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Background. The RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK (MAPK) pathway plays a role in ovarian carcinogenesis. Low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (LGSOC) frequently harbors activating MAPK mutations. MAPK inhibitors have been used in small subsets of ovarian carcinoma (OC) patients to control tumor growth. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of MAPK inhibitors in OC patients. We aimed to determine the clinical benefit rate (CBR), the subgroup of MAPK inhibitors with the best CBR and overall response rate (ORR), and the most common adverse events. Methods. We conducted a search in PubMed, Embase via Ovid, the Cochrane library and clinicaltrials.gov on studies evaluating the efficacy of single MAPK pathway inhibition with MAPK pathway inhibitors in OC patients. Our primary outcome included the CBR, defined by the proportion of patients with stable disease (SD), complete (CR) and partial response (PR). Secondary outcomes included the ORR (including PR and CR) and grade 3 and 4 adverse events. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model. Results. We included nine studies with a total of 319 OC patients, for which we determined a pooled CBR of 63% (95%-CI 39-84%, I2 = 92%). Combined treatment with Raf-and MEK inhibitors in in BRAFv600 mutated LGSOC (n = 6) had the greatest efficacy with a CBR of 100% and ORR of 83%. MEK inhibitors had the best efficacy as a single agent. Subgroup analysis by tumor histology demonstrated a significantly higher CBR and ORR in patients with LGSOC, with a pooled CBR and ORR of 87% (95%-CI 81-92%, I2 = 0%) and 27% (95%-CI 10-48%, I2 = 77%) respectively. Adverse events of grade 3 or higher were reported frequently: 123 in 167 patients. Conclusions. MEK inhibitors are the most promising single agents in (LGS)OC. However, dual MAPK pathway inhibition should be considered in patients with a BRAFv600 mutation, or non-mutated OC with depleted treat-ment options due indications of higher efficacy and tolerable toxicity profiles. (c) 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Objective. To determine the clinical benefit of monotherapy with PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors in patients diagnosed with advanced or recurrent ovarian cancer and to investigate the predictive value of current PI3K/AKT/ mTOR biomarkers on therapy response. Methods. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library for articles reporting on treatment with PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors in ovarian cancer. The primary endpoint was defined as the clinical benefit rate (CBR), including the proportion of patients with complete (CR) and partial response (PR) and stable disease (SD). Secondary endpoints included the overall response rate (ORR, including CR and PR) and drug-related grade 3 and 4 adverse events. Results. We included 233 patients from 19 studies and observed a pooled CBR of 32% (95% CI 20-44%) and ORR of 3% (95% CI 0-6%) in advanced or recurrent ovarian cancer patients treated with PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors. Subgroup analysis tended to favor the studies who selected patients based on current PI3K/AKT/mTOR biomarker criteria (e.g. genomic alterations or loss of PTEN protein expression), but the difference in CBR was not statistically significant from studies with unselected populations (respectively, CBR of 42% (95% CI 23-62%) and 27% (95% CI 14-42%), P = 0.217). To better reflect true patient benefit, we excluded SD

