Comprehensive molecular characterization identifies therapeutic vulnerabilities in ovarian clear cell carcinoma

Ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) is a rare aggressive, and chemo-resistant subtype of epithelial ovarian cancer. Current limitations in precisely characterizing its molecular features have resulted in restricted availability of clinical targeted therapies and significant therapeutic challenges.

To address this unmet need, we conducted an integrative multi-omics study of 82 OCCC cases, incorporating whole-exome sequencing (WES), bulk RNA sequencing, and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq).

Our analysis uncovered recurrent mutations in multiple epigenetic regulators including ARID1A, EP300, and SETD2B, reinforcing chromatin remodeling as a hallmark of OCCC pathogenesis. Strikingly, FOXA2 mutations were absent in early-stage tumors but specifically enriched in advanced-stage cases (19% frequency), with functional validation demonstrating their role in driving malignant progression. Copy number alteration profiling revealed frequent amplifications in chromosomal arms such as 17q, which contains the ERBB2 oncogene that potentially regulates OCCC progression. Chromosomal translocations were detected in 35.59% of cases, including a novel FGFR2/RPAP3 fusion with therapeutic implications. Notably, scRNA-seq delineated immune-rich subsets characterized by abundant cytotoxic T-cell and B-cell infiltration, suggesting immunotherapeutic opportunities in a patient subset. Moreover, molecular subtyping identified ERBB2 amplification/overexpression as a high-risk feature strongly associated with poor survival. Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models and a retrospective analysis of two clinical cases demonstrated that HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugates (HER2-ADCs) significantly suppressed tumor growth and progression in OCCC patients with HER2 expression.

In summary, our study establishes the comprehensive molecular atlas and a targeted therapeutic subtyping framework, revealing therapeutic vulnerabilities and providing novel insights for advancing precision oncology in OCCC management.