Skip to main content
Fig. 1 | Cell Division

Fig. 1

From: Principles of dormancy evident in high-grade serous ovarian cancer

Fig. 1

Intraperitoneal dissemination of high-grade serous ovarian cancer. A Malignant cells are shed from the primary tumor into the peritoneal space. This often occurs within the accumulated ascites fluid in advanced stage HGSOC. The ability of metastatic HGSOC cells to exist as multicellular clusters, called spheroids, affords malignant cells with enhanced survival characteristics. The induction of a dormancy phenotype thereby protects them from chemotherapeutic insult. Spheroids have an enhanced capacity to reattach to the mesothelial surfaces of the peritoneal cavity to seed secondary tumor deposits and re-initiate cell growth and invasion. B, C Phase contrast microscopic images of spheroids filtered from HGSOC patient-derived ascites fluid (B) and spheroids generated by in vitro suspension culture (C). D Image of secondary tumor deposits visible on the peritoneal wall of an HGSOC patient undergoing laparoscopic surgery. Photo in (D) courtesy of Dr. Dominique Lanvin

Back to article page