Can the same clinical trial accept both breast cancer and ovarian cancer patients?

Some trials do accept both — particularly those testing PARP inhibitors for BRCA-mutated cancers, immunotherapy for MSI-H tumours, or drug development programmes targeting shared pathways (e.g., AKT inhibitors). These are called tumour-agnostic or basket trials. However, most trials are disease-specific due to different treatment goals, endpoints, and disease biology.

I have a BRCA mutation — should I look at breast or ovarian cancer trials?

If you've been diagnosed with breast cancer, search breast cancer trials. If diagnosed with ovarian cancer, search ovarian cancer trials. If you carry a BRCA mutation but haven't been diagnosed with either, there are prevention and screening trials available for both. Some trials specifically target BRCA carriers regardless of cancer type — these basket trials may be particularly relevant.

Are there more breast cancer or ovarian cancer trials in the UK?

Breast cancer has significantly more clinical trials available — roughly 3-4 times as many as ovarian cancer. This reflects both the higher incidence of breast cancer and greater research funding. However, ovarian cancer trials are growing rapidly, especially in PARP inhibitor maintenance, antibody-drug conjugates, and immunotherapy combinations.

Oncology Women's Health Updated 26 May 2026

Breast Cancer vs Ovarian Cancer — Clinical Trial Comparison

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Breast Cancer

Most common cancer in UK women

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Ovarian Cancer

Often diagnosed at advanced stage

Breast cancer and ovarian cancer share important connections — particularly through BRCA gene mutations and hormonal pathways. However, their clinical trial landscapes differ significantly in trial numbers, treatment approaches, and eligibility requirements.

Key Differences at a Glance

Feature	Breast Cancer	Ovarian Cancer
UK cases per year	~55,000	~7,500
Key biomarkers	HER2, ER/PR, BRCA1/2, PIK3CA, ESR1	BRCA1/2, HRD, CA-125, HE4
Biomarker testing	Routine (NHS standard of care)	Increasing but not universal
Screening available	Yes (NHS Breast Screening Programme)	No effective population screening
Treatment paradigm	Curative intent in early; long-term management in metastatic	Surgery + chemo; maintenance therapy in advanced
PARP inhibitor role	BRCA-mutated metastatic breast cancer	First-line maintenance for BRCA+ and HRD+

Clinical Trial Availability

Trial Aspect	Breast Cancer	Ovarian Cancer
UK trials actively recruiting	150–250 studies	40–70 studies
Most common trial phase	Phase 2–3	Phase 2–3
Top drug classes tested	ADC, CDK4/6 inhibitors, immunotherapy, targeted	PARP inhibitors, ADCs, immunotherapy, anti-angiogenics
Neoadjuvant trials	Very common	Rare
Adjuvant trials	Common	Emerging
Maintenance therapy trials	Limited	Major focus area

BRCA-Linked Trials — Shared Ground

BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations significantly increase risk for both cancers. Some trials accept either cancer type:

PARP inhibitor trials — olaparib, talazoparib, niraparib tested in BRCA-mutated cancers regardless of primary site
Basket trials — tumour-agnostic studies targeting specific mutations (e.g., NTRK fusions, MSI-H)
Prevention trials — for BRCA carriers who haven't developed cancer, risk-reduction studies exist
Combination PARP + immunotherapy — testing whether PARP inhibition enhances immune response in HR-deficient tumours

Eligibility Differences

Breast Cancer Trial Criteria

Usually require confirmed subtype: TNBC, HR+/HER2-, HER2+, etc.
Biomarker results from recent biopsy often mandatory
Many trials specify prior treatments (e.g., "progressed on CDK4/6 inhibitor")
Hormone receptor status determines eligibility for endocrine therapy trials
Male breast cancer patients may be excluded from some trials

Ovarian Cancer Trial Criteria

Stage at diagnosis heavily influences trial eligibility
BRCA/HRD testing required for most PARP inhibitor trials
Platinum sensitivity status (sensitive vs resistant) is a key criterion
CA-125 levels often used as an inclusion marker
Many maintenance trials require response to first-line platinum chemotherapy

💡 BRCA carrier? You have unique trial options

If you carry a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation (with or without a cancer diagnosis), there are specific trials designed for you. These include prevention studies, screening optimisation trials, and treatment trials that leverage the DNA repair deficiency in BRCA-associated cancers. Speak to a genetic counsellor about your options.

Treatment Approaches in Current Trials

Breast Cancer — Hot Trial Areas

Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) — trastuzumab deruxtecan, sacituzumab govitecan
Immunotherapy combinations — particularly for TNBC (KEYTRUDA, atezolizumab)
Novel endocrine therapies — next-gen SERDs, oral SERMs for ER+ disease
PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibitors — for PIK3CA-mutant tumours
CAR-T and cell therapy — early-stage trials for metastatic disease

Ovarian Cancer — Hot Trial Areas

PARP inhibitor combinations — with immunotherapy, anti-angiogenics, or targeted agents
Antibody-Drug Conjugates — mirvetuximab soravtansine (FRα-targeted), others
Immunotherapy combinations — checkpoint inhibitors + chemo or PARP inhibitors
Anti-angiogenics — bevacizumab + novel combinations
FRα-targeted therapy — a growing biomarker-driven area unique to ovarian cancer

🎗️ Breast Cancer Trials

Find actively recruiting breast cancer clinical trials across the UK

View Breast Cancer Trials

🟡 Ovarian Cancer Trials

Find actively recruiting ovarian cancer clinical trials across the UK

View Ovarian Cancer Trials

Know your biomarkers?

Our Smart Matcher uses biomarker-aware matching to find trials specifically suited to your genetic profile.

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