[Treatment of ovarian cancer]

To present an approach to the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer.

A large number of studies in ovarian cancer have been reviewed.

Ovarian cancer is the most common fatal malignancy of the female genital tract. The high mortality is due to the fact that the most part of patients are diagnosed with advanced disease. Cytoreductive surgery followed by platinum-based chemotherapy is the standard therapeutic strategy for patients with advanced ovarian cancer. Postsurgical residual disease is the most important prognostic factor. The combination of Paclitaxel and Cisplatin or Carboplatin is currently accepted as the standard chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer. Second- look laparatomy should be reserved to patients enrolled in clinical trial. Resistant disease remain the major cause of relapse and death. Several drugs have been employed in second-line therapy; however, the responses are generally short and survival is poor.

Future research should include new drugs or new combination regimens to improve clinical outcomes and overall survival.