bims-ovdlit Biomed News
on Ovarian cancer: early diagnosis, liquid biopsy and therapy
Issue of 2025–08–03
six papers selected by
Lara Paracchini, Humanitas Research



  1. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2025 Jul 22.
       PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Ovarian cancer remains the most lethal gynaecological cancer. Early detection and treatment options are limited, so prevention is key. This article reviews the current opinion on opportunistic salpingectomy for ovarian cancer prevention within the general population.
    RECENT FINDINGS: Salpingectomy (the removal of the fimbriated ends of the fallopian tubes) reduces ovarian cancer risk without inducing early menopause or depleting ovarian reserves. The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics firmly supports the use of salpingectomy opportunistically (in addition to planned abdominal surgery) for ovarian cancer risk reduction. When salpingectomy should be provided as an elective surgery, and what nongynecological surgeries can be used as opportunities for salpingectomy, is an ongoing discussion.
    SUMMARY: As understanding of the safety and efficacy of opportunistic salpingectomy has solidified into guidelines, its use for ovarian cancer risk reduction has increased. However, the uptake of opportunistic salpingectomy has varied between geographic regions and across institutions. In the US, roughly a third of women undergo a hysterectomy during their lifetime, each of these women should have a chance to consider opportunistic salpingectomy for ovarian cancer prevention. Education about the benefits and harms of opportunistic salpingectomy is both necessary and effective in reducing inequities in access to this risk-reducing surgery.
    Keywords:  guidelines; ovarian cancer; prevention; risk-reducing surgery; salpingectomy
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1097/GCO.0000000000001051
  2. Cancer Genet. 2025 Jul 26. pii: S2210-7762(25)00093-6. [Epub ahead of print]296-297 182-195
       BACKGROUND: Universal cancer screening based on methylation analysis of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) enables multi-organ cancer detection, thereby reducing all-cause mortality and preventing cancer misdiagnosed by guideline-based cancer-specific screening. This study aims to establish a gene methylation panel for blood-based multi-cancer early detection.
    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bioinformatics analysis and in-house DNA sequencing of various human cancer cell lines and blood from healthy persons were carried out to identify candidate pan-cancer methylation sites. Methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes-quantitative PCR (MSRE-qPCR) was then used for DNA methylation analysis. Blood cfDNA from 103 patients with diverse cancer types and 40 healthy subjects was extracted for methylation analysis.
    RESULTS: By bioinformatics analysis and in-house DNA sequencing, we identified two candidates pan-cancer methylation sites, HIST1H4F and CDO1. A long stretch of methylation was found on the promoters of HIST1H4F and CDO1 across various cancer cell lines, while these genomic regions are unmethylated in healthy persons. When tested with clinical samples, the detection sensitivity and specificity of our gene methylation panel in detecting pan-cancer were 47.57 % and 90.00 %, respectively. When analyzed by cancer subtypes, the detection sensitivity was the highest in lung cancer (76.92 %), followed by colorectal cancer (63.64 %) and gastric cancer (50.00 %).
    CONCLUSIONS: Our newly established gene methylation panel provides an alternative assay for multi-cancer screening tests. As no bisulfite conversion and invasive procedures are required, it can accelerate cancer diagnosis and streamline the operation for pan-cancer screening.
    Keywords:  Cancer screening; DNA methylation; Multi-cancer; POCT; Pan-cancer
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cancergen.2025.07.014
  3. Int J Gynecol Cancer. 2025 Jul 09. pii: S1048-891X(25)01127-2. [Epub ahead of print] 102007
      
    Keywords:  Dostarlimab; Endometrial Carcinoma; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors; Neoadjuvant Treatment; POLE Mutation
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgc.2025.102007
  4. Lancet Oncol. 2025 Aug;pii: S1470-2045(25)00167-6. [Epub ahead of print]26(8): e423-e435
      In 2023, based on advances in the understanding of the pathological and molecular features of endometrial carcinoma, an updated International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging system was published, aiming to better define prognostic groups and identify relevant treatment subgroups by including factors reflecting tumour biology (histological subtypes, lymphovascular space invasion, and molecular classification) alongside refinements of anatomical factors (peritoneal carcinomatosis and lymph node metastasis). As part of its mission to improve the quality of care for people with gynaecological cancers, the European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO), European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO), and the European Society of Pathology (ESP) updated the ESGO-ESTRO-ESP evidence-based guidelines published in 2021 by incorporating this revised FIGO staging and the large body of new evidence addressing the management of endometrial carcinoma. The development process of these guidelines was based on a systematic literature review and critical appraisal process involving an international multidisciplinary development group consisting of 30 experts from relevant disciplines (gynaecological oncology, radiation oncology, medical oncology, and pathology). A patient representative was also included. Before publication, the guidelines were reviewed by 225 independent international practitioners in cancer care delivery and three patient representatives from Asia, Europe, North Africa, North America, the Middle East, and South America to ensure a global perspective. These guidelines comprehensively cover diagnosis, management, follow-up, and patient education. Management includes surgical and adjuvant therapy according to the stage of the disease, and metastatic and recurrent disease. The management algorithms and the principles of radiotherapy and pathological evaluation are also defined.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(25)00167-6
  5. Clin Cancer Res. 2025 Aug 01.
       PURPOSE: Minimal residual disease (MRD) after frontline treatment of advanced stage ovarian cancer remains a longstanding barrier to cure. We investigated the prognostic and translational value of MRD detection by second look laparoscopy (SLL) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) at the completion of frontline therapy.
    EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Patients with high-grade epithelial ovarian cancer with complete clinical response to frontline therapy who underwent SLL and plasma collection for ctDNA were included. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated based on MRD and clinicopathologic status. Spatial transcriptomics (GeoMx and Visium) and proteomics (CODEX) profiling were performed on serial samples from select patients.
    RESULTS: Forty of 95 (42.1%) patients had surgically detected MRD, which was associated with worse PFS (median PFS 7.4 vs 23.8 months; p<0.001) and OS (median OS 33.9 vs not reached; p<0.001). SLL positivity was an independent negative prognostic factor for OS (HR 4.40, 95% CI 1.37-14.21, p=0.013) in multivariable analysis. Among 44 patients who underwent SLL and had ctDNA testing, 34% (15/44) were ctDNA-positive, which was associated with worse PFS (6.4 vs 28.1 months; p<0.001) and OS (32.4 months vs not reached; p=0.008). We demonstrated the feasibility of spatial multi-omics in studying MRD, and their ability to provide hypothesis-generating observations, implicating the upregulation of the hypoxia signaling pathway, expression of multiple druggable targets (CDK6, GLS, MSLN, ERBB2, etc.), and immune exclusion, in MRD lesions.
    CONCLUSIONS: Approximately half of patients in clinical remission after frontline therapy have assessable MRD which can inform prognosis, therapeutic target discovery, and clinical trials.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-25-0512