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Review
. 2024 Nov 12;16(11):e73503.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.73503. eCollection 2024 Nov.

Efficacy and Safety of Farletuzumab in Ovarian Cancer: A Systematic Review and Single-Arm Meta-Analysis

Aya M Fayoud  1 , Moaz Yasser Darwish  2 , Eman Ayman Nada  3 , Abdallah A Helal  2 , Nada Shaaban Mohamed  2 , Asmaa Ahmed Elrashedy  4 , Mohamed Abd-ElGawad  5
Affiliations
Review

Efficacy and Safety of Farletuzumab in Ovarian Cancer: A Systematic Review and Single-Arm Meta-Analysis

Aya M Fayoud et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

Folate receptor alpha (FRα) has emerged as a promising target in the treatment of ovarian cancer, with farletuzumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting FRα, showing potential in clinical settings. This systematic review and single-arm meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of farletuzumab in patients with solid tumors, particularly ovarian cancer. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we conducted a thorough search across PubMed, the Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) for clinical trials assessing farletuzumab in solid tumors. Data were extracted on study characteristics, patient demographics, treatment regimens, and efficacy outcomes including progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), response rates, and adverse events (AEs). The pooled analyses were performed using the Open Meta-Analyst software. In total, seven prospective studies were included, covering various farletuzumab regimens in ovarian cancer and other solid tumors. The pooled PFS was 10.5 months (95% CI: 8, 15.7) across three studies involving 925 patients, while the pooled OS was 36.7 months (95% CI: 26.6, 35) in two studies with 881 patients. Treatment response rates indicated a partial response in 55.25% of patients and stable disease in 28.68% of cases. Gastrointestinal and hematological AEs were frequently reported, with nausea (52.14%), neutropenia (50.65%), and anemia (39.76%) being the most common. Farletuzumab appears to offer a promising efficacy profile, particularly in ovarian cancer, with notable improvements in disease progression and survival. However, the treatment is associated with a high incidence of gastrointestinal and hematological AEs, raising the need for careful patient selection. Further studies are required to refine the therapeutic regimen and ensure an optimal balance between efficacy and safety.

Keywords: farletuzumab; frα; humanized monoclonal antibody; oncology; ovarian cancer.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. PRISMA flow diagram of the systematic review.
PRISMA: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
Figure 2
Figure 2. ROBINS-I quality assessment graph of the included studies.
Figure 3
Figure 3. Forest plot of stable disease.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Forest plot of progressive disease.
Figure 5
Figure 5. (A) Forest plot of complete response. (B) Sensitivity analysis of complete response.
Figure 6
Figure 6. Forest plot of partial response disease.
Figure 7
Figure 7. Forest plot of nausea.
Figure 8
Figure 8. (A) Forest plot of vomiting. (B) Sensitivity analysis of vomiting.
Figure 9
Figure 9. (A) Forest plot of decreased appetite. (B) Sensitivity analysis of decreased appetite.
Figure 10
Figure 10. (A) Forest plot of diarrhea. (B) Sensitivity analysis of diarrhea.
Figure 11
Figure 11. Forest plot of constipation.
Figure 12
Figure 12. Forest plot of anemia.
Figure 13
Figure 13. Forest plot of neutropenia.
Figure 14
Figure 14. Forest plot of thrombocytopenia.
Figure 15
Figure 15. Forest plot of fatigue.
Figure 16
Figure 16. Forest plot of headache.
Figure 17
Figure 17. Forest plot of alopecia.
Figure 18
Figure 18. Forest plot of abdominal pain.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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