Abstract 34: From fluid to function: Leveraging ascites to build orthotopic ovarian cancer models

Often referred to as the “silent killer”, ovarian cancer poses significant challenges due to its asymptomatic nature and lack of reliable early detection methods, leading to late-stage diagnoses in over 70% of cases. As the eighth most common cancer among women worldwide, robust translational models for preclinical testing of ovarian cancer are essential. Unfortunately, the limited availability of orthotopic in vivo models presents a significant challenge in accurately replicating ovarian cancer for research purposes. By harnessing the ascitic nature of two well-established ovarian adenocarcinoma cell lines, we have successfully generated robust orthotopic ovarian in vivo models, which we can now offer as a valuable platform for preclinical research. Both our intra-peritoneal and intra-bursal models exhibit predictable growth patterns, thus contributing to the advancement of ovarian cancer treatments by enabling the exploration of tumor biology, drug resistance mechanisms, and therapeutic efficacy. The innovative models presented here are powerful tools for investigating tumor biology and advancing preclinical drug development, with the ultimate goal of improving therapeutic outcomes for patients with ovarian cancer. Citation Format: Cheryl Davis, Melissa Tran, Helen Ketteringham, Corrine Silvio, Ben Hoerner, Marcus Josey, Victoria Caruso, Kathleen Hutchinson, Dawn Lusk, Chris Holding, Shorena Nadaraia-Hoke. From fluid to function: Leveraging ascites to build orthotopic ovarian cancer models [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 34.