Management Of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Research Articles

Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: The Importance of Early Diagnosis and Individualized Treatment with Combination Chemotherapy and Targeted Therapy

Epithelial ovarian cancer is a malignant neoplasm that represents the majority of ovarian cancer cases. It is characterized by aggressiveness, often late diagnosis and therapeutic challenges. Early diagnosis is crucial to improving patients' survival rates and quality of life. Individualized treatment, combining chemotherapy and targeted therapy, has been a promising approach to optimize therapeutic results and minimize adverse effects. Objective: to analyze and synthesize the available evidence on the importance of early diagnosis and individualized treatment with combined chemotherapy and targeted therapy in epithelial ovarian cancer. Methodology: Using the PRISMA checklist, this review was conducted based on articles published in the last 10 years. The databases used were: PubMed, Scielo, Web of Science. The descriptors: "epithelial ovarian cancer", "early diagnosis", "individualized treatment", "combined chemotherapy", "targeted therapy". Inclusion criteria: original studies in humans, published in English or Portuguese, addressing the early diagnosis and/or individualized treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer. Exclusion criteria: animal studies, systematic reviews, studies with non-representative samples. Results: The results of this review highlight the importance of early diagnosis through imaging techniques and tumor markers. Furthermore, they highlight the effectiveness of combination chemotherapy, especially regimens containing platinum and taxanes, together with targeted therapy, such as PARP inhibitors, in improving response rates and survival in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. Conclusion: Early diagnosis and individualized treatment with combination chemotherapy and targeted therapy play a key role in the management of epithelial ovarian cancer. This multifaceted approach can significantly improve patients' clinical outcomes and quality of life, highlighting the importance of personalized therapeutic strategies in this challenging clinical context.

Collaborative expertise of gynecological and surgical oncologists in managing advanced epithelial ovarian cancer

BackgroundMost patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) present with significant peritoneal spread. We assessed collaborative efforts of surgical and gynecological oncologists with expertise in cytoreductive surgery (CRS) in the management of advanced EOC. MethodsUsing a prospective single-center database (2014–2022), we described the operative and oncologic outcomes of stage IIIC-IVA primary and recurrent EOC perioperatively managed jointly by gynecological and surgical oncologists both specializing in CRS and presented components of this collaboration. ResultsOf 199 identified patients, 132 (66 %) had primary and 53 (27 %) had recurrent EOC. Due to inoperable disease, 14 (7 %) cases were aborted and excluded from analysis. Median peritoneal cancer index (PCI) in primary and recurrent patients was 21 (IQR: 11–28) and 21 (IQR: 6–31). Upper abdominal surgery was required in 95 % (n = 125) of primary and 89 % (n = 47) of recurrent patients. Bowel resections were performed in 83 % (n = 110) and 72 % (n = 38), respectively. Complete cytoreduction (CC-0/1) with no disease or residual lesions <2.5 mm was achieved in 95 % (n = 125) of primary and 91 % (n = 48) of recurrent patients. Ninety-day Clavien-Dindo grade III-IV morbidity was 12 % (n = 16) and 21 % (n = 11), respectively. Median follow-up was 44 (95%CI: 33–55) months. Median overall survival in primary and recurrent EOC was 68 (95%CI: 45–91) and 50 (95%CI: 16–84) months. Median progression-free survival was 26 (95%CI: 22–30) and 14 (95%CI: 7–21) months, respectively. ConclusionsPerioperative collaboration between surgical and gynecological oncologists specializing in CRS allows safe performance of complete cytoreduction in the majority of patients with primary and recurrent EOC, despite high tumor burden.

Drug-Resistant Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: Current and Future Perspectives.

