Medical Hypotheses
Volume 52, Issue 1 , Pages 23-26, January 1999

Etiology of ovarian cancer: a proposed mechanism

Banting & Best Department of Medical Research, University of Toronto, 112 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1L6, CANADA

Received 8 August 1997; accepted 9 September 1997.

Abstract 

The majority of ovarian cancers are derived from ovarian surface epithelial cells that are sequestered in inclusion cysts within the ovarian stoma. We propose that the Fas/Fas ligand system is responsible for the normal elimination of these inclusion cysts through apoptosis, thereby removing potential sites of ovarian tumors. Furthermore, we hypothesize that the failure of the Fas/Fas ligand's apoptotic signaling mechanism leads to the persistence of these inclusion cysts in the stroma, and the onset of ovarian tumorigenesis.

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PII: S0306-9877(97)90620-4

doi:10.1054/mehy.1997.0620

Medical Hypotheses
Volume 52, Issue 1 , Pages 23-26, January 1999

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