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Early Detection of Ovarian Cancer Receives Essential Support from Science Investor, Jeffrey Epstein. The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF), the largest independent organization of its kind in the United States to sponsor ovarian cancer research, has just received significant funding from The Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation to further early detection research. Early detection research of ovarian cancer is critical since ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic disease and yet little is known about how the cancer initiates and metastasizes. In fact, only 20% of cases are caught before metastasis to the pelvic area and bloodstream. And once metastasis sets in, less than 50% of women survive the disease beyond five years. Stage One or pre-metastasis ovarian cancer on the other hand, has a 92% year survival rate beyond five years. Since 1998, OCRF has helped fund 62 leading medical centers, provided 164 grants and investments of approximately $40 million. The OCRF also focuses on providing funds directly to specific research projects versus funding a general department. Founded in 2000, by science activist, Jeffrey Epstein, The Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation sponsors cutting edge science research around the world. A longtime supporter of cancer research, the Foundation also focuses on independent organizations and research initiatives. One of the most revealing early detection projects funded by the OCRF and The Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation is the assertion that high grade serous ovarian cancer, the deadliest type of ovarian cancer (causing 70% of ovarian cancer deaths), originates in the fallopian tubes. The study, headed by Martin Matzik at Baylor College of Medicine, induced mice with ovarian cancer by removing two gene types: the Dicer, an essential gene for microRNA synthesis and the Pten, a key negative regulator of the P13K pathway. After full metastasis in these mice, the fallopian tubes from one group of mice were removed and left in in the other test group. The results, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed that the mice with the fallopian tubes intact continued to develop aggressive metastasis, while the mice with removed fallopian tubes, experienced a dramatic reduction of cancer formation. Today, ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among American women. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2012, 22,280 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the Unites States and about 15,500 women will die from the disease. Every year, more than 200,000 women EFTA_R1_00524324 EFTA02019581 around the world die from ovarian cancer. These new advances in early detection will soon go to clinical trial and will hopefully reduce the terrible statistics that women face around the world. EFTA_R1_00524325 EFTA02019582