STUDY QUESTION What is the effect of salpingectomy for ectopic pregnancy or hydrosalpinx at a young age on ovarian cancer risk compared to no salpingectomy for any reason? SUMMARY ANSWER We found no significant reduction in ovarian cancer risk after salpingectomy for ectopic pregnancy or hydrosalpinx. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Salpingectomy may reduce ovarian cancer incidence, although the lag-time between intervention and therapeutic effect remains to be elucidated. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This nationwide population-based database study uses the Dutch pathology database to identify all women who underwent salpingectomy for ectopic pregnancy or hydrosalpinx between January 1990 and December 2012 and compared ovarian cancer incidence to a control group of women who had a benign dermal nevus removed, matched for age at the time and year of procedure. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS After selection and manual control of intervention and control group, ovarian cancer incidence was recorded. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CI for the development of ovarian cancer were calculated with Cox regression analyses, both unadjusted and adjusted for age. Subgroup analyses were performed to investigate lag-time between intervention and protective effect. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE In all, 18 961 women were included in the intervention group; 17 106 women had a unilateral salpingectomy and 1855 had a bilateral salpingectomy. The control group consisted of 23 686 women. With 14 ovarian cancer cases in the intervention group, the incidence rate (IR) of ovarian cancer was 5.4 (95% CI 3.1–8.9) per 100 000 person-years. In the control group, there were 24 ovarian cancer cases, resulting in an IR of 7.1 (95% CI 4.7–10.5) per 100 000 person-years (P = 0.34). The age-adjusted HR for ovarian cancer was 0.76 (95% CI 0.39–1.47) after salpingectomy. Unilateral salpingectomy resulted in an age-adjusted HR of 0.81 (95% CI 0.41–1.59) and bilateral salpingectomy resulted in an age-adjusted HR of 0.43 (95% CI 0.06–3.16) based on one case. None of our subgroup analysis for lag-time resulted in a significant difference in ovarian cancer incidence between intervention and control group. The difference in ovarian cancer incidence appeared largest in women with at least 8 years of follow-up (P = 0.08). LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Due to the young population, ovarian cancer incidence is low, even at the end of follow-up. Furthermore, due to the anonymous nature of the pathology registry, we were unable to adjust for confounding factors. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Although results did not reach statistical significance, they add to the available data on ovarian cancer incidence after salpingectomy. Our subgroup analysis suggests there may be no benefit in the first years following salpingectomy. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) None. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.

PURPOSE The survival impact of secondary cytoreductive surgery in patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer was studied. METHODS We identified published studies from 1983 to 2021 following our inclusion criteria from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane library. To integrate the effect size of single-arm studies, meta-analysis was performed using death rate as a primary outcome. The effect of complete cytoreduction and optimal cytoreduction on survival was evaluated using meta-regression. The pooled death rate was presented with a 95% CI. The publication bias was evaluated with the funnel plot and Egger's test, and sensitivity analysis was performed. To overcome missing death rates, the linear regression model was performed on log-transformed median overall survival (OS) time using study size as a weight. RESULTS Thirty-six studies with 2,805 patients reporting death rates were used for this meta-analysis of the 80 eligible studies. There was strong heterogeneity, with the P value of the Cochrane Q test of < 0.0001 and Higgins's I2 statistics of 86%; thus, we considered a random effect model. The pooled death rate was 44.2% (95% CI, 39.0 to 49.5), and both the complete and optimal cytoreductions were associated with better survival outcomes as significant moderators in the meta-regression model ( P < .001 and P = .005, respectively). Although 14 studies were located outside the funnel plot, Egger's test indicated no publication bias ( P = .327). A sensitivity analysis excluding 14 studies showed similar results. In the linear regression model on the basis of 57 studies, the median OS time increased by 8.97% and 7.04% when the complete and optimal cytoreduction proportion increased by 10%, respectively, after adjusting other variables. CONCLUSION Secondary cytoreductive surgery, resulting in maximal tumor resection, significantly prolongs OS in platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer is the gynecological cancer with the worst prognosis and the highest mortality rate because 75% of patients are diagnosed with advanced stage III-IV disease. About 50% of patients are now treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery (IDS). In that context, there is a need for accurate predictors of tumor primary chemosensitivity, as it may impact the feasibility of subsequent IDS. Across seven studies with more than 12,000 patients, including six large randomized clinical trials and a national cancer registry, along with a mega-analysis database with 5842 patients, the modeled CA-125 ELIMination rate constant K (KELIM), the calculation of which is based on the longitudinal kinetics during the first three cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy, was shown to be a reproducible indicator of tumor intrinsic chemosensitivity. Indeed, KELIM is strongly associated with the likelihood of complete IDS, subsequent platinum-free interval, progression-free survival, and overall survival, along with the efficacy of maintenance treatment with bevacizumab or veliparib. As a consequence, KELIM might be used to guide more subtly the medical and surgical treatments in a first-line setting. Moreover, it could be used to identify the patients with poorly chemosensitive disease, who will be the best candidates for innovative treatments meant to reverse the chemoresistance, such as cell cycle inhibitors or immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Treatment for patients with recurrent ovarian cancer has been mainly based on systemic therapy. The role of secondary cytoreductive surgery is unclear. METHODS: We randomly assigned patients with recurrent ovarian cancer who had a first relapse after a platinum-free interval (an interval during which no platinum-based chemotherapy was used) of 6 months or more to undergo secondary cytoreductive surgery and then receive platinum-based chemotherapy or to receive platinum-based chemotherapy alone. Patients were eligible if they presented with a positive Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gynäkologische Onkologie (AGO) score, defined as an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance-status score of 0 (on a 5-point scale, with higher scores indicating greater disability), ascites of less than 500 ml, and complete resection at initial surgery. A positive AGO score is used to identify patients in whom a complete resection might be achieved. The primary end point was overall survival. We also assessed quality of life and prognostic factors for survival. RESULTS: A total of 407 patients underwent randomization: 206 were assigned to cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy, and 201 to chemotherapy alone. A complete resection was achieved in 75.5% of the patients in the surgery group who underwent the procedure. The median overall survival was 53.7 months in the surgery group and 46.0 months in the no-surgery group (hazard ratio for death, 0.75; 95% confidence interval, 0.59 to 0.96; P = 0.02). Patients with a complete resection had the most favorable outcome, with a median overall survival of 61.9 months. A benefit from surgery was seen in all analyses in subgroups according to prognostic factors. Quality-of-life measures through 1 year of follow-up did not differ between the two groups, and we observed no perioperative mortality within 30 days after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: In women with recurrent ovarian cancer, cytoreductive surgery followed by chemotherapy resulted in longer overall survival than chemotherapy alone. (Funded by the AGO Study Group and others; DESKTOP III ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01166737.).

PEREIRA, JULIANA/0000-0002-0655-2821; ZINZANI, PIER LUIGI/0000-0002-2112-2651; Trotman, Judith/0000-0001-8009-4593 WOS: 000462407900001 PubMed: 30707661 PURPOSEThe aim of this open-label, first-in-setting, randomized phase III trial was to evaluate the efficacy of alisertib, an investigational Aurora A kinase inhibitor, in patients with relapsed/refractory peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL).PATIENTS AND METHODSAdult patients with relapsed/refractory PTCLone or more prior therapywere randomly assigned 1:1 to receive oral alisertib 50 mg two times per day (days 1 to 7; 21-day cycle) or investigator-selected single-agent comparator, including intravenous pralatrexate 30 mg/m(2) (once per week for 6 weeks; 7-week cycle), or intravenous gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m(2) or intravenous romidepsin 14 mg/m(2) (days 1, 8, and 15; 28-day cycle). Tumor tissue (disease subtype) and imaging were assessed by independent central review. Primary outcomes were overall response rate and progression-free survival (PFS). Two interim analyses and one final analysis were planned.RESULTSBetween May 2012 and October 2014, 271 patients were randomly assigned (alisertib, n = 138; comparator, n = 133). Enrollment was stopped early on the recommendation of the independent data monitoring committee as a result of the low probability of alisertib achieving PFS superiority with full enrollment. Centrally assessed overall response rate was 33% for alisertib and 45% for the comparator arm (odds ratio, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.33 to 1.08). Median PFS was 115 days for alisertib and 104 days for the comparator arm (hazard ratio, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.637 to 1.178). The most common adverse events were anemia (53% of alisertib-treated patients v 34% of comparator-treated patients) and neutropenia (47% v 31%, respectively). A lower percentage of patients who received alisertib (9%) compared with the comparator (14%) experienced events that led to study drug discontinuation. Of 26 on-study deaths, five were considered treatment related (alisertib, n = 3 of 11; comparator, n = 2 of 15). Two-year overall survival was 35% for each arm.CONCLUSIONIn patients with relapsed/refractory PTCL, alisertib was not statistically significantly superior to the comparator arm. Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited Funded by Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA, a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited.

