We are pleased to announce the publication of our latest study, by Chauvin et al., in the Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research entitled “FSTL3 is a biomarker of poor prognosis and associated with immunotherapy resistance in ovarian cancer”.

Why it matters:

Analysis of patient samples revealed that elevated FSTL3 in ascites strongly correlates with shorter survival in high-grade serous ovarian cancer.
In mouse models, serum FSTL3 levels reflected tumor growth, and overexpression of FSTL3 promoted a fibrotic, immune-excluded tumor microenvironment.
Tumors overexpressing FSTL3 exhibited marked resistance to combined immunotherapy and CHK1 inhibitor treatment, revealing a potential mechanism of immunotherapy failure.

Take-home message:

FSTL3 emerges as a secreted stromal biomarker for prognosis and treatment response in ovarian cancer, and may represent a therapeutic target to overcome immunotherapy resistance.