Reports indicate that most metastatic ovarian cancer (MOC) originates from gastrointestinal cancer (GIC). Notably, GICs metastasize to the ovary frequently via 3 main routes including hematogenous spread, lymphogenous spread, and transcoelomic spread. Nonetheless, the mechanism of the progression remains unknown, and only a handful of literature exists on the molecular alteration implicated in MOC from GIC. This work collected existing evidence and literature on the vital molecules of the metastatic pathway and systematically analyzed them geared toward exploring the mechanism of the metastatic pathway of MOC. Further, this review described dominating molecular alteration in the metastatic process from cancer cells detaching away from lesions to arrive at the ovary, including factors for regulating signaling pathways in epithelial-interstitial transformation, invading, and surviving in the circulatory system or abdominal cavity. We interrogated the basis of the ovary as a distant metastatic site. This article provides new insights into the metastatic pathway and generates novel therapeutic targets for effective treatment and satisfactory outcomes in GIC patients.
Keywords: gastrointestinal cancer; metastatic mechanism; metastatic ovarian cancer; metastatic pathway; molecular alteration.
Copyright © 2020 Chen, Ge, Zhao, Wang, Ling, Zheng, Ding, Wang and Sun.