Background Licensed systemic treatment options for platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer are platinum-based chemotherapy and maintenance treatment with bevacizumab and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors. For platinum-resistant disease, several non-platinum options are available. We aimed to assess the clinical benefit of these treatments according to the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO)-Magnitude of Clinical Benefit Scale (MCBS). Materials and methods A PubMed search was carried out including all studies evaluating systemic treatment of recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer, from 1990 onwards. Randomised trials with an adequate comparator and design showing a statistically significant benefit of the study arm were independently scored by two blinded observers using the ESMO-MCBS. Results A total of 1127 papers were identified, out of which 61 reported results of randomised trials of sufficient quality. Nineteen trials showed statistically significant results and the studied treatments were graded according to ESMO-MCBS. Only three treatments showed substantial benefit (score of 4 on a scale of 1-5) according to the ESMO-MCBS: platinum-based chemotherapy with paclitaxel in the platinum-sensitive setting and the addition of bevacizumab to chemotherapy in the platinum-resistant setting. The WEE1 inhibitor adavosertib (not licensed) also scores a 4, based on a recent small phase II study. Assessment of quality-of-life data and toxicity using the ESMO-MCBS showed to be complex, which should be taken into account in using this score for clinical decision making. Conclusion Only a few licensed systemic therapies for recurrent ovarian cancer show substantial clinical benefit based on ESMO-MCBS scores. Trials demonstrating overall survival benefit are sparse., Highlights • Benefit of systemic treatments for recurrent ovarian cancer was scored on the ESMO-MCBS. • From 1127 identified papers, only 3 trials out of 19 that were suitable for grading showed substantial clinical benefit. • Trials demonstrating overall survival benefit are sparse.

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the fifth leading cause of cancer mortality among women, potentially due to ineffectiveness of screening tests for early detection. Patients typically present with advanced disease at diagnosis, whereas, up to 80% relapse and the estimated median progression-free survival (PFS) is approximately 12-18 months. Increased knowledge on the molecular biology of EOC resulted in the development of several targeted therapies, including poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors. These agents have changed the therapeutic approach of the EOC and exploit homologous recombination (HR) deficiency through synthetic lethality, especially in breast cancer genes 1 and 2 (BRCA1/2) mutation carriers. Furthermore, BRCA wild-type patients with other defects in the HR repair pathway, or those with platinum-resistant tumors may obtain benefit from this treatment. While PARP inhibitors as a class display many similarities, several differences in structure can translate into differences in tolerability and antitumor activity. Currently, olaparib, rucaparib, and niraparib have been approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and/or European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of EOC, while veliparib is in the late stage of clinical development. Finally, since October 2018 talazoparib is FDA and EMA approved for BRCA carriers with metastatic breast cancers. In this article, we explore the mechanisms of DNA repair, synthetic lethality, efficiency of PARP inhibition, and provide an overview of early and ongoing clinical investigations of the novel PARP inhibitors veliparib and talazoparib.

Background: Epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cancers have shared developmental pathways. Few studies have prospectively examined heterogeneity in risk factor associations across these three anatomic sites. Methods: We identified 3,738 ovarian, 337 peritoneal, and 176 fallopian tube incident cancer cases in 891,731 women from 15 prospective cohorts in the Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium. Associations between 18 putative risk factors and risk of ovarian, peritoneal, and fallopian tube cancer, overall and for serous and high-grade serous tumors, were evaluated using competing risks Cox proportional hazards regression. Heterogeneity was assessed by likelihood ratio tests. Results: Most associations did not vary by tumor site (Phet ≥ 0.05). Associations between first pregnancy (Phet = 0.04), tubal ligation (Phet = 0.01), and early-adult (age 18–21 years) body mass index (BMI; Phet = 0.02) and risk differed between ovarian and peritoneal cancers. The association between early-adult BMI and risk further differed between peritoneal and fallopian tube cancer (Phet = 0.03). First pregnancy and tubal ligation were inversely associated with ovarian, but not peritoneal, cancer. Higher early-adult BMI was associated with higher risk of peritoneal, but not ovarian or fallopian tube, cancer. Patterns were generally similar when restricted to serous and high-grade serous cases. Conclusions: Ovarian, fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cancers appear to have both shared and distinct etiologic pathways, although most risk factors appear to have similar associations by anatomic site. Impact: Further studies on the mechanisms underlying the differences in risk profiles may provide insights regarding the developmental origins of tumors arising in the peritoneal cavity and inform prevention efforts.

