Ovarian cancer (advanced).
BACKGROUND
Ovarian cancer is the fourth most common cause of cancer deaths in the UK. The 5-year relative survival rate in the UK at diagnosis for women aged 15-39 years is nearly 70%. In comparison, it is only 12% for women diagnosed aged over 80 years.


METHODS
We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of surgical treatments for ovarian cancer that is advanced at first presentation? What are the effects of platinum-based chemotherapy for ovarian cancer that is advanced at first presentation? What are the effects of taxane-based chemotherapy for ovarian cancer that is advanced at first presentation? What are the effects of intraperitoneal chemotherapy for ovarian cancer that is advanced at first presentation? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to September 2007 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically, please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).


RESULTS
We found 31 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.


CONCLUSIONS
In this systematic review we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: adding taxanes to platinum-based chemotherapy, carboplatin plus a taxane, cisplatin plus a taxane, combination or single-agent platinum-based chemotherapy, docetaxel, intravenous and intraperitoneal chemotherapy, interval debulking, paclitaxel, primary surgery, and second-look surgery.
Kehoe
Sean
S
Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Women's Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.
Morrison
Jo
J
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016190:Carboplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D017239:Paclitaxel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D024162:Second-Look Surgery
D016190:Carboplatin; D017239:Paclitaxel; D002945:Cisplatin