How to sequence treatment in relapsed ovarian cancer

Numerous disease- and patient-related factors must be considered when selecting systemic therapy for recurrent ovarian cancer. Anti-angiogenics (bevacizumab) and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (olaparib, niraparib and rucaparib) have an important role as maintenance of platinum-based chemotherapy for recurrent disease and their use in the first-line setting of advanced-stage disease is becoming established. As previous exposure to none, one or both of these drug classes is integral to selecting next therapy, front-line use impacts on options available to treat recurrent disease. A key strategy to delay platinum resistance and improve prognosis of recurrent disease is to alternate treatments with different mechanisms of action. The multiple mechanisms of trabectedin and its complementarity with platinum allow intercalation between platinum regimens in potentially platinum-responsive patients with recurrent disease.