Frontiers of Ovarian Cancer Therapy

Abstract

Since the majority of patients with ovarian cancer present with advanced stages of disease, more effective systemic approaches are needed to add to the benefits of surgical staging and debulking. New combinations of taxoids with cisplatin have prolonged survival, and other chemotherapeutic agents are being evaluated. Immunotherapy, including intraperitoneal approaches with monoclonal antibodies, cellular therapies and vaccines, hormone therapy with well-known drugs such as tamoxifen, and gene therapy give promise for the future.

Metastasis to sigmoid colon mucosa and submucosa from serous borderline ovarian tumor: response to hormone therapy

“…Hormone therapy has continuously been used as a salvage treatment in patients with persistent or recurrent epithelial ovarian carcinoma (36–43) and platinum‐refractory disease (44) , even though the studies have involved relatively small numbers of patients. The response rate of persistent or recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer to antiestrogen therapy with tamoxifen is between 0% and 27% and the overall is 11.1% (45) . In a review of the literature, Makar (46) found that hormone therapy reportedly induces stable disease in 20–75% of patients.…”

“…The role of hormone therapy for ovarian tumors and the selection of patients for such therapy have not been well defined, but a beneficial effect of this treatment has been implied. Hormonal therapy is a nontoxic treatment option and can be endured for a longer period than chemotherapy, which is associated with transient response rates, marked toxicity, higher expenses, and questionable effects on quality of life (45) . In this regard, hormone therapy is a very attractive option for treatment of borderline ovarian tumors.…”