Platinum or nonplatinum in recurrent ovarian cancer: that is the question

Although platinum-based chemotherapy continues to be the first-line option for advanced ovarian cancer and for platinum recurrences beyond 6 months, platinum rechallenge is not the best approach for some patients, such as those with residual toxicities, platinum-related hypersensitivity reactions or limited platinum-sensitivity (i.e., a platinum treatment-free interval [TFIp] of 6-12 months). Results of the MITO-8 study called into question the role of single-agent nonplatinum-based regimens in this specific subset of ovarian cancer patients. The current article summarizes the results of the MITO-8 study highlighting key limitations, and discusses the role of the nonplatinum-based combination of trabectedin + pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in the management of ovarian cancer patients who relapse between 6 and 12 months after last platinum.