Combined molecular-targeted and hormonal therapies offer promise in treating ovarian cancer

May 9 2007

A combination of molecular-targeted therapy and hormonal therapy may be the most promising area of research for those seeking an effective treatment for ovarian cancer, according to a new review in the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer.

"Several clinical trials have confirmed the role of hormone therapy in recurrent ovarian cancer treatment, especially in patients with low-grade tumors," says review author Dr. Siqing Fu, an assistant professor of oncology at the University of Texas at Houston. "However, more research is needed to determine whether combining molecular-targeted therapy with hormonal therapy would be a more effective option."

Ovarian cancer is the deadliest of gynecological cancers; approximately 70 percent of patients are diagnosed in the later stages, when the 5-year survival rate drops below 25 percent. Traditional chemotherapy has proven to be generally ineffective against recurrent ovarian cancer, which has led researchers to investigate novel treatments.

"While a cure is unlikely, the goals of treatment are to control tumor-related symptoms and to improve or maintain quality of life," says Dr. Fu. "After surveying the latest research, combined molecular-targeted and hormonal therapy offers the greatest promise in achieving these goals and therefore deserves further investigation."