PLOS ONE: Inherited Variants in Regulatory T Cell Genes and Outcome of Ovarian Cancer

 Blogger's Note: specific references are made to subtypes (eg. clear cell, mucinous, endometriod, serous)

PLOS ONE: Inherited Variants in Regulatory T Cell Genes and Outcome of Ovarian Cancer

Introduction

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States [1]. Five-year overall survival is approximately 45%, and, even with modern surgical and chemotherapeutic strategies, most cases with advanced disease relapse and succumb to the disease [2], [3]. Rare germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations confer improved survival [4]. Common inherited variants could also influence outcome; genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are underway, but have yet to find survival-associated loci [5]. Consideration of novel biological pathways using in-depth analysis of variation in candidate genes holds promise for the identification of prognostic genetic factors.
Several studies demonstrate the importance of the immune system in ovarian cancer outcome.....

"In conclusion, our analysis of 3,662 invasive ovarian cancer cases suggests that inherited variants related to Tregs are associated with ovarian cancer outcome in a subtype-specific manner, even after adjustment for known prognostic features. Our findings underscore the importance of subtype-specific analyses in clinical and epidemiological studies of ovarian cancer, given the established disease heterogeneity, with each histologic subtype expressing different patterns of genetic, epidemiologic and clinical characteristics (reviewed by Karst and Drapkin [56]). Future work should include examination of additional study populations, immunological studies, and correlation of inherited variants with other tumor features, such as levels of Treg infiltration.