Leveraging Genomics, Transcriptomics, and Epigenomics to Understand the Biology and Chemoresistance of Ovarian Cancer

Simple Summary Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death by a gynecological tumor, mainly due to its common detection in advanced stages and to its high resistance to conventional chemotherapy. The study of the molecular mechanisms leading to ovarian tumor progression and chemoresistance are thus a priority in oncological research. In recent years, omics technologies have allowed the study of new aspects of ovarian cancer biology from a global point of view. In this review, we aim to summarize the main findings reached by recent studies in ovarian cancer using genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic techniques and how they have improved our understanding of ovarian cancer biology and chemoresistance. Ovarian cancer is a major cause of fatality due to a gynecological malignancy. This lethality is largely due to the unspecific clinical manifestations of ovarian cancer, which lead to late detection and to high resistance to conventional therapies based on platinum. In recent years, we have advanced our understanding of the mechanisms provoking tumor relapse, and the advent of so-called omics technologies has provided exceptional tools to evaluate molecular mechanisms leading to therapy resistance in ovarian cancer. Here, we review the contribution of genomics, transcriptomics, and epigenomics techniques to our knowledge about the biology and molecular features of ovarian cancers, with a focus on therapy resistance. The use of these technologies to identify molecular markers and mechanisms leading to chemoresistance in these tumors is discussed, as well as potential further applications.

Automated summary

Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of mortality among gynecological tumors mainly due to late detection and high resistance to conventional therapies. Recent studies using genomics, transcriptomics, and epigenomics techniques have advanced our understanding of ovarian cancer biology and chemoresistance, providing valuable insights into potential therapeutic strategies.