biostudies-literatureCanario RUniversidade do PortoSwiss National Science Foundation309-323https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12916920biostudies-literatureUnknown488(2)Tubo-ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) with proficient homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair (HRP) accounts for approximately 50% of cases and is associated with platinum-resistance and poor prognosis. We hypothesize that the acquisition of hybrid phenotypes displaying both epithelial and mesenchymal (E/M) features may be involved in the malignant transformation and tumour dissemination in this subgroup. Therefore, we analysed, by digital pathology, the expression and prognostic significance of 3 classic cadherins (E-cadherin, epithelial marker; N-cadherin, mesenchymal marker; and P-cadherin, candidate marker of hybrid E/M) in 577 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded human samples representing the putative stepwise serous carcinogenesis in the Fallopian tube epithelium (FTE). We obVirchows Archiv : an international journal of pathologyP-cadherin overexpression is associated with early transformation of the Fallopian tube epithelium and aggressiveness of tubo-ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma.PMC12916920207975Ribeiro ASBarbosa AHeinzelmann-Schwarz VTeixeira MRBartosch CRicardo SSantos CCoelho RMonteiro PLopes PPeixoto AMorgado IParedes JCanario RMendes NJacob FfalseP-cadherin overexpression is associated with early transformation of the Fallopian tube epithelium and aggressiveness of tubo-ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma.Tubo-ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) with proficient homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair (HRP) accounts for approximately 50% of cases and is associated with platinum-resistance and poor prognosis. We hypothesize that the acquisition of hybrid phenotypes displaying both epithelial and mesenchymal (E/M) features may be involved in the malignant transformation and tumour dissemination in this subgroup. Therefore, we analysed, by digital pathology, the expression and prognostic significance of 3 classic cadherins (E-cadherin, epithelial marker; N-cadherin, mesenchymal marker; and P-cadherin, candidate marker of hybrid E/M) in 577 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded human samples representing the putative stepwise serous carcinogenesis in the Fallopian tube epithelium (FTE). We ob2026-01-01T00:00:00Z2026 Feb2026-07-16T09:16:25.982Z2026-07-09T10:46:47.667ZS-EPMC129169204032049310.1007/s00428-025-04104-7