Personalising treatment for ovarian cancer patients: BriTROC-2

BriTROC-2 is a nationwide project  developing personalised treatments for women diagnosed with High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer. 

High Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer (HGSOC) presents unique challenges. It is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, as early symptoms can be hard to recognise, and ovarian cancer genomes are particularly chaotic making it hard for clinicians to predict which treatments will work for individual patients.  

Prof James Brenton and his collaborator Prof Iain McNeish are leading the nationwide BriTROC-2 project which aims to develop personalised treatments for women diagnosed with HGSOC. 

Personalised medicine involves tailoring treatment to the individual characteristics of each patient’s cancer. While many patients are diagnosed with ‘HGSOC’, the genetic differences between tumors can cause patients to respond differently to treatments. The previous BriTROC-1 project, led by the same team, discovered that these genetic variations occur as the cancer grows, influencing treatment response.  

The BriTROC project established a network of 14 research hubs across the UK to collect tissue samples from hundreds of cancer patients. This extensive sample collection allowed scientists to identify patterns and provided valuable resources for further research. The team discovered seven unique ‘signatures’ in the DNA of ovarian cancer, each offering crucial clues about how the cancer should be treated. 

BriTROC-2 builds on this foundation by analysing new samples to deepen the understanding of these seven signatures. By examining the genetic differences between cancers, doctors can move away from a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach and provide treatments that are specifically effective for each patient. This approach aims to give all HGSOC patients personalised care, offering new hope for patients.