Molecular/genetic therapies in ovarian cancer: future opportunities and challenges

• Published in: Clinical obstetrics and gynecology Vol. 55; no. 1; p. 156
• Main Authors: Ziebarth, Angela J, Landen, Jr, Charles N, Alvarez, Ronald D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.03.2012
• Subjects: Angiogenesis Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Antibodies, Monoclonal - therapeutic use; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized - therapeutic use; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Bevacizumab; CA-125 Antigen; Clinical Trials as Topic; Enzyme Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Female; Folate Receptor 1 - antagonists & inhibitors; Genes, BRCA1; Genes, BRCA2; Genetic Therapy; Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Humans; Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 - antagonists & inhibitors; Interleukin-12 - therapeutic use; Mutation; Oncogene Protein v-akt - antagonists & inhibitors; Ovarian Neoplasms - blood supply; Ovarian Neoplasms - drug therapy; Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase Inhibitors; Protein Kinase Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Receptors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand - antagonists & inhibitors; Sirolimus - analogs & derivatives; Sirolimus - therapeutic use; Taxoids - therapeutic use; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - antagonists & inhibitors
• DOI: 10.1097/GRF.0b013e31824b1699

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic cancer. Traditional therapies have included surgical management and cytotoxic chemotherapy; however, treatment paradigms continue to shift from empiric cytotoxic chemotherapy to more individualized treatment. Recent research efforts have focused on determining and targeting the molecular biological mechanisms of ovarian cancer in an attempt to develop novel therapeutic modalities with the ultimate goal of improving outcome while limiting toxicity. This chapter reviews progress in the development of novel therapies directed at major pathways implicated in ovarian tumorigenesis including angiogenesis, PARP inhibition, signal transduction, antifolate therapies, death receptor-mediated therapies, histone deacetylase inhibition, immunotherapeutics, and oncolytics.