Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 17, 2026

A Proximal Culture Method to Study Paracrine Signaling Between Cells
Published on: August 28, 2018
Mechanisms of ovarian cancer metastasis: biochemical pathways
Kentaro Nakayama1, Naomi Nakayama2, Hiroshi Katagiri1
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shimane University School of Medicine, Izumo 693-8501, Japan.
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.
Related Concept Videos
Metastasis
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition
The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition or EMT is a developmental process commonly observed in wound healing, embryogenesis, and cancer metastasis. EMT is induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) ligands, which further...
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathways
Mechanisms of Retrovirus-induced Cancers
Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway

