Mesenchymal stem cells and ovarian cancer: Is there promising news?

Ovarian cancer (OC) is described as a heterogeneous complex condition with high mortality, weak prognosis, and late-stage presentation. OC has several subgroups based on different indices, like the origin and histopathology. The current treatments against OC include surgery followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy; however, these methods have represented diverse side effects without enough effectiveness on OC. Recently, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapy has acquired particular attention for treating diverse problems, such as cancer. These multipotent stem cells can be obtained from different sources, such as the umbilical cord, adipose tissues, bone marrow, and placenta, and their efficacy has been investigated against OC. Hence, in this narrative review, we aimed to review and discuss the present studies about the effects of various sources of MSCs on OC with a special focus on involved mechanisms.

Automated summary

Ovarian cancer is a heterogeneous complex condition with high mortality, weak prognosis, and late-stage presentation. Current treatments have diverse side effects and limited effectiveness. The use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from various sources has gained attention for treating ovarian cancer. This review aims to discuss the effects of MSCs from different sources on ovarian cancer and their underlying mechanisms.