New treatments in ovarian cancer

Abstract

In targeting DNA repair pathways of the most genomic instable cancer, poly-(adenosine diphosphate [ADP])-ribose polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) have been demonstrated as the most effective drug since platinum in high grade serous or endometrioid ovarian cancer. Immunotherapy is strongly pushing the door of ovarian cancer and has the ambition to change the fate of this deadly disease when combined with chemotherapy, vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor or PARPi. The activity of PARPi could also be improved by modulators of the cell cycle, which are required to give time enough for DNA repair. Even more ambitious are drug targeting the driver p53 mutation or the pathway which inhibit tumor cell apoptosis. Some original approaches still give life to new chemotherapy compounds such as the marine derivative lurbinectedin or the immunoconjugate mirvetuximab soravtansine including a monoclonal antibody targeting the folate receptor.

Keywords: DNA damage repair drug; PARP inhibitor; chemotherapy; immunotherapy; ovarian cancer.