Therapeutic strategies in epithelial ovarian cancer

Treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer is based on the combination of cytoreductive surgery and combination chemotherapy using taxane and platinum. Although clear cell type is categorized in indolent type, it is known to show relatively strong resistance to carboplatin and paclitaxel regimen and thus poor prognosis compared to serous adenocarcinoma, especially in advanced stages. Irinotecan plus cisplatin therapy may effective for the clear cell adenocarcinoma.The larger expectation for improved prognosis in ovarian carcinoma is related to the use of the new biological agents. One of the most investigated and promising molecular targeted drugs in ovarian cancer is bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody directed against VEGF. PARP inhibitor is another one. A few recent studies demonstrated positive results of bevacizumab on progression-free survival in ovarian cancer patients, however, investigation of molecular targeting drugs in patients with ovarian cancer are still underway.Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy. The origin and pathogenesis of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) have long been investigated but still poorly understood. Studies have shown that epithelial ovarian cancer is not a single disease but is composed of a diverse group of tumors that can be classified based on distinctive morphologic and molecular genetic features [1].Treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is based on the combination of surgery and chemotherapy. Over the past three decades, surgical tumor debulking, followed by platinum-based chemotherapy is the standard treatment for advanced ovarian cancer. Although response rates and complete responses in advanced disease are >80% and 40-60%, respectively, after first-line treatment with carboplatin and paclitaxel, most patients will eventually relapse with a median progression-free survival of 18 months [2]. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy possibly improve progression-free and overall survivals (PFS and OS), however, intrap