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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2012 Jun 21.
Published in final edited form as: Nat Rev Cancer. 2011 Sep 23;11(10):719–725. doi: 10.1038/nrc3144

Figure 2. The origins of ‘ovarian’ cancer.

Figure 2

Figure 2

Ovarian cancer is a collective term for invasive cancers derived from different tissues. A majority of invasive mucinous ovarian cancers are metastases to the ovary, often from the gastrointestinal tract including colon (Co), appendix (Ap) or stomach (St). Endometrioid and clear cell ovarian cancers are derived from endometriosis, which in turn is associated with retrograde menstruation (blue arrow) from the endometrium (En). High grade serous ovarian cancers are derived from the surface of the ovary (Ov) and/or distal fallopian tube (FT) - the relative contribution that the two sites make to these tumours remains unclear. Benign and low malignant potential (borderline) tumours are not included in the diagram. Such tumours are thought to be of ovarian origin, however, the originating cells are not defined and their derivation may be revised in the future. Histological images courtesy of R. Drapkin, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, USA, and C. Crum, Brigham and Women's Hospital, USA.