NIH:OVCAR-3 Human Ovarian Cancer Model

By Gunisha Arora, Ph.D., Medical and Scientific Writer, Scientific Development

Ovarian cancer is a serious illness often diagnosed at a late stage, leading to a poor outlook for patients. To better understand this disease and find new therapies, scientists rely on research using in vitro and in vivo models. The NIH:OVCAR-3 cell line is one of the most widely used and well-understood models for this research.

Derived from a patient with an aggressive form of ovarian cancer, these cells closely mimic the characteristics of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma, the most common subtype. The cells are easy to grow and manipulate in the lab, retain important molecular features of the original tumor, and have hormone receptors. These qualities make them an excellent tool for studying how ovarian cancer develops, progresses, and becomes resistant to drugs. They are also useful for testing the effectiveness of hormonal therapies.

At Labcorp, we've conducted several studies using the NIH:OVCAR-3 model in mice to test various cancer drugs. We've found this model to be highly reliable, showing consistent tumor growth. The specific growth patterns and responses to treatment observed in these studies provide crucial data for developing new and effective therapies for ovarian cancer patients.