Ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer remains the most lethal gynecologic malignancy in women in the United States. Studies from this year's American Society of Clinical Oncology more clearly defined the role of chemotherapy in women with early stage disease and now suggest that essentially all women with invasive disease should receive chemotherapy that contains carboplatin. Studies in women with advanced disease continue to support the use of carboplatin and paclitaxel in the treatment of women with newly diagnosed disease although early data suggest that carboplatin and docetaxel might be an acceptable alternative. Platinum-resistant disease remains a therapeutic challenge. Small molecules that inhibit the function of the epidermal growth factor receptor, such as OSI-774, and novel classes of chemotherapeutic agents, including the acylfulvene MGI-114 and epothilone B and its analogue, BMS247550, all warrant further study in this disease.