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a complex disease with diverse histological subtypes, which, based on the aggressiveness and course of disease progression, have recently been broadly grouped into type I (low-grade serous, endometrioid, clear cell, and mucinous) and type II (high-grade serous, high-grade endometrioid, and undifferentiated carcinomas) categories. Despite substantial differences in pathogenesis, genetics, prognosis, and treatment response, clinical diagnosis and management of EOC remain similar across the subtypes. Debulking surgery combined with platinum-taxol-based chemotherapy serves as the initial treatment for High Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma (HGSOC), the most prevalent one, and for other subtypes, but most patients exhibit intrinsic or acquired resistance and recur in short duration. Targeted therapies, such as anti-angiogenics (e.g., bevacizumab) and PARP inhibitors (for BRCA-mutated cancers), offer some success, but therapy resistance, through various mechanisms, poses a significant challenge. This comprehensive chapter delves into emerging strategies to address these challenges, highlighting factors like aberrant miRNAs, metabolism, apoptosis evasion, cancer stem cells, and autophagy, which play pivotal roles in mediating resistance and disease relapse in EOC. Beyond standard treatments, the focus of this study extends to alternate targeted agents, including immunotherapies like checkpoint inhibitors, CAR T cells, and vaccines, as well as inhibitors targeting key oncogenic pathways in EOC. Additionally, this chapter covers disease classification, diagnosis, resistance pathways, standard treatments, and clinical data on various emerging approaches, and advocates for a nuanced and personalized approach tailored to individual subtypes and resistance mechanisms, aiming to enhance therapeutic outcomes across the spectrum of EOC subtypes.

Metronomic chemotherapy in ovarian cancer

Translational research and the development of targeted therapies have transformed the therapeutic landscape in epithelial ovarian cancer over the last decade. However, recurrent ovarian cancer continues to pose formidable challenges to therapeutic interventions, necessitating innovative strategies to optimize treatment outcomes. Current research focuses on the development of pharmaceuticals that target potential resistance pathways to DNA repair pathways. However, the cost and toxicity of some of these therapies are prohibitive and majority of patients lack access to clinical trials. Metronomic chemotherapy, characterized by the continuous administration of low doses of chemotherapeutic agents without long treatment breaks, has emerged as a promising approach with potential implications beyond recurrent setting. It acts primarily by inhibition of angiogenesis and activation of host immune system. We here review the mechanism of action of metronomic chemotherapy, as well as its current role, limitations, and avenues for further research in the management of epithelial ovarian cancer.

The role of minimally invasive surgery in epithelial ovarian cancer treatment: a narrative review.

The aim of this narrative review is to summarize the available evidence on the use of minimal invasive surgery (MIS) in the management of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). MIS is currently performed to stage and treat EOC at different stage of presentation. We will evaluate risks and benefits of minimally invasive surgery for early stage EOC treatment, then potential advantages provided by staging laparoscopy in identifying patients suitable for primary cytoreductive surgery (PDS) will be discussed. Finally we will investigate the growing role of MIS in the treatment of advanced EOC after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) and in the treatment of EOC recurrence. An electronic database search was performed on PubMed, Medline, and Google Scholar for relevant studies up to December 2022. LPS represents a feasible surgical procedure for the staging and treatment in early, advanced and EOC relapse in selected patients treated in high-volume oncological centers by surgeons with adequate experience in advanced surgical procedures. Despite the increasing use of MIS over the last few years, randomized clinical trials are still needed to prove its effectiveness.

Isolated lymph node recurrence in epithelial ovarian cancer-management and outcome.

