scholarly journals Current Treatments and New Possible Complementary Therapies for Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 77
Author(s):  
Maritza P. Garrido ◽  
Allison N. Fredes ◽  
Lorena Lobos-González ◽  
Manuel Valenzuela-Valderrama ◽  
Daniela B. Vera ◽  
...  

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is one of the deadliest gynaecological malignancies. The late diagnosis is frequent due to the absence of specific symptomatology and the molecular complexity of the disease, which includes a high angiogenesis potential. The first-line treatment is based on optimal debulking surgery following chemotherapy with platinum/gemcitabine and taxane compounds. During the last years, anti-angiogenic therapy and poly adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerases (PARP)-inhibitors were introduced in therapeutic schemes. Several studies have shown that these drugs increase the progression-free survival and overall survival of patients with ovarian cancer, but the identification of patients who have the greatest benefits is still under investigation. In the present review, we discuss about the molecular characteristics of the disease, the recent evidence of approved treatments and the new possible complementary approaches, focusing on drug repurposing, non-coding RNAs, and nanomedicine as a new method for drug delivery.

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-42
Author(s):  
Massimo Di Maio ◽  
Alice Bergamini

The clinical efficacy of poly-adenosine diphosphate (ADP) ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors in BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer patients has been widely reported. However, novel challenges are currently aimed at broadening the benefit of PARP inhibitors to patients with wild-type BRCA and homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) and identifying a test able to select those patients who might benefit most from this therapy. The recently published ENGOT-OV16/NOVA trial reported an advantage in progression-free survival (PFS) for patients receiving the PARP1/2 inhibitor niraparib, as maintenance treatment for platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer compared to placebo, regardless of their germline BRCA or HRD status. This suggests that niraparib could potentially represent a valuable maintenance option for virtually all patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer and that the HRD assay used in this trial is not able to reliably identify those patients who benefit the most from niraparib maintenance. These provocative considerations are the result of subgroup analyses that should be interpreted with caution but are useful to show the consistency of the effect of niraparib across the whole population.


2011 ◽  
Vol 121 (2) ◽  
pp. 269-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. O'Malley ◽  
Debra L. Richardson ◽  
Patrick S. Rheaume ◽  
Ritu Salani ◽  
Eric L. Eisenhauer ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
pp. ijgc-2020-002239
Author(s):  
Oren Smaletz ◽  
Gustavo Ismael ◽  
Maria Del Pilar Estevez-Diz ◽  
Ivana L O Nascimento ◽  
Ana Luiza Gomes de Morais ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy and safety of hu3S193, a humanized anti-Lewis-Y monoclonal antibody, as a consolidation strategy in patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer who achieved a second complete response after salvage platinum-doublet chemotherapy.MethodsThis single-arm phase II study accrued patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer with Lewis-Y expression by immunohistochemistry who had achieved a second complete response after five to eight cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients received intravenous infusions of hu3S193, 30 mg/m2 every 2 weeks starting no more than 8 weeks after the last dose of chemotherapy and continuing for 12 doses, until disease progression, or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival of the second remission. Secondary objectives were safety and pharmacokinetics.ResultsTwenty-nine patients were enrolled. Most had a papillary/serous histology tumor (94%), stage III disease at diagnosis (75%), and five (17%) underwent secondary cytoreduction before salvage chemotherapy. Two patients were not eligible for efficacy but were considered for toxicity analysis. Eighteen patients (62%) completed the full consolidation treatment while nine patients progressed on treatment. At the time of analysis, 23 patients (85%) of the eligible population had progressed and seven of these patients (26%) had died. Median progression-free survival of the second remission was 12.1 months (95% CI: 10.6–13.9), with a 1-year progression-free survival of the second remission rate of 50.1%. The trial was terminated early since it was unlikely that the primary objective would be achieved. The most commonly reported treatment-related adverse events were nausea (55%) and vomiting (51%).ConclusionsHu3S193 did not show sufficient clinical activity as consolidation therapy in patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer who achieved a second complete response after platinum-based chemotherapy.Trial registrationNCT01137071.


