Gene expression in ovarian cancer reflects both morphology and biological behavior, distinguishing clear cell from other poor-prognosis ovarian carcinomas.

Biologically and clinically meaningful tumor classification schemes have long been sought. Some malignant epithelial neoplasms, such as those in the thyroid and endometrium, exhibit more than one pattern of differentiation, each associated with distinctive clinical features and treatments. In other tissues, all carcinomas, regardless of morphological type, are treated as though they represent a single disease.

Role of beta-catenin/T-cell factor-regulated genes in ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinomas.

In various cancers, inactivating mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli or Axin tumor suppressor proteins or activating mutations in beta-catenin's amino-terminal domain elevate beta-catenin levels, resulting in marked effects on T-cell factor (TCF)-regulated transcription. Several candidate beta-catenin/TCF-regulated genes in cancer have been proposed. Expression of a few of these genes has been studied in primary human cancers, but most studies have focused on colon cancers and not on other cancer types that harbor mutational defects in adenomatous polyposis coli, AXIN, or beta-catenin.