The aim of our study was to assess the clinical outcome of isolated lymph node recurrence in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer treated by surgery and to analyze the impact of various clinico-pathological factors on prognosis. We conducted a retrospective analysis of all the epithelial ovarian cancer patients who underwent secondary lymphadenectomy surgery for isolated lymph node recurrence at our institute from 2013 to 2020. Univariate analysis of various factors influencing the post-recurrence disease free survival and post-recurrence survival was done using Kaplan-Meier for categorical variables and cox-proportional hazard progression for continuous variables. A total of 21 patients of isolated lymph node recurrence were treated surgically during the study period. The median disease free interval to develop lymph nodal recurrence was 13 months. All the patients achieved complete resection to no gross residual disease without any significant morbidity associated with the procedure. The median post-recurrence disease free survival after treatment of lymph node recurrence was 25 months with 3-year post-recurrence survival of 72% and 3-year overall survival of 85%. Amongst the factors influencing post-recurrence disease free survival, young age (<50 years), para-aortic lymph node dissection at initial surgery and single site of lymph node recurrence were significantly associated with better prognosis. A single site of lymph node recurrence was associated with significantly better post-recurrence survival. Complete resection is feasible for epithelial ovarian cancer patients presenting with isolated lymph node recurrence, without any significant perioperative morbidity. When combined with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy, complete resection is associated with favourable survival outcomes. Young age, para-aortic lymph node dissection during primary surgery and single site of lymph node recurrence are associated with better prognosis.

Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a marker of residual disease and recurrence in resected stage I-IV epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).

5553 Background: The management of EOC remains challenging, with a high risk of relapse despite surgery, chemotherapy and maintenance therapy. Detection of ctDNA after surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) may identify patients (pts) at highest risk of recurrence suitable for treatment escalation. Our primary aim was to investigate the use of ctDNA as a marker of residual disease following both surgery and adjuvant CT that might predict later recurrence. Methods: In this multi-centre observational study, we collected blood samples post-op and 6-8 weeks post-CT completion from pts with debulked stage I-IV EOC planned for adjuvant CT. Pre-cycle 1 CT and pre-op blood was also collected from some pts who received neoadjuvant CT. We used a tumor-informed approach for ctDNA analysis with whole exome sequencing of tumor tissue followed by detection of up to 50 variants in the plasma with the SaferSeqS assay. The primary outcome was recurrence-free survival (RFS), calculated using the Cox proportional-hazards model. Results: 81 pts who had post-op ctDNA results were included. 84% had high grade serous histology and 23% had BRCA mutations. Median number of tumor-informed variants analyzed in the plasma was 44 (range 3-60). Overall, post-operative ctDNA was detected in 63 of 81 (78%) of pts, 18 of 26 (69%) in Stage I-II and 45 of 55 (82%) in Stage III-IV. Pts who were ctDNA negative post-surgery had longer RFS versus who were ctDNA positive (HR 3.28, 95% CI 1.39 to 7.72, p = 0.007). Estimated RFS at 2 years was 78% among pts who were ctDNA negative post-surgery and 44% among the ctDNA positive group. Pts with BRCA mutations were less likely to have positive post op ctDNA (OR 0.12, 95% CI 0.036 to 0.39, p &lt; 0.001). For post-CT ctDNA, estimated RFS at 2 years was 74% in the ctDNA negative pts versus 43% in the ctDNA positive group but this was not statistically significant (HR 1.64, 95% CI 0.84 to 3.18, p = 0.15). Pts with zero residual disease were more likely to be ctDNA negative post-surgery (OR 12.36, 95% CI 1.54 to 99.4, p = 0.018). Post-op ctDNA outperformed post-op CA-125 in predicting recurrence; pts with elevated CA-125 post-surgery had shorter RFS compared to those with normal CA-125 post-surgery (HR 1.99, 95% CI 1.15 to 3.42, p = 0.013). Of 18 pts who had neoadjuvant CT, pre-treatment ctDNA was detected in 17 (94%). Only two pts had clearance of ctDNA post neoadjuvant CT and both had zero residual disease at surgery. For the pts that maintained positive ctDNA results post-op, 7/15 (47%) pts had zero residual disease. Conclusions: ctDNA detection after ovarian cancer cytoreduction identifies pts at very high risk of recurrence. Pts with BRCA mutations were more likely to have negative ctDNA post-op. The role of ctDNA in guiding neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy to improve outcomes, warrants further investigation. Clinical trial information: ACTRN12617001119381 .

Diagnostics and Therapeutic Potential of miR-205 and miR-34a in Ovarian Cancer Management: A miRNA-Target-Based Analysis.

