Ovarian cancer : making its own rules-again.

Abstract

Epithelial ovarian cancer, once categorizing all epithelial cancers of the ovary and fallopian tube, is now recognized to be an umbrella term. We are recognizing two categories of ovarian cancer, with the “type 1” cancers containing further types, including low grade serous cancers, mucinous, clear cell, and low grade endometrioid. These types are genetically and histologically as different as is their outcome. The paper accompanying this editorial further dissects low grade serous cancers to show that those carrying oncogenic KRAS or BRAF mutations have an unexpectedly excellent clinical outcome. We discuss this newest unexpected behavior of ovarian cancer.