Epithelial ovarian cancer: focus on targeted therapy

Ovarian cancer remains the leading cause of gynecological cancer-related mortality in the Western World despite the advances in surgical techniques and chemotherapy regimens over the past three decades. Although response rates and complete responses in advanced disease are >80% and 40-60%, respectively, after first-line treatment with carboplatin and paclitaxel, most of the patients will eventually relapse with a median progression-free survival of 18 months. Currently, research efforts have improved our understanding on the molecular biology of ovarian cancer and novel targeted treatment strategies are likely to contribute to the management of the disease and give the chance to an individualized therapeutic approach.