Microenvironmental Regulation of Ovarian Cancer Metastasis

摘要: Tumors arising from the ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) account for vast majority of malignancies; however, etiology epithelial cancer (EOC) remains poorly understood, and analysis early events in carcinogenesis is limited by relative lack early-stage tumors study. The normal OSE a single layer mesodermally derived cells that exhibit remarkable ability to transition between fibroblastic phenotypes response microenvironmental cues. Such phenotypic plasticity usually immature, regenerating, or neoplastic epithelium. Unlike most carcinomas initially de-differentiate during progression, undergo mesenchymal-epithelial acquire more differentiated phenotype resulting significant morphologic heterogeneity as increasingly complex differentiation reminiscent highly specialized epithelia Mullerian duct origin. Differentiated primary characteristics fallopian tube (serous carcinoma), endometrium (endometrioid endocervix (mucinous vagina (clear cell carcinoma). More recently, classification into low-grade (type I) versus highgrade II) malignancies has been proposed based on presumed pathways leading tumorigenesis, rather than histopathologic characteristics. Lowgrade are indolent, develop recognized precursor lesion, often confined ovary at diagnosis. In contrast, clinically aggressive initial presentation, not associated