American scientists from Cornell University have found the source of the most aggressive form of ovarian cancer – well-differentiated serous carcinoma. The study was published in the scientific journal Nature Communications (NatComms).
Serous carcinoma remains the sixth leading cause of cancer death among women. Most patients live no more than five years after diagnosis. The disease often occurs without symptoms, and there are no diagnostic tools for its early detection.
In the new study, the team found preciliary epithelial cells in the fallopian tube that appear to be particularly susceptible to cancer.
Preciliated cells develop from stem cells and serve as an intermediate stage between them and the final stage of development in the form of ciliated cells, which ensure the movement of fluids and eggs in the fallopian tube.
In laboratory experiments on mice, scientists found a link between the deactivation of certain genes and the development of serous carcinoma. Further analysis indicated that its source is transitional preciliary cells.
The process of ciliogenesis, or the formation of cilia, is well understood, which will facilitate the search for potential targets for diagnosis and treatment, the researchers say.
