Epithelial Cancers of the Ovary. Recent Trends

Ovarian carcinomas constitute the major cause of the mortality and morbidity in gynaecology. Most ovary carcinomas are epithelial tumours. Our understanding of ovarian cancerogenesis has been hampered by the lack of a well defined precursor lesion, the lack of knowledge about tumour progression, and by the relative inaccessibility of the ovaries in the abdominal cavity. Recent studies using experimental models allow us to better define the fundamental mechanisms of carcinogenesis from the serous ovarian cells and of invasion of the abdominopelvic cavity by proximity. This review article tries to update on epidemiology, genetic syndromes, biology, screening, and therapy of these epithelial tumours, and about the new directions taken by basic and clinical research. We will present data concerning oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes involved in epithelial ovarian tumours, regulation of tumour cells by growth factors, genes involved in tumour invasion, and mechanisms used by the cancer cell to resist to therapies. Non-epithelial ovarian tumours will not be examined in this manuscript