ABSTRACT
Ovarian cancer, consisting mainly of ovarian carcinoma, is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. Improvements in outcome for patients with advanced-stage disease are limited by intrinsic and acquired chemoresistance and by tumor heterogeneity at different anatomic sites and along disease progression. Molecules and cellular pathways mediating chemoresistance appear to be different for the different histological types of ovarian carcinoma, with most recent research focusing on serous and clear cell carcinoma. This review discusses recent data implicating various biomarkers in chemoresistance in this cancer, with focus on studies in which clinical specimens have been central.
Financial and competing interests disclosure
B Davidson’s work on chemoresistance in ovarian carcinoma was supported by the Inger and John Fredriksen Foundation for Ovarian Cancer Research. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.