Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2008 Dec;9(12):1191-7.
doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(08)70308-5.

The cell of origin of ovarian epithelial tumours

Louis Dubeau  1
Affiliations
Review

The cell of origin of ovarian epithelial tumours

Louis Dubeau. Lancet Oncol. 2008 Dec.

Abstract

Although it is widely believed that ovarian epithelial tumours arise in the coelomic epithelium that covers the ovarian surface, it has been suggested that they could instead arise from tissues that are embryologically derived from the Müllerian ducts. This article revisits this debate by discussing recent epidemiological and molecular biological findings as well as evidence based on histopathological observations of surgical specimens from individuals with familial ovarian cancer predisposition. Morphological, embryological, and molecular biological characteristics of ovarian epithelial tumours that must be accounted for in formulating a theory about their cell of origin are reviewed, followed by comments about the ability of these two hypotheses to account for each of these characteristics. An argument is made that primary ovarian epithelial tumours, fallopian tube carcinomas, and primary peritoneal carcinomas are all Müllerian in nature and could therefore be regarded as a single disease entity. Although a substantial proportion of cancers currently regarded as of primary ovarian origin arise in the fimbriated end of the fallopian tube, this site cannot account for all of these tumours, some of which are most likely derived from components of the secondary Müllerian system.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Constituents of normal ovaries
The cut surface of an ovary sectioned through a corpus luteum (arrow) and also containing smaller follicles (asterisks) is shown. (Courtesy of Dr. Nancy E. Warner).
Figure 2
Figure 2
The coelomic versus mullerian hypotheses for the origin of ovarian, tubal, and primary peritoneal carcinomas.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Example of extra-ovarian serous cystadenoma
The long arrows show papillae. The area within the rectangle is shown under higher magnification in B, revealing a ciliated epithelium. Bar: 300 microns.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Dubeau L. The cell of origin of ovarian epithelial tumors and the ovarian surface epithelium dogma: does the emperor have no clothes? Gynecol Oncol. 1999;72:437–442. - PubMed
    1. Altaras MM, Aviram R, Cohen I, Cordoba M, Weiss E, Beyth Y. Primary peritoneal papillary serous adenocarcinoma: clinical and management aspects. Gynecol Oncol. 1991;40:230–236. - PubMed
    1. August CZ, Mu rad TM, Newton M. Multiple focal extraovarian serous carcinoma. Int J Gynecol Pathol. 1985;4:11–23. - PubMed
    1. Dalrymple JC, Bannatyne P, Russell P, et al. Extraovarian peritoneal serous papillary carcinoma. Cancer. 1989;64:110–115. - PubMed
    1. Fromm G-L, Gershenson DM, Silva EG. Papillary serous carcinoma of the peritoneum. Obstet Gynecol. 1990;75:89–95. - PubMed

Publication types