Transcriptomic and epigenomic insights into ovarian cancer: a bioinformatics perspective - a narrative review

Ovarian cancer is a highly heterogeneous malignancy with complex molecular underpinnings that extend beyond genomic mutations to encompass transcriptomic and epigenomic alterations. Advances in next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics have enabled comprehensive profiling of gene expression patterns, non-coding RNAs, DNA methylation, histone modifications, and chromatin accessibility, offering novel insights into ovarian tumor biology. Transcriptomic analyses reveal dysregulated coding and non-coding RNA networks, while epigenomic studies uncover epigenetic modifications that regulate gene expression and chromatin structure, together shaping the cancer phenotype. The integration of transcriptomic and epigenomic data through sophisticated bioinformatics pipelines allows the identification of key regulatory networks and molecular subtypes, enhancing our understanding of ovarian cancer heterogeneity and progression. Bioinformatics tools facilitate differential expression analysis, epigenetic mapping, and multi-omics data integration, revealing potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets. These approaches have also illuminated mechanisms of chemoresistance and immune evasion, providing avenues for personalized therapy and improved patient stratification. Datasets will be critical to harness the full potential of transcriptomic and epigenomic research. Ultimately, bioinformatics-driven insights into the ovarian cancer transcriptome and epigenome promise to inform early diagnosis, prognostication, and the development of targeted therapies, advancing precision oncology in this lethal.