A new study led by researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) offers critical insights into how high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma — the most common and aggressive form of ovarian cancer — evolves. Published July 16 in Nature, the study used single-cell sequencing to explore a process called whole-genome doubling (WGD), in which cancer cells duplicate all their chromosomes. This process appears in more than 65% of the tumors studied and is linked to increased immune suppression and treatment resistance.
“WGD can both drive and limit cancer progression depending on when it occurs,” says lead author Andrew McPherson, PhD. Senior author Sohrab Shah, PhD, adds that the findings highlight the need for therapies that directly target WGD or exploit its impact on existing treatments. The research, conducted through MSK’s Halvorsen Center for Computational Oncology, may help pave the way for more effective strategies against this deadly disease.