Upregulation of mesothelial genes in ovarian carcinoma cells is associated with an unfavorable clinical outcome and the promotion of cancer cell adhesion.

A hallmark of ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) is its early and massive peritoneal dissemination via the peritoneal fluid. It is generally believed that tumor cells must breach the mesothelium of peritoneal organs to adhere to the underlying extracellular matrix (ECM) and initiate metastatic growth. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes are only partially understood.