Ovarian clear cell
carcinoma can arise from
endometriosis; however, it is distinct from other types of
epithelial ovarian carcinoma in terms of its clinicopathological and molecular features.
Cancer antigen 125 lacks the sensitivity and specificity required for accurate clinical diagnosis of clear cell
carcinoma. Therefore, the aim of the current review was to identify novel
biomarker candidates for the immunohistochemical and serological diagnosis of clear cell
carcinoma. A search of the relevant English language literature published between 1966 and 2014 was conducted using the PubMed MEDLINE online database. High-throughput tissue microarray technology and proteomic screening combined with mass spectrometry may provide additional information regarding diagnostic
biomarker candidates for ovarian clear cell
carcinoma. The present review summarizes the characteristics of potential genomic alterations that activate
cancer signaling pathways and, thus, contribute to
carcinogenesis. The major signaling pathways activated in clear cell
carcinoma are associated with cell cycle regulation (
hepatitis A virus cellular receptor 1 and
tumor protein D52),
growth factor signaling (
insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1;
KiSS-1 metastasis-suppressor; erb-b2
receptor tyrosine kinase 2; and
fibroblast growth factor receptor 2), anti-apoptosis and survival pathways [
sialidase 3 (membrane
sialidase)], metabolism (γ-glutamyltransferase 1), chemoresistance (napsin A aspartic
peptidase,
glutathione peroxidase 3; and
aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family, member A1), coagulation [
coagulation factor III (
thromboplastin, tissue factor); and
tissue factor pathway inhibitor 2], signaling (
lectin, galactoside-binding and soluble, 3), and adhesion and the extracellular matrix [
cadherin 1, type 1,
E-cadherin (epithelial);
versican; and
laminin, α 5]. The present review of the relevant literature may provide a basis for additional clinical investigation of the ovarian clear cell
carcinoma serum
biomarker candidate
proteins identified herein.