Research overview
Low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGSOC) is a rare and aggressive form of ovarian cancer that primarily affects younger women. Unlike other ovarian cancers, LGSOC spreads slowly but persistently across the lining of the abdomen, a process known as peritoneal disease. This spread leads to severe complications such as bowel obstruction, malnutrition, and organ compression – and is responsible for the majority of LGSOC deaths. Alarmingly, response to standard treatments such as chemotherapy and hormone therapy are abysmal at this disease stage, underscoring the urgent need for new therapeutic approaches at this deadly stage of disease.
This Western Australia-based project, led by PI Dr Dane Cheasley, brings together a team of experts in ovarian cancer biology (Prof Ian Campbell), gynaecological cancer pathology (Dr Adeline Tan and A/Prof Martin Köbel), and patient care/technology development (Prof Paul Cohen). This project will use cutting-edge spatial transcriptomics technology to study how LGSOC tumours interact with surrounding healthy tissue in the abdomen. These technologies will allow the research team to see, at single-cell resolution, how cancer cells communicate with immune cells, connective tissue, and the mesothelial lining that they adhere to. This approach will enable the identification of new cellular pathways that support tumour growth and therapy resistance, which are key steps in finding more effective treatments.
The team will analyse archived tumour samples from ~12 LGSOC patients, already collected through the International Consortium for LGSOC. These samples include both aggressive LGSOC with invasive peritoneal implants and serous borderline tumours with non-invasive peritoneal implants, providing a powerful comparative framework. By mapping tumour microenvironment interactions, the study aims to uncover key drivers of peritoneal disease progression. Insights from this work will inform extended studies to inform the development of personalised therapies that disrupt this interaction by targeting both tumour cells and their supportive niches.
Project researchers
Dr Dane Cheaseley
Prof Ian Campbell
Dr Adeline Tan
A/Prof Martin Köbe
Prof Paul Cohen
Funders
Women and Infants Research Foundation
Project timeline
2026 – 2027
