(December 3, 2019) The origins of high grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is a debated topic in the scientific community. Prior research has suggested the cancer arises from the fallopian tube epithelium, and other evidence supports the theory that ovarian surface epithelium cells are the site of origin. OCRA-funded research by Shuang Zhang, PhD, from the Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University found that rather than one or the other, both cell types can actually give rise to HGSOC.
“Our results suggest that high-grade cancer can originate in more than one cell type, and that the original cell type can significantly influence tumor behavior and therapy response,” said Dr. Benjamin Neel, director of the Perlmutter Cancer Center, and senior author of the study. In the future, he says, physicians may need to consider the cell-of-origin, along with the specific genetic changes in the tumor, to optimize and personalize therapy.
For more on this study, please visit the study published in Nature Communications available through Open Access and the press release from NYU Langone Health.