BACKGROUND: Investigating tumour evolution and acquired chemotherapy resistance requires analysis of sequential tumour material. We describe the feasibility of obtaining research biopsies in women with relapsed ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC).METHODS: Women with relapsed ovarian HGSC underwent either image-guided biopsy or intra-operative biopsy during secondary debulking, and samples were fixed in methanol-based fixative. Tagged-amplicon sequencing was performed on biopsy DNA.RESULTS: We screened 519 patients in order to enrol 220. Two hundred and two patients underwent successful biopsy, 118 of which were image-guided. There were 22 study-related adverse events (AE) in the image-guided biopsies, all grades 1 and 2; pain was the commonest AE. There were pre-specified significant AE in 3/118 biopsies (2.5%). 87% biopsies were fit-for-purpose for genomic analyses. Median DNA yield was 2.87 μg, and was higher in biopsies utilising 14 G or 16 G needles compared to 18 G. TP53 mutations were identified in 94.4% patients.CONCLUSIONS: Obtaining tumour biopsies for research in relapsed HGSC is safe and feasible. Adverse events are rare. The large majority of biopsies yield sufficient DNA for genomic analyses-we recommend use of larger gauge needles and methanol fixation for such biopsies, as DNA yields are higher but with no increase in AEs.British Journal of Cancer advance online publication, 30 March 2017; doi:10.1038/bjc.2017.86 www.bjcancer.com.

Cancer-specific glycans of ovarian cancer are promising epitopes for targeting with monoclonal antibodies (mAb). Despite their potential, structural characterization of these glycan epitopes remains a significant challenge in mAb preclinical development. Our group generated the monoclonal antibody mAb-A4 against human embryonic stem cells (hESC), which also bound specifically to N-glycans present on 11 out of 19 ovarian cancer (OC) and 8 out of 14 breast cancer cell lines tested. Normal cell lines and tissue were unstained by mAb-A4. To characterize the N-linked glycan epitopes on OC cell lines targeted by mAb-A4, we used glycosidases, glycan microarray, siRNA and advanced high-sensitivity matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS). The mAb-A4 epitopes were found to be Fuc α1-2Galβ1-3GlcNAcβ (H Type 1) and Galβ1-3GlcNAcβ (Type 1 LacNAc). These structures were found to be present on multiple proteins from hESC and OC. Importantly, endo-β-galactosidase coupled with MALDI-MS allowed these two epitopes, for the first time, to be directly identified on the polylactosamines of N-glycans of SKOV3, IGROV1, OV90 and OVCA433. Furthermore, siRNA knockdown of B3GALT5 expression in SKOV3 demonstrated that mAb-A4 binding was dependent on B3GALT5, providing orthogonal evidence of the epitopes' structures. The recognition of oncofetal H Type 1 and Type 1 LacNAc on OC by mAb-A4 is a novel and promising way to target OC and supports the theory that cancer can acquire stem-like phenotypes. We propose that the orthogonal framework used in this work could be the basis for advancing anti-glycan mAb characterization.

