miRNome from 20 High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer Patients tissue and paired control ovarian tissue
High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) poses a formidable challenge as the most lethal gynecologic cancer lacking a curative treatment. Emerging evidence underscores the pivotal role of epigenetic mechanisms, such as miRNAs and DNA methylation, in governing gene expression throughout cancer development stages (i.e. initiation, promotion, and progression, including metastasis). However, the precise involvement of these mechanisms in HGSOC remains elusive. By using high-throughput techniques, we identified dysregulated miRNAs in HGSOC cells, opening new avenues in the therapeutic arsenal targeting miRNAs in this disease. Overall design: The study consists of a retrospective multicentre study. Patients (n=20) were surgically treated and recruited either at the General University Hospital of Valencia or the General University Hospital of Castellon (Spain) between October 2017 and July 2021. From each patient, both tumoural and paired control non-tumoural ovarian tissue (PCOT) samples were obtained. Inclusion criteria comprehended patients undergoing surgical resection for suspected OC with histological confirmation of HGSOC in the affected ovary and absence of malignancy in the paired control ovary and patients who signed the informed consent. Exclusion criteria comprehended patients undergoing surgical resection for suspected OC with a diagnosis different from HGSOC and, patients with absence of paired control non-tumoural ovarian tissue. Demographic variables (age, BMI, ethnicity) were obtained in the pre-surgical interview. Surgical variables were obtained during surgery (stage, PCI). Patients were staged in accordance with the 2014 International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (FIGO) staging system.