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Updated: Feb 25, 2026

Studying TGF-β Signaling and TGF-β-induced Epithelial-to-mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer and Normal Cells
Published on: October 27, 2020
TGFβ Controls Ovarian Cancer Cell Proliferation
Elisenda Alsina-Sanchís1,2, Agnès Figueras3,4, Alvaro Lahiguera5,6
1Program Against Cancer Therapeutic Resistance (ProCURE), Institut Català d'Oncologia, Hospital Duran i Reynals, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08908 Barcelona, Spain. elisenda.as@gmail.com.
Abstract:
There have been no major improvements in the overall survival of ovarian cancer patients in recent decades. Even though more accurate surgery and more effective treatments are available, the mortality rate remains high. Given the differences in origin and the heterogeneity of these tumors, research to elucidate the signaling pathways involved is required. The Transforming Growth Factor (TGFβ) family controls different cellular responses in development and cell homeostasis. Disruption of TGFβ signaling has been implicated in many cancers, including ovarian cancer. This article considers the involvement of TGFβ in ovarian cancer progression, and reviews the various mechanisms that enable the TGFβ signaling pathway to control ovarian cancer cell proliferation. These mechanistic explanations support the therapeutic use of TGFβ inhibitors in ovarian cancer, which are currently in the early phases of development.
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