Molecular pathology of epithelial ovarian cancer.

Abstract

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynaecological malignancy and it most commonly occurs in postmenopausal women. Ninety per cent of ovarian cancers are derived from the ovarian surface epithelium and these neoplasms are classified into serous, mucinous, endometrioid, clear-cell and transitional-cell types. The molecular pathology of ovarian carcinomas is heterogeneous and involves various putative precursor lesions and multiple pathways of development. The most common subtype, high-grade serous carcinoma, is characterized by p53 mutations, and BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 dysfunction. It most likely arises from epithelium within inclusion cysts or from the surface of the ovary. In contrast, low-grade ..