MECOM

Overview

MECOM (MDS1 and EVI1 Complex Locus) encodes a zinc finger transcription factor with roles in hematopoiesis and epithelial cell proliferation. In ovarian cancer, MECOM resides within a recurrently amplified region at 3q26 and acts as an oncogene promoting tumor cell survival and proliferation. It was identified by TCGA as one of the most frequently focally amplified genes in high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC).

Alterations observed in the corpus

  • MECOM was recurrently amplified at 3q26 in >20% of HGSOC tumors, identified by TCGA integrated genomic analysis of 489 stage II-IV samples; enriched in the Immunoreactive transcriptional subtype PMID:21720365
  • Focal amplification identified in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) by TCGA comprehensive molecular characterization PMID:23792563
  • MECOM recurrent focal amplification identified as a significant GISTIC peak in LUAD (TCGA, n=230) PMID:25079552
  • inv(3)/MECOM rearrangement in 1% (n=20) of AML; among the strongest adverse main effects for overall survival (HR 2.9 [1.8–4.7], P=9×10⁻⁶, q=0.0003) PMID:27276561

Cancer types (linked)

  • HGSOC: Focal amplification >20% of tumors; MECOM amplification was enriched in the Immunoreactive molecular subtype, suggesting subtype-specific oncogenic dependencies PMID:21720365

Co-occurrence and mutual exclusivity

  • MECOM amplification co-occurs with near-universal TP53 mutation in HGSOC and alongside other common focal amplifications (CCNE1, MYC) PMID:21720365

Therapeutic relevance

  • No direct targeted therapy established; MECOM amplification may define a subset of HGSOC with distinct biology potentially amenable to transcription factor-directed strategies.

Open questions

  • The functional relationship between MECOM amplification and the Immunoreactive HGSOC subtype phenotype requires further characterization.

Sources

  • PMID:21720365 — TCGA integrated genomic analysis of ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC)

This page was processed by entity-page-writer on 2026-05-15. - PMID:23792563

This page was processed by entity-page-writer on 2026-05-15. - PMID:25079552

This page was processed by entity-page-writer on 2026-05-15. - PMID:27276561

This page was processed by entity-page-writer on 2026-05-15.