title: Investigational agents against platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.
abstract: Ovarian cancer is still the fourth cause of death by cancer among women and is the most fatal among gynaecological tumours. The goal of treatment for patients with recurrent, platinum-resistant (platinum-free interval < 6 months) ovarian cancer is the palliation of symptoms because no evidence indicates that present therapies may prolong survival in this setting of patients. Successful management of these patients depends on the identification of agents that are not cross-resistant with platinum compounds. The development of molecular biology is providing us with new information on the molecular basis of cancer, its mechanism of initiation and progression, and supply the need of a more patient-tailored therapy where specific tumours are treated with specific drugs. This paper reports and discusses new developments in the treatment of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer patients. The authors present proteomic advances, including the HER kinases, the 26S proteasome and the angiogenesis pathway. The opportunities to change the treatment of ovarian cancer will require creative clinical trial design but the next 10 years promise to be filled with therapeutic advances for patients with ovarian cancer.
authors.affiliation: Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Gynecologic Oncology Unit, Largo A Gemelli, 8 00168 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lorusso
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ferrandina
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fanfani
authors.forename: Maria Lucia
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Gagliardi
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scambia
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017671:Platinum Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D017671:Platinum Compounds