ecancermedicalscience

Review

Medical treatment of early stage and rare histological variants of epithelial ovarian cancer

22 Oct 2015
Nicoletta Tomasi Cont, Annamaria Ferrero, Fedro Peccatori, Marta D'Alonzo, Giovanni Codacci-Pisanelli, Nicoletta Colombo, Nicoletta Biglia

Epithelial ovarian cancer is often considered a single pathological entity, but increasing evidence suggests that it is rather a group of different neoplasms, each with unique pathological characteristics, molecular features, and clinical behaviours. This heterogeneity accounts for the different sensitivity to antineoplastic drugs and makes the treatment of ovarian tumours a challenge.

For early-stage disease, as well as for heavily pre-treated patients with recurrent ovarian cancer, the benefit of chemotherapy remains uncertain.

Clear-cell, mucinous, low-grade serous, and endometrioid carcinomas show different molecular characteristics, which require different therapeutic approaches. In the era of personalised cancer medicine, understanding the pathogenesis and the genetic background of each subtype of epithelial ovarian tumour may lead to a tailored therapy, maximising the benefits of specific treatments and possibly reducing the side effects. Furthermore, personal factors, such as the patient’s performance status, should be taken into account in the management of ovarian cancer, with the aim of safeguarding the patients’ quality of life.

Related Articles

Fernanda J Martin, Isabel M Saffie, Mabel A Hurtado, Diana Avila-Jaque, Rodrigo A Lagos, Carolina A Selman, Jonathan Z Huserman, Valentina A Castillo, Badir J Chahuán
Milagros Abad-Licham, Christian Cotrina, Andric Guerrero, Katherine Gómez, Juan Astigueta
Eva Maria Ruiz de Castilla, Maurice Mayrides, Haydée González, Francisco Vidangossy, Tatiana Corbeaux, Nancy Ortiz, Claudia Amaya, Alexandra Nuñez, Diego Fernando Jimbo Jimbo, Adela Ayensa, Mayra Galindo, Karla Ruiz, Juan Manuel Pérez
Olaniyi A Olatunde, Modupeola O Samaila, Mohammed I Imam, Kasiemobi E Uchime, Suleiman E Dauda
Kofi Effah, Ethel Tekpor, Comfort Mawusi Wormenor, Nana Owusu Mensah Essel, Seyram Kemawor, Edna Sesenu, Stephen Danyo, Yohane Teye Kitcher, Gifty Belinda Klutsey, Georgina Tay, Faustina Tibu, Kofi Antwi Abankroh, Bernard Hayford Atuguba, Patrick Kafui Akakpo