title: An overview of tyrosine kinase inhibitors for the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy and the fifth most common cause of cancer-related deaths in women. Initial treatment with surgery and chemotherapy has improved survival significantly. However, the disease progresses or recurs in most patients. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop more effective treatment strategies.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article provides an overview of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) for the treatment of EOC, which is based on English peer-reviewed articles on MEDLINE and related abstracts presented at major conferences. The authors highlight the data from the published clinical trials in EOC patients who were treated with TKIs or TKI-based regimens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EOC is responsive to most chemotherapeutic drugs and/or biological agents and represents an ideal disease model for investigating novel anti-cancer agents. Numerous small-molecule TKIs targeting the VEGFR, PARP, PI3K-AKT-mTOR, MAPK, Src, PKC, Wee1 and HER1/2 signaling pathways are currently being tested in clinical trials. Research is needed for devising regimens combining TKIs with other agents in an optimal timing schedule and for identifying potential biomarkers predictive of response and survival.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics , The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center , 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston , TX 77030 , USA.|b Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education) , Peking University Cancer Hospital & Beijing Institute for Cancer Research , Beijing , China.
authors.forename: Zhijie
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: a Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics , The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center , 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston , TX 77030 , USA.
authors.forename: Siqing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fu
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D000077216:Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial; D018450:Disease Progression; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D015195:Drug Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009375:Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors
keywords: early drug development; epithelial ovarian cancer; objective response; overall survival; progression-free survival; targeted therapy; tyrosine kinase inhibitors