title: Mechanisms of ovarian cancer metastasis: biochemical pathways.
abstract: Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. Despite advances in chemotherapy, the five-year survival rate of advanced ovarian cancer patients with peritoneal metastasis remains around 30%. The most significant prognostic factor is stage, and most patients present at an advanced stage with peritoneal dissemination. There is often no clearly identifiable precursor lesion; therefore, the events leading to metastatic disease are poorly understood. This article reviews metastatic suppressor genes, the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and the tumor microenvironment as they relate to ovarian cancer metastasis. Additionally, novel chemotherapeutic agents targeting the metastasis-related biochemical pathways are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shimane University School of Medicine, Izumo 693-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Shimane University School of Medicine, Izumo 693-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Naomi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nakayama
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shimane University School of Medicine, Izumo 693-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Katagiri
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shimane University School of Medicine, Izumo 693-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Kohji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyazaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D005260:Female; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: EMT; cancer; metastasis suppressor gene; tumor microenvironment