Cancers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1013
Author(s):  
Chara Papadaki ◽  
Stavroula Manolakou ◽  
Eleni Lagoudaki ◽  
Spyros Pontikakis ◽  
Despo Ierodiakonou ◽  
...  

CD44, a surface marker for cancer stem cells, interacts with PKM2, a key regulator of aerobic glycolysis, and enhances the glycolytic phenotype of cancer cells leading to antioxidant protection and macromolecules’ synthesis. To clarify the clinical importance of this “cross-talk” as a mechanism of drug resistance, we assessed the expression both of PKM2 and of CD44 in cancer cells of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) treated with platinum-based treatment. One hundred and seventy-one patients with EOC were assessed for PKM2mRNA expression and PKM2 and CD44 proteins detection. Associations with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed with Kaplan–Meier and adjusted Cox regression models. PKM2mRNA and protein as well as CD44 protein were detectable in the majority of patients. Positive correlation between PKM2 and CD44 protein expression was observed (Spearman rho = 0.2, p = 0.015). When we used the median to group patients into high versus low expression, high PKM2mRNA and protein levels were significantly associated with lower progression-free survival (PFS; p = 0.003 and p = 0.002, respectively) and shorter overall survival (OS; p ≤ 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). However, high CD44 protein expression was significantly correlated only with shorter OS (p = 0.004). Moreover, patients with both high PKM2 and CD44 protein levels experienced shorter PFS and OS (p = 0.007 and p = 0.003, respectively) compared to patients with low expression of both proteins. Finally, higher PKM2mRNA and protein expression as well as CD44 protein expression (HR: 2.16; HR: 1.82; HR: 1.01, respectively) were independent prognostic factors for decreased median OS (mOS), whereas only PKM2 protein expression (HR: 1.95) was an independent prognostic factor for decreased median PFS (mPFS). In conclusion, PKM2 expression is a negative prognostic factor in EOC patients, but the interaction between CD44 and PKM2 that may be implicated in EOC platinum-resistance needs further investigation.


1999 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 501-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
John A. Bridgewater ◽  
Ann E. Nelstrop ◽  
Gordon J.S. Rustin ◽  
Martin E. Gore ◽  
William P. McGuire ◽  
...  

PURPOSE: To assess CA-125 as a measure of response in patients treated with paclitaxel. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred forty-four patients treated with paclitaxel derived from four different trials and 625 patients treated with platinum from two trials were analyzed using precisely defined 50% and 75% reductions in CA-125. The standard and CA-125 response rates to paclitaxel and platinum were compared. In addition, we analyzed individual patient groups in which there was a difference in response according to the two response criteria. RESULTS: Patients with stable disease as determined by standard criteria who were treated with platinum and responded according to CA-125 criteria have an improved median progression-free survival compared with patients with stable disease who did not respond according to CA-125 criteria (10.6 v 4.8 months; P < .001). Standard and CA-125 response rates for patients treated with platinum (58.93% v 61.31%, respectively) and paclitaxel (30.65% v 31.67%, respectively) were very similar, as were rates of false-positive prediction of response by CA-125 (platinum 2.2% and paclitaxel 2.9%). Responders to paclitaxel had a significantly improved progression-free survival compared with nonresponders by both standard criteria (median progression-free survival, 6.8 v 2.5 months; P < .001) and CA-125 criteria (median progression-free survival, 6.8 v 3.4 months; P < .001). CONCLUSION: For assessing activity of therapy for ovarian cancer, these data show that precise 50% or 75% CA-125 response criteria are as sensitive as standard response criteria. We propose that they may be used as a measure of response in lieu of or in addition to standard response criteria in clinical trials involving epithelial ovarian cancer. Sensitivity is maintained whether patients are treated with platinum or paclitaxel.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudeep Gupta ◽  
Shona Nag ◽  
Shyam Aggarwal ◽  
Amit Rauthan ◽  
Narayanankutty Warrier

Abstract Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is usually diagnosed late at an advanced stage. Though EOC initially responds to treatment, the recurrence rate is pretty high. The efficacy of different targeted therapies reduces with each recurrence. Hence there is need of effective maintenance therapy in recurrent EOC. Recently, polyADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors (PARPi) have been approved both for initial treatment of EOC and as its maintenance treatment. PARPi have also been found to act regardless of BRCA status or homologous recombination (HR) deficiency. Several trials testing PARPi early in maintenance therapy are in progress and their results will shed light on the optimal timing of maintenance therapy that gives the most benefit with least toxicity. Right patient selection for maintenance treatment is also a challenge. Hence, though PARPi are emerging as a promising maintenance treatment in recurrent EOC with prolongation of progression free survival (PFS), results from further trials and overall survival (OS) data from current trials are awaited to fulfill the gaps in understanding the role of this pathway in treatment of EOC. This review discusses the current therapies for EOC, challenges in the treatment of recurrent EOC, recent developments and trials in recurrent EOC maintenance with special focus on PARPi and future perspectives.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (10) ◽  
pp. 721-727
Author(s):  
Fady Gh Haddad ◽  
Elias Karam ◽  
Elissar Moujaess ◽  
Hampig Raphael Kourie

Debulking surgery associated with chemotherapy represent the backbone of ovarian cancer therapy. Adding bevacizumab has improved survival. Recently, PARP inhibitors were added in the first line as maintenance treatment for the patients who achieve a complete or partial response. These drugs act by blocking the activity of the PARP enzyme responsible for base-excision repair, and have shown positive responses when used for tumors lacking homologous recombination. Olaparib, niraparib and veliparib were evaluated and showed an increase in the duration of progression-free survival: 22.1 months (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.59), 13.8 (HR = 0.62) and 23.5 (HR = 0.68) with olaparib, niraparib and veliparib, respectively. This review describes the benefit of PARP inhibitors as maintenance therapy and discusses the efficacy according to breast cancer gene and homologous recombination status.


Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chin-Jui Wu ◽  
Vignesh Sundararajan ◽  
Bor-Ching Sheu ◽  
Ruby Yun-Ju Huang ◽  
Lin-Hung Wei

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the most lethal of all gynecologic malignancies. Despite advances in surgical and chemotherapeutic options, most patients with advanced EOC have a relapse within three years of diagnosis. Unfortunately, recurrent disease is generally not curable. Recent advances in maintenance therapy with anti-angiogenic agents or Poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors provided a substantial benefit concerning progression-free survival among certain women with advanced EOC. However, effective treatment options remain limited in most recurrent cases. Therefore, validated novel molecular therapeutic targets remain urgently needed in the management of EOC. Signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) and STAT5 are aberrantly activated through tyrosine phosphorylation in a wide variety of cancer types, including EOC. Extrinsic tumor microenvironmental factors in EOC, such as inflammatory cytokines, growth factors, hormones, and oxidative stress, can activate STAT3 and STAT5 through different mechanisms. Persistently activated STAT3 and, to some extent, STAT5 increase EOC tumor cell proliferation, survival, self-renewal, angiogenesis, metastasis, and chemoresistance while suppressing anti-tumor immunity. By doing so, the STAT3 and STAT5 activation in EOC controls properties of both tumor cells and their microenvironment, driving multiple distinct functions during EOC progression. Clinically, increasing evidence indicates that the activation of the STAT3/STAT5 pathway has significant correlation with reduced survival of recurrent EOC, suggesting the importance of STAT3/STAT5 as potential therapeutic targets for cancer therapy. This review summarizes the distinct role of STAT3 and STAT5 activities in the progression of EOC and discusses the emerging therapies specifically targeting STAT3 and STAT5 signaling in this disease setting.


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