AccScience Publishing / EJMO / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/EJMO026200224
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Clinicopathological characteristics and survival by BRCA status in ovarian cancer: A multicenter retrospective cohort study

Wenna Hu1† ,  Zhen Sun1† ,  Dehui Zhang1† ,  Na Li1 ,  Xiao Song2 ,  Wei Tian3 ,  Ming Liu1,4,5,6 ,  Ran Chu1,4,5,6* ,  Shuo Zhang1,4,5,6*
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1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University Dezhou Hospital, Dezhou, Shandong, China
3 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shandong Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital Affiliated to Qingdao University, Jinan, Shandong, China
4 Shandong Key Laboratory of Reproductive Research and Birth Defect Prevention, Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
5 Shandong Provincial Health Commission Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment for Major Gynecological Diseases, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
6 Gynecology Laboratory, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China
†These authors contributed equally to this work.
EJMO, 026200224 https://doi.org/10.36922/EJMO026200224
Received: 17 May 2026 | Revised: 15 June 2026 | Accepted: 16 June 2026 | Published online: 3 July 2026
© 2026 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution -Noncommercial 4.0 International License (CC-by the license) ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ )
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Abstract

Introduction: Breast cancer susceptibility gene 1/2 (BRCA1/2) mutations are implicated in ovarian cancer biology and may influence tumor phenotype, treatment response, and prognosis.

Objective: To compare clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes between BRCA-mutated and BRCA wild-type ovarian cancer patients in a multicenter cohort.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included ovarian cancer patients who underwent BRCA1/2 testing at three hospitals in China from January 2018 to December 2024. Clinicopathological variables were compared between groups. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated using Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards models.

Results: Among 316 patients, 117 (37.0%) had BRCA mutations and 199 (63.0%) were BRCA wild-type. BRCA-mutated patients had a higher proportion with serous histology (94.9% vs. 87.4%, p = 0.032) and a more frequent use of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors (47.9% vs. 20.1%, p < 0.001). They also had lower crude recurrence (49.6% vs. 73.4%, p < 0.001) and mortality rates (28.2% vs. 44.2%, p = 0.006). After adjustment, BRCA mutation status was not independently associated with DFS or OS. Advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, bilateral tumors, and residual disease > 1 cm were independently associated with shorter DFS, whereas use of a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor was associated with longer DFS. Advanced FIGO stage was associated with worse OS, while PARP inhibitor maintenance therapy was associated with longer OS.

Conclusion: BRCA-mutated patients showed better crude outcomes, but the survival difference was attenuated after multivariable Cox adjustment. BRCA testing remains valuable for guiding individualized maintenance therapy.

Keywords
Ovarian cancer
BRCA1/2
Clinicopathological features
Prognosis
Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors
Funding
This study was supported by grants from the Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation (ZR2023QH529) and the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association (CETSDHRCORP252-4-007).
Conflict of interest
The authors declare they have no competing interests.
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Eurasian Journal of Medicine and Oncology, Electronic ISSN: 2587-196X Print ISSN: 2587-2400, Published by AccScience Publishing
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