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) treatment strategies mainly focused on surgery combined with chemotherapy. Recent targeted therapy techniques emerge as milestone and could be used for management of ovarian cancer (OC) progression with more efficacy. The aim is to evaluate the therapeutic and diagnostic potential of microRNA (miRNA) in management of EOC using in silico and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) expression analysis. We performed functional enrichment and miRNA-Target genes expression analysis in 48 EOC and 22 normal tissue samples using qRT-PCR and correlated with miRNA expression data in matched samples to evaluate the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of miRNA in OC management. In silico functional enrichment analysis revealed miRNA association with disease. Target genes of miRNAs participate in several biologically important pathways leading to cancer progression. Targets of miRNA-205 and miRNA-34a were significantly downregulated, and upregulated, respectively, in EOC. Moreover, significant negative correlation between relative expression of miRNA-205 and target genes (BCL2, ZEB1, E2F1, and TP53) was observed with r = -0.813; r = -0.755; r = -0.559; and r = -0.767, respectively. Similarly, miRNA-34a also showed higher negative correlation with target genes (MDM4, MAPK3, BRCA1, AREG) with r = -0.840; r = -0.870; r = -0.622; and r = -0.623, respectively. In addition, receiver operating characteristics analysis of combined miRNA panel, miRNA-205-Target gene panel, and miRNA-34a-Target gene panel exhibited higher diagnostics value with area under the curve (AUC) of 92.7 (p < 0.0001), 94.8 (p < 0.0001), and 98.3 (p < 0.0001), respectively. Negative Correlation between miRNA and target genes expression data in matched samples highlights therapeutic potential of miRNA in EOC management. Moreover, combined diagnostic potential of miRNA-target gene panel could predict risk of EOC with higher AUC, sensitivity, and specificity.

Fighting resistance: post-PARP inhibitor treatment strategies in ovarian cancer.

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPis) represent a therapeutic milestone in the management of epithelial ovarian cancer. The concept of 'synthetic lethality' is exploited by PARPi in tumors with defects in DNA repair pathways, particularly homologous recombination deficiency. The use of PARPis has been increasing since its approval as maintenance therapy, particularly in the first-line setting. Therefore, resistance to PARPi is an emerging issue in clinical practice. It brings an urgent need to elucidate and identify the mechanisms of PARPi resistance. Ongoing studies address this challenge and investigate potential therapeutic strategies to prevent, overcome, or re-sensitize tumor cells to PARPi. This review aims to summarize the mechanisms of resistance to PARPi, discuss emerging strategies to treat patients post-PARPi progression, and discuss potential biomarkers of resistance.

Inibidores de PARP como terapia de manutenção de primeira linha no câncer de ovário: recomendações de um painel de especialistas do Brasil

To report consensus recommendations on the current role of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors in the front-line management of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) in the healthcare setting of Brazil. The expert panel convened in March 2021 and comprised 20 medical oncologists focus on gynecological oncology. The panel answered anonymously and based on scientific evidence a total of 67 questions. The panel reached consensus (at least 75% of votes for the same recommendation) or majority vote (50% to 74.9%) for the majority of questions that addressed: (1) who and when to test for BRCA mutations or homologous recombination deficiency (2) what test should be used; (3) when should maintenance PARP inhibitor therapy be indicated; (4) which PARP inhibitor should be used; (5) when should bevacizumab be combined; and (6) toxicity management. The current recommendations may help Brazilian practitioners to improve the use of PARP inhibitors in front-line management of EOC.

Trabectedin plus pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in patients with disease progression after PARP inhibitor maintenance: a real-life case–control study

ObjectivePoly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor resistance is problematic in epithelial ovarian cancer management and sequencing strategies may be performed to overcome this issue. In this context, our study evaluated the...

