A LARGE genetic study has identified several blood plasma proteins that may play a role in the development of ovarian cancer, raising hopes for more targeted prevention and treatment strategies in the future.
Researchers analyzed data on 2,337 plasma proteins using a method called proteome-wide Mendelian randomisation, which leverages genetic variation to explore possible causal links between proteins and disease risk. The study drew on genetic data from 25,509 women with ovarian cancer collected by the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium.
The strongest evidence pointed to the protein follitropin subunit beta (FSHB), which was linked to a more than twofold higher risk of endometrioid ovarian cancer. Women with genetically higher levels of FSHB had an odds ratio of 2.41 (95% CI 1.56–3.71) for this cancer subtype.
While 11 other proteins initially appeared associated with ovarian cancer risk, further analysis showed that these links could largely be explained by genetic effects from nearby regions of the genome, rather than the proteins themselves. Still, researchers highlighted 12 additional suggestive associations at nominal statistical thresholds that warrant further investigation.
Several of the proteins identified, including the receptor for FSHB, represent potential drug targets. The findings underscore the value of genetic approaches in pinpointing biological pathways that may drive ovarian cancer progression, and they could guide efforts to design novel therapies or preventive strategies.
Reference
Mulugeta A et al. Protein markers of ovarian cancer and its subtypes: insights from proteome-wide Mendelian randomisation analysis. Br J Cancer. 2025;doi: 10.1038/s41416-025-03143-w.
