As L1CAM is both abundantly present on the normal epithelium of the ovary and the surface of the cells of advanced ovarian cancer, it is suggested to play two opposite roles: in healthy epithelium it would support cell–cell adhesion and apoptosis, whereas in the transformed tissue it would inhibit apoptosis and intercellular interactions, and promote cell proliferation, invasion and transendothelial migration [23]. This evidence concerns the gene L1CAM and ovarian carcinoma.