Flesken-Nikitin Andrea, Odai-Afotey Ashley A, Nikitin Alexander Yu
Department of Biomedical Sciences and Stem Cell Program; Cornell University ; Ithaca, NY USA.
Mol Cell Oncol. 2014 Oct 31;1(3):e963435. doi: 10.4161/23723548.2014.963435. eCollection 2014 Jul-Sep.
Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women in the United States. Recent extensive genomic analyses of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), particularly the most common and deadly form of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, have provided important insights into the repertoire of molecular aberrations that are characteristic for this malignancy. However, interpretation of the discovered aberrations is complicated because the origin and mechanisms of progression of EOC remain uncertain. Here, we summarize current views on the cell of origin of EOC and discuss recent findings of a cancer-prone stem cell niche for ovarian surface epithelium, one of the major likely sources of EOC. We also outline future directions and challenges in studying the role of stem cell niches in EOC pathogenesis.
卵巢癌是美国女性癌症相关死亡的第五大主要原因。最近对上皮性卵巢癌（EOC）进行的广泛基因组分析，特别是最常见且致命的高级别浆液性卵巢癌，为这种恶性肿瘤特有的分子畸变谱提供了重要见解。然而，由于EOC的起源和进展机制仍不确定，对所发现畸变的解释变得复杂。在这里，我们总结了关于EOC细胞起源的当前观点，并讨论了卵巢表面上皮这一EOC主要潜在来源之一的癌症易感干细胞生态位的最新发现。我们还概述了研究干细胞生态位在EOC发病机制中作用的未来方向和挑战。
