Grant: Operating Grant

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal and primary cause of death from gynecological malignancies for women in developed countries. A better understanding of the pathophysiology of this devastating disease will lead to the development of clinical screening procedures and drug therapies, thus improving the survival rate for patients. Epithelial ovarian carcinomas comprise approximately 90 % of malignant ovarian tumors. There is increasing evidence that hormones and growth factors can influence the occurrence and progression of epithelial ovarian carcinomas. In this proposal, we plan to further delineate the mechanisms underlying the actions of GnRH-II and gonadotropins in epithelial ovarian cancer cells, with emphasis on cell invasiveness. In particular, we will examine the cross-talk between these hormones and epidermal growth factor (EGF) that is known to play key roles in ovarian cancer cell progression. We will also investigate hormonal influences on the transformation of non-invasive serous borderline ovarian tumors to low-grade invasive carcinomas. The findings will add significantly to our understanding of the invasive properties of epithelial ovarian carcinomas, which are responsible for most of the morbidity and mortality due to ovarian cancer.