Abstract: Epithelial ovarian cancer （EOC） is one of the most malignant tumor in women，which is inclined to get invasion and metastasis. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT） is an important phenomenon in tumor progression. It involves many signal transduction pathways and complex molecular mechanisms. Zinc finger E-box-binding protein （ZEB），an essential transcription factor during EMT，can inhibit the expression of E-cadherin and polar protein，and thus promote the EMT process. Researches of ZEB and EMT in EOC will provide effective target to block the metastasis of EOC in the future.

Key words: Ovarian neoplasms, Cadherins, Cell adhesion molecules, Transcription factors, Epithelial ovarian cancer, Epithelial-mesenchymal transitions