Ovarian Cancer

The European Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use has recommended approval of olaparib as a frontline maintenance treatment for patients with BRCA-mutant advanced high-grade epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in complete or partial response following first-line platinum-based chemotherapy.

Investigational data are associated with folate receptor alpha-targeting agents, with an emphasis on the recent development and therapeutic potential of antibody-drug conjugates for the treatment of patients with ovarian cancer.

Kathleen N. Moore, MD, discusses the potential impact of antibody-drug conjugates on outcomes for patients with ovarian cancer.

Michael Birrer, MD, PhD, discusses the evolution of folate receptor alpha-targeting agents in ovarian cancer.

Multiple agents that target folate receptor alpha have been developed and are currently under investigation for the treatment of patients with ovarian cancer.

Joyce F. Liu, MD, MPH, assistant professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, and director of clinical research for gynecologic oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, discusses the use of PARP inhibitors in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer.

Although there are several maintenance strategies to consider for patients with advanced ovarian cancer, the decision of which approach to pursue largely depends on the molecular makeup of an individual patient’s tumor.

Chrisann Kyi, MD, discusses the utility of PARP inhibitors in the primary treatment and maintenance settings for patients with recurrent ovarian cancer and the next steps that lie ahead.

Jason A. Konner, MD, sheds light on the current treatment landscape for patients with platinum-sensitive and platinum-resistant/recurrent ovarian cancer

Britta Weigelt, PhD, discusses germline and somatic mutations in ovarian cancer that confer potential implications on treatment decisions, as well as those that carry an added cancer risk.

Dmitriy Zamarin, MD, PhD, discusses ongoing research regarding immunotherapy and synergistic strategies also under investigation in advanced ovarian cancer.

Paul Sabbatini, MD, clarifies where the field stands regarding the use of bevacizumab, intraperitoneal therapy, and a 3-week dosing schedule of chemotherapy versus a weekly dose-dense regimen in the frontline setting of newly diagnosed ovarian cancer.

Mario M. Leitao, Jr, MD, FACOG, FACS, Leitao highlights the decision-making process for the placement of surgery in patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer, as well as the use of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Mario M. Leitao Jr, MD, FACOG, FACS, fellowship director, gynecology service, director, Minimal Access and Robotic Surgery Program, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses patient eligibility for neoadjuvant chemotherapy in advanced ovarian cancer.

David Cibula, MD, a gynecologic oncologist at the Gynaecologic Center of Charles University, discusses a trial that examined the addition of dendritic cell-based immunotherapy to chemotherapy in patients with relapsed ovarian cancer.

Kathleen G. Essel, MD, gynecologic oncology fellow, Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma, discusses repeat exposure to PARP inhibitors in the treatment of patients with ovarian cancer.

Considering the decades of clinical investigation involving cytotoxic therapy of malignant disease, it is remarkable— even disconcerting—just how little is understood about the optimal delivery of this critical cancer treatment strategy.

Robert Coleman, MD, professor in the Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the benefit of rucaparib in the treatment of patients with ovarian cancer.

Ursula A. Matulonis, MD, director, Gynecologic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, discusses individualized dosing of niraparib in the treatment of patients with ovarian cancer.

An updated guideline (version 1.2019) from the NCCN for the management of ovarian cancer recommends specific PARP inhibitors for the treatment of recurrent disease, describes patient selection criteria for each agent, and establishes criteria for PARP inhibitor maintenance therapy.

Chip Landen, MD, associate professor, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Virginia Health System, discusses the role of p53 mutations in patients with ovarian cancer.

The ongoing phase III JAVELIN Ovarian PARP 100 study, which was evaluating the efficacy and safety of avelumab in combination with chemotherapy followed by maintenance avelumab in combination with talazoparib in patients with locally advanced or metastatic ovarian cancer, has been discontinued.

Combination use of olaparib and neratinib may represent a novel therapeutic option for chemotherapy-resistant patients with HER2-positive, homologous recombination–proficient ovarian cancer tumors.