High grade serous carcinoma of the ovary, fallopian tube and peritoneum (HGSC) is the most common form of ovarian cancer (OC). HGSC is also the
deadliest gynecologic malignancy worldwide, mainly due to late diagnosis and development of chemoresistant disease. Ascites is a hallmark of HGSC and also a complex tumor microenvironment enriched in tumor-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs). These circulating microparticles not only regulate disease progression by largely unknown mechanisms, but can be also employed as cancer biomarkers. Therefore, we will create a database of proteomic profiles of EVs and other functional characteristics of ascites as well as organoids derived from tumor cells present in ascites. This database will allow us to study the functional involvement of EVs in the progression of HGSCs on top of their potential as biomarkers. The results of this project could significantly contribute to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying this disease and at the same time improve the diagnosis of HGSC, which is crucial for the individualization of patients' treatment in future.

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