Novel approaches in advancing the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer: the role of angiogenesis inhibition

Abstract

Despite an aggressive approach of surgical cytoreduction and adjuvant combination chemotherapy, ovarian cancer mortality remains a significant problem. We are entering a new era of cancer therapeutics in which targeted therapies offer the potential for improvement in long-term disease control with fewer toxicities. The greatest success of targeted therapy to date in the setting of epithelial ovarian carcinoma has come from angiogenesis inhibition. This review will focus on the role of angiogenesis in normal ovarian function as well as in ovarian carcinoma development and disease progression. Current knowledge about the molecular pathways involved in angiogenesis and various approaches to angiogenesis inhibition in the treatment of ovarian cancer are discussed. Current data regarding the role of bevacizumab and other novel agents in the treatment of ovarian carcinoma are summarized.