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Ovarian cancer often forms secondary tumors, especially in a certain tissue in the abdominal cavity known as the omentum. Researchers from the University of Basel and University Hospital Basel have investigated what happens when the cancer “hijacks” this organ. It is hoped their findings will lead to more successful treatments.

Ovarian cancer often remains undetected until it has already spread within the abdominal cavity. In seven out of ten patients, metastases are already present at the time of diagnosis. They occur particularly frequently in the omentum, an organ located in front of the intestine that contains fat cells and performs protective and immune functions.

A research team led by Dr. Francis Jacob and Professor Viola Heinzelmann-Schwarz analyzed 36 tissue samples from 15 patients. Some samples came from ovarian cancer patients with metastases in the omentum, while others came from patients whose omentum was cancer-free. By examining which cells were present, the researchers created a detailed cell atlas of the organ in healthy and diseased states.

They found that a healthy omentum has a balanced cell composition. In patients with ovarian cancer, however, the entire organ had been restructured - even in areas far from visible tumors. More immune cells that weaken the body’s ability to attack cancer cells were present, while the number of surface and stem cells had decreased. These changes appear to create an environment that helps tumors spread and reduces the organ’s ability to regenerate.

The researchers also detected individual cancer cells in tissue that appeared healthy. This suggests that ovarian cancer can effectively “hijack” the entire omentum, not only the areas containing visible metastases.

The findings indicate that removing more of the omentum during surgery, rather than only the visibly affected areas, could potentially reduce the risk of recurrence. Whether this approach improves outcomes for patients will now need to be investigated in a clinical study.

Your donations are making a lasting impact. Discover how Dr. Francis Jacob and his research team are uncovering how ovarian cancer reshapes surrounding tissue and how these findings could help improve future treatment, thanks to the support of generous donors like you.