Laboratory Cross-Comparison and Ring Test Trial for Tumor BRCA Testing in a Multicenter Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Series: The BORNEO GEICO 60-0 Study

Germline and tumor BRCA testing constitutes a valuable tool for clinical decision-making in the management of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients. Tissue testing is able to identify both germline (g) and somatic (s) BRCA variants, but tissue preservation methods and the widespread implementation of NGS represent pre-analytical and analytical challenges that need to be managed. This study was carried out on a multicenter prospective GEICO cohort of EOC patients with known gBRCA status in order to determine the inter-laboratory reproducibility of tissue sBRCA testing. The study consisted of two independent experimental approaches, a bilateral comparison between two reference laboratories (RLs) testing 82 formalin-paraffin-embedded (FFPE) EOC samples each, and a Ring Test Trial (RTT) with five participating clinical laboratories (CLs) evaluating the performance of tissue BRCA testing in a total of nine samples. Importantly, labs employed their own locally adopted next-generation sequencing (NGS) analytical approach. BRCA mutation frequency in the RL sub-study cohort was 23.17%: 12 (63.1%) germline and 6 (31.6%) somatic. Concordance between the two RLs with respect to BRCA status was 84.2% (gBRCA 100%). The RTT study distributed a total of nine samples (three commercial synthetic human FFPE references, three FFPE, and three OC DNA) among five CLs. The median concordance detection rate among them was 64.7% (range: 35.3-70.6%). Analytical discrepancies were mainly due to the minimum variant allele frequency thresholds, bioinformatic pipeline filters, and downstream variant interpretation, some of them with consequences of clinical relevance. Our study demonstrates a wide range of concordance in the identification and interpretation of BRCA sequencing data, highlighting the relevance of establishing standard criteria for detecting, interpreting, and reporting BRCA variants.

Review Article on Epithelial Ovarian Cancer with Peritoneal Metastasis

Introduction: Many advances have emerged in the management of peritoneal metastases of ovarian cancer origin, widely known as the most common gynaecological malignancy. This review is an update of the current management algorithm of peritoneal carcinomatosis of ovarian cancer, including screening methods, biomarkers and surgical techniques, in an effort to shed some light into this difficult to treat malignancy. Objective: To assess awareness in the management of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) with peritoneal metastasis with updated therapeutic standpoints.

Chemotherapy without cytoreduction of advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer in the elderly population is associated with poor survival outcomes (432)

Chemotherapy without cytoreduction of advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer in the elderly population is associated with poor survival outcomes (432)

Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy and Cytoreductive Surgery in Ovarian Cancer: An Umbrella Review of Meta-Analyses.

BackgroundThe utility of heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) in the management of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) has been assessed in several randomised clinical trials and meta-analyses, and it is still a subject of controversy. Therefore, we performed an umbrella review of existing meta-analyses to summarise the outcomes of HIPEC and cytoreductive surgery (CRS) association in ovarian cancer.MethodsWe examined the MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Prospero, Web of Science and Science Direct from inception to May 30, 2020, for meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials and observational studies. Analyses of overall survival, disease free survival and progression survival were performed separately for primary and recurrent ovarian cancers.ResultsWe identified 6 meta-analyses investigating the association of HIPEC with CRS in the management of ovarian cancer. Three year overall survival was significantly improved by the association of CRS and HIPEC for primary (HR: 0.66, 95%CI:0.56-0.78) and recurrent ovarian cancers (HR:0.50, 95%CI:0.38-0.64). This benefit was also demonstrated on disease-free survival for primary (HR: 0.54, 95%CI:0.48-0.61) and recurrent ovarian cancer (HR: 0.60, 95%CI:0.46-0.78). The pooled hazard ratios confirmed the advantage of HIPEC and CRS association with respect to CRS alone on progression free survival for primary and recurrent ovarian cancer respectively with HR: 0.50, 95%CI: 0.43-0.58 and HR: 0.59, 95%CI: 0.41-0.85.ConclusionWhile waiting for the results of the current prospective studies, the present umbrella study suggests that HIPEC performed at the end of CRS may be a complementary effective asset for ovarian cancer patient management.

