for ovarian cancer, a crucial advancement since no such test currently exists, leading to late-stage diagnoses for most patients. The innovative test they are refining detects minuscule amounts of tumour DNA in the bloodstream, aiming to make it a highly sensitive, specific, and cost-effective global clinical option. Together, with Camilla and Marc, they’re making early detection a possibility.
Below, we speak to Ford on the harrowing statistics, medical breakthroughs, the symptoms to look for, and how you can support their cause.
In conversation with UNSW professor Caroline Ford
What attracted you to the cause?
As a female lab head I have the opportunity to align my research priorities with my values.
Gynaecological cancers have been ignored for far too long, resulting in low survival rates and limited therapeutic options. I am proud that I can lead my team of brilliant scientists to change the outlook for these diseases.
In what ways do you think campaigns like ‘Ovaries. Talk About Them.’ change the narrative around ovarian cancer and bring about more awareness and even more funding?
They are hugely important for reducing the stigma around ovarian cancer and starting an open conversation about women’s health that crosses generations. All funding goes directly to my lab to fund brilliant scientists and move the research forward.
The University of New South Wales along with CAMILLA AND MARC have had a major medical breakthrough. Could you explain this to us?
We are excited about the stage our project is at – we have now created and finalised a unique 3-target signature to detect ovarian cancer from our biomarker shortlist. Through our testing over the last year, we are now confident that this signature is highly specific to ovarian cancer and will not pick up false positives. We also have some early data that this signature appears to detect all subtypes of ovarian cancer which is incredibly exciting, but we now need to confirm this in larger numbers of samples.
What are the next steps for your research on ovarian cancer?
We are now validating our test in larger numbers of samples and determining how best to bring this test to the clinic as soon as possible.
Over 310,000 women are diagnosed worldwide each year, with over 75% diagnosed in the late stages when it is often too late. The statistics are getting worse, and we are running out of time.
Why is early detection of ovarian cancer so important?
If we can detect ovarian cancer when it is confined to the ovaries and oviducts (fallopian tubes) we have a much higher change of surgical cure. Currently most patients are diagnosed with ovarian cancer at a late stage when cancer has already spread or metastasised, resulting in an overall survival rate of under 50%. If we can detect cancer at stage 1, survival should jump to around 90% which will be a game changer in tackling this disease.
What advice would you give to women about managing their risk for ovarian cancer?
It is helpful to know the common symptoms – pelvic pain, feeling full quickly and bloating but as these are common symptoms to many people that menstruate, this advice can be tricky to implement. Seek medical advice if these symptoms are persistent, and pay attention to your own body and it’s fluctuations and cycles. If you feel something is wrong, don’t dismiss it – seek the advice of a doctor.
What are the most common misconceptions about ovarian cancer that you wish more people understood?
That a pap smear tests for ovarian cancer! It does not, there is no current test for ovarian cancer.
What do you hope to see in the future when it comes to ovarian cancer in Australia and New Zealand?
More investment in research across women’s health. We can only effectively tackle gynaecological cancers like ovarian cancer if we fully understand female physiology. This means researching overlooked conditions and diseases such as endometriosis, adenomyosis, perimenopause and menopause and being far more open about menstrual and reproductive health.
Watch the video
Photographer Nagi Sakai. Stylist Elly McGaw. Motion Matthew Hayes. Production Pony Projects Talent: Naomi Watts. Dree Hemingway. Alexandra Agoston. Georgia Fowler, Dylan and Zeke. Angeer Amol and Piok. Mia Healey. Willa Devereux.
Buy a T-Shirt, Make A Donation, Join the Conversation.
In just four years, consumers’ support has helped Camilla and Marc raise $1.7 million. 100% of proceeds have gone directly to supercharge the work of Professor Caroline Ford, Dr Kristina Warton and the team of scientists and researchers at the UNSW Gynaecological Cancer Research Group.
