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Review
. 2025 Jun;45(3):395-404.
doi: 10.1007/s11596-025-00041-3. Epub 2025 Apr 17.

Aberrant Sialylation in Ovarian Cancer: Orchestrating Progression, Metastasis, and Therapeutic Hurdles

Yu-Xin Chen  1   2 , Guang-Nian Zhao  3   4 , Qing-Lei Gao  5   6
Affiliations
Review

Aberrant Sialylation in Ovarian Cancer: Orchestrating Progression, Metastasis, and Therapeutic Hurdles

Yu-Xin Chen et al. Curr Med Sci. 2025 Jun.

Abstract

Ovarian cancer (OC), a highly lethal gynaecological malignancy, is often diagnosed at advanced stages, resulting in a poor prognosis. Sialylation, an important form of glycosylation, significantly contributes to the progression of various solid tumours, including OC. Aberrant sialylation promotes tumour progression and metastasis by altering the structure and function of glycoproteins. Although its role in several solid tumours is well documented, the role of abnormal sialylation in OC and its potential as a therapeutic target remain poorly understood. This review highlights sialylation as a key regulator of the progression, metastasis, and drug resistance of OC. A deeper understanding of altered sialylation can contribute to the identification of novel therapeutic strategies for OC.

Keywords: Immune evasion; Metastasis; Ovarian cancer; Sialylation; Sialyltransferase; Tumor progression.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethical Approval and Consent to Participate: Not applicable. Consent for Publication: Not applicable.

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