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CC BY 4.0 · Brazilian Journal of Oncology 2024; 20: e-20230437
DOI: 10.5935/2526-8732.20230437
Review Article
Clinical Oncology

Borderline ovarian tumors: a review of its biology, molecular profile, and management

Tumores borderline de ovário: uma revisão de sua biologia, perfil molecular e manejo
Renata Colombo Bonadio 
1   Instituto D’Or de Ensino e Pesquisa (IDOR), São Paulo, Brazil
2   Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
,
Ana Gabriela de Siqueira Santos 
2   Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
,
Maria Del Pilar Estevez-Diz 
1   Instituto D’Or de Ensino e Pesquisa (IDOR), São Paulo, Brazil
2   Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
› Author Affiliations Financial support: None to declare.
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ABSTRACT

Borderline ovarian tumors typically exhibit indolent behavior and boast a favorable prognosis; however, a subset of patients experiences disease recurrence and progression to low-grade ovarian carcinoma. The complex biology underlying these phenomena has been illuminated through molecular analyses. KRAS and BRAF mutations have emerged as recurrent findings in borderline ovarian tumors. Specifically, KRAS mutations have been linked to a higher risk of recurrence and progression to low-grade ovarian carcinoma, while BRAF mutations seem to confer a protective effect, inducing a senescent state that mitigates the likelihood of progression. In this comprehensive review, we explore the biology and the molecular profile of borderline ovarian tumors, shedding light on recent discoveries that have enriched our comprehension. Additionally, we discuss the current state of borderline ovarian tumors management. Surgery remains the cornerstone of treatment. While cytotoxic therapies role is limited so far, molecular characterization emphasizes the imminent potential for personalized therapeutic approaches.

RESUMO

Os tumores borderline de ovário geralmente exibem comportamento indolente e apresentam prognóstico favorável; no entanto, um subconjunto de pacientes apresenta recorrência da doença e progressão para carcinoma de ovário de baixo grau. A biologia complexa subjacente a estes fenômenos foi iluminada através de análises moleculares. Mutações KRAS e BRAF surgiram como achados recorrentes em tumores borderline de ovário. Especificamente, as mutações KRAS têm sido associadas a um maior risco de recorrência e progressão para carcinoma de ovário de baixo grau, enquanto as mutações BRAF parecem conferir um efeito protetor, induzindo um estado senescente que mitiga a probabilidade de progressão. Nesta revisão abrangente, exploramos a biologia e o perfil molecular dos tumores borderline de ovário, lançando luz sobre descobertas recentes que enriqueceram nossa compreensão. Além disso, discutimos o estado atual do manejo de tumores borderline de ovário. A cirurgia continua sendo o pilar de tratamento. Embora o papel das terapias citotóxicas seja limitado até o momento, a caracterização molecular enfatiza o potencial iminente para abordagens terapêuticas personalizadas.

Keywords:

Ovarian neoplasms - Rare diseases - Molecular biology

Palavras-chave:

Neoplasias ovarianas - Doenças raras - Biologia molecular


Publication History

Received: 30 July 2023

Accepted: 08 January 2024

Article published online:
25 March 2024

© 2024. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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Bibliographical Record
Renata Colombo Bonadio, Ana Gabriela de Siqueira Santos, Maria Del Pilar Estevez-Diz. Borderline ovarian tumors: a review of its biology, molecular profile, and management. Brazilian Journal of Oncology 2024; 20: e-20230437.
DOI: 10.5935/2526-8732.20230437
 

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