Epithelial ovarian cancer

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Template:Epithelial ovarian cancer Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Hannan Javed, M.D.[2]


The origin of epithelial ovarian tumors from fallopian tubes and endometrium, and not from ovaries

  • The evidence from recent studies indicate that majority of epithelial ovarian cancers have their origin outside ovaries, especially from fallopian tubes and endometrium. This idea is supported by several observations in a number of studies.[1][2][3]
  • The histology of serous, endometrioid and clear cell carcinoma demonstrates that their morphology is similar to that fallopian tubes, and endometrium rather than ovarian epithelium.[1][2][3][4][5]
  • Presence of PAX8, a Müllerian marker, and absence of calretinin, a mestothelial marker, further supports the theory. Moreover the genetic profile expression similarities and presence of similar TP53 mutation signatures in serous tubal intra-epithelial tumors and epithelial ovarian cancers also supports the extra-ovarian origin of epithelial ovarian cancer.[1][2][3][6][7].
  • In 2001, a Dutch study revealed the presence of high grade serous carcinomas in fallopian tubes of women with genetic susceptibility to hereditary ovarian cancers with no evidence of such lesions in ovaries of same women. These lesions were termed as serous tubal intra-epithelial tumors.[1][2][3][6][8][9]
  • Additional studies demonstrated the presence of similar lesions in fallopian tubes of women without genetic susceptibility to ovarian cancer. In cases when fallopian tubes were removed carefully along with ovarian and/or peritoneal serous cancer, the involvement of mucosa of the tubes were found to be involved in about 70% of the cases.[1][2][3][6][8][9]
  • These tubal serous lesions were located in fimbria in almost all of the cases, giving rise to the proposition that serous tumors originated in fallopian tubes and then implantation into ovaries.[1][2][3][10][6][11]
  • The association between adnexal malignant mixed mesodermal tumors and serous tubal intraepithelial tumors pints further in direction of tubal origin of these epithelial ovarian tumors.[1][2][3][12][13]
  • Similarly morphologic and molecular studies have indicated that endometrioid and clear cell carcinoma of the ovaries have their origin in endometriosis. These studies suggest that these tumors arise from endometriomas, the endometriotic cysts that are present outside the normal endometrium.[1][2][3][4][5]
  • This theory regarding the origin of endometrioid and clear cell carcinoma of the ovary is supported by the fact that tubal ligation that prevents endometriotic implants into ovary and peritoneum in endometriosis has a protective effect on endometrioid and clear cell type cancers but not on the serous cancer of the ovary because it doesn't occlude the connection between fimbria and the ovaries.[1][2][3]

The origin of mucinous tumors of gastrointestinal type and transitional cell (Brenner) tumors: Still a mystery to solve

  • Mucinous and the transitional tumors of ovaries are two of the least common types of the epithelial ovarian tumors. In fact, most of the mucinous tumors in ovaries are secondary and primary tumors only form about 3% of all epithelial ovarian cancers.
  • Mucinous epithelium in mucinous tumors of ovaries resemble more to intestinal mucinous epithelium rather than that of endocervix as was previously argued. Transitional cell tumors, on the other hand, are closer to bladder epithelium in histological studies.
  • Another study demonstrated the presence of Brenner tumor foci in mucinous cystadenoma in almost one fifth of the cases. Alternatively the association of mucinous tumors with Walthard cell nests, which are composed of transitional-type epithelium, also indicates the connection between mucinous and transitional tumors.
  • ARIDA loss and PIK3CA activation in clear cell cancer of ovaries.[14](A)  ARID1A and PIK3CA alterations plot against TCGA datasets. Significance of association between ARID1A and PIK3CA mutations were determined using Fisher’s exact test. (B) Determination of CRE-deleted (Arid1aΔ) allele in samples of tumor DNA. (C) RT-PCR was used to detect ARID1A loss or (Gt)Rosa26Pik3ca*H1047R transcripts.  (D and E) Expression of ARID1A in normal ovaries (E) Expression of ARID1A in the normal ovarian surface epithelium (arrowhead). (F) ARID1A expression is not observed in the tumors. (H, I) Highest expression of P-AKT S473 in surface epithelium of ovaries in normal ovaries (E, arrowhead) and are greatly increased in ovarian tumors (F, arrowhead). Asterisk in E denotes an oocyte. (J,K) Morbid Arid1afl/fl;(Gt)Rosa26Pik3ca*H1047R mouse at sacrifice with hemorrhagic ascites (inset), primary ovarian tumor of moderate size, and bilateral tumor metastases (arrowheads). (L,M) Morbid Arid1afl/fl;(Gt)Rosa26Pik3ca*H1047R mouse at sacrifice with hemorrhagic ascites (inset), large primary ovarian tumor, and no visible metastases. The mice shown in J-M were sacrificed at 7 and 9 weeks post-AdCRE, respectively, because of visible ascitic fluid burden. (N,O) Arid1afl/+;(Gt)Rosa26Pik3ca*H1047R mice at 11-weeks post-AdCRE showing no evidence for tumor formation. In K and M, dashed circles indicate primary ovarian tumor on injected ovary. In N, arrows denote the AdCRE injected ovary. In K, M, and O, asterisks denote the uninjected, control ovary.

References

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  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Dubeau L (December 2008). "The cell of origin of ovarian epithelial tumours". Lancet Oncol. 9 (12): 1191–7. doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(08)70308-5. PMC 4176875. PMID 19038766.
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