Development of Ismail’s Guide wheel on the Management of Less Common Ovarian Cancers

We developed Ismail&rsquo,s Guide wheel on the Management of Less Common Ovarian Cancers as an extension to Ismail&rsquo,s Guide wheel on the Management of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Including Fallopian Tube.

Genomic and TCR profiling data reveal the distinct molecular traits in epithelial ovarian cancer histotypes.

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is classified into five major histotypes: high-grade serous (HGSOC), low-grade serous (LGSOC), clear cell (CCOC), endometrioid (ENOC), and mucinous (MOC). However, the landscape of molecular and immunological alterations in these histotypes, especially LGSOC, CCOC, ENOC, and MOC, is largely uncharacterized. We collected 101 treatment-naive EOC patients. The resected tumor tissues and paired preoperative peripheral blood samples were collected and subjected to target sequencing of 1021 cancer-associated genes and T cell repertoire sequencing. Distinct characteristics of mutations were identified among the five histotypes. Furthermore, tumor mutation burden (TMB) was found to be higher in CCOC and ENOC, but lower in LGSOC and HGSOC. Alterations associated with DNA damage repair (DDR) pathways and homologous recombination deficiencies (HRD) were prevalent in five histotypes. CCOC demonstrated increased level of T cell clonality compared with HSGOC. Interestingly, the proportion of the 100 most common T cell clones was associated with TMB and tumor neoantigen burden in CCOC, highlighting more sensitive anti-tumor responses in this histotype, which was also evidenced by the enhanced convergent recombination of T cell clones. These findings shed light on the molecular traits of genomic alteration and T cell repertoire in the five major EOC histotypes and may help optimize clinical management of EOC with different histotypes.

Developing patient-derived organoids to predict PARP inhibitor response and explore resistance overcoming strategies in ovarian cancer

With the common use of poly ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) for the man-agement of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) across the treatment life cycle, there is a critical need for the development of functional tests, as a complementary to genomic assays, in the study of PARPi sensitivity and resistance. Patient-derived organoids (PDOs) are found feasible for rapid functional testing and predicting drug response. Here, we established a series of PDOs from EOC and tested the sensitivity of seven cases to various agents including PARPi. PDOs recapitulated patient clinical response to platinum chemotherapy and displayed drug response heterogeneity to targeted agents including PARPi. Of three PDOs harboring mutational signature of homologous recombination repair (HRR) deficiency, two were PARPi sensitive while one was inherent resistant. Another PDO derived from a patient who relapsed during olaparib maintenance therapy was found acquired resistant to PARPi. Subsequent functional analysis revealed the potential resistant mechanisms related to replication fork protection and HRR functional restoration, and combination strategies targeting the mechanisms could reverse the resistance. Our research demonstrated the capacity of EOC PDOs for evaluating the sensitivity to PARPi under different settings, exploring mechanisms of resistance, and identifying effective combined strategies, which has implications for the clinical application of PARPi.

Development of Ismail’s Guide Wheel on the Management of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Including Fallopian Tube and Primary Peritoneal Cancer

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the second most common gynecologic cancer and is the most common cause of death due to gynecologic cancer accounting for more than 50% of deaths [1-11]. OC detected at stage I has a favorable prognosis.

CXC Chemokine Signaling in Progression of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: Theranostic Perspectives.

Patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) are often diagnosed at an advanced stage due to nonspecific symptoms and ineffective screening approaches. Although chemotherapy has been available and widely used for the treatment of advanced EOC, the overall prognosis remains dismal. As part of the intrinsic defense mechanisms against cancer development and progression, immune cells are recruited into the tumor microenvironment (TME), and this process is directed by the interactions between different chemokines and their receptors. In this review, the functional significance of CXC chemokine ligands/chemokine receptors (CXCL/CXCR) and their roles in modulating EOC progression are summarized. The status and prospects of CXCR/CXCL-based theranostic strategies in EOC management are also discussed.