Background Angiogenesis is a driver of platinum resistance in ovarian cancer. We assessed the effect of combination pazopanib and paclitaxel followed by maintenance pazopanib in patients with platinum-resistant/refractory ovarian cancer. Integrins αvβ3 and αvβ5 are both upregulated in tumor-associated vasculature. [18F]Fluciclatide is a novel PET tracer that has high affinity for integrins αvβ3/5, and was used to assess the anti-angiogenic effect of pazopanib. Patients and methods We conducted an open-label, phase Ib study in patients with platinum-resistant/refractory ovarian cancer. Patients received 1 week of single-agent pazopanib (800 mg daily) followed by combination therapy with weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m2). Following completion of 18 weeks of combination therapy, patients continued with single-agent pazopanib until disease progression. Dynamic [18F]fluciclatide-PET imaging was conducted at baseline and after 1 week of pazopanib. Response (RECIST 1.1), toxicities, and survival outcomes were recorded. Circulating markers of angiogenesis were assessed with therapy. Results Fourteen patients were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. Complete and partial responses were seen in seven patients (54%). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 10.63 months, and overall survival (OS) was 18.5 months. Baseline [18F]fluciclatide uptake was predictive of long PFS. Elevated baseline circulating angiopoietin and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) were predictive of greater reduction in SUV60,mean following pazopanib. Kinetic modeling of PET data indicated a reduction in K1 and Ki following pazopanib indicating reduced radioligand delivery and retention. Conclusions Combination therapy followed by maintenance pazopanib is effective and tolerable in platinum-resistant/refractory ovarian cancer. [18F]Fluciclatide-PET uptake parameters predict clinical outcome with pazopanib therapy indicating an anti-angiogenic response.

ImportancePatients with recurrent ovarian carcinoma frequently develop resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy, at which time treatment options become limited. ObjectiveTo evaluate the poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor niraparib combined with pembrolizumab in patients with recurrent ovarian carcinoma. Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThe TOPACIO/KEYNOTE-162 (Niraparib in Combination With Pembrolizumab in Patients With Triple-Negative Breast Cancer or Ovarian Cancer) trial, an open-label, single-arm phases 1 and 2 study enrolled women with advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) or recurrent ovarian carcinoma, irrespective of BRCA mutation status. Median follow-up was 12.4 months (range, 1.2 to >= 23.0 months). Data were collected from April 15, 2016, through September 4, 2018, with September 4, 2018, as a data cutoff, and analyzed from September 4, 2018, through January 30, 2019. InterventionsThe recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D) was 200 mg of oral niraparib once daily and 200 mg of intravenous pembrolizumab on day 1 of each 21-day cycle. Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary objectives of phase 1 were to evaluate dose-limiting toxic effects and establish the RP2D and dosing schedule. The primary objective of phase 2 was to assess objective response rate (ORR; complete plus partial responses). Results from the phase 1 ovarian carcinoma and TNBC cohorts and phase 2 ovarian carcinoma cohort are reported. Because of the similarity in the phase 1 and 2 ovarian carcinoma populations, the data were pooled to perform an integrated efficacy analysis. ResultsFourteen patients (9 with ovarian carcinoma and 5 with TNBC) in phase 1 and 53 patients with ovarian carcinoma in phase 2 were enrolled, for a pooled ovarian carcinoma cohort of 62 patients (median age, 60 years [range, 46-83 years]). In the integrated efficacy phases 1 and 2 ovarian carcinoma population (60 of 62 evaluable patients), ORR was 18% (90% CI, 11%-29%), with a disease control rate of 65% (90% CI, 54%-75%), including 3 (5%) with confirmed complete responses, 8 (13%) with confirmed partial responses, 28 (47%) with stable disease, and 20 (33%) with progressive disease. The ORRs were consistent across subgroups based on platinum-based chemotherapy sensitivity, previous bevacizumab treatment, or tumor BRCA or homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) biomarker status. Median duration of response was not reached (range, 4.2 to >= 14.5 months). At data cutoff, 2 patients with a response and 1 patient with stable disease continued to receive treatment. Conclusions and RelevanceNiraparib in combination with pembrolizumab is tolerable, with promising antitumor activity for patients with ovarian carcinoma who have limited treatment options regardless of platinum status, biomarker status, or prior treatment with bevacizumab. Responses in patients without tumor BRCA mutations or non-HRD cancers were higher than expected with either agent as monotherapy. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02657889

BackgroundPatients with ovarian cancer who are diagnosed with Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IV disease are a highly heterogeneous group with possible survival differences. The FIGO staging system was therefore updated in 2014.ObjectiveTo evaluate the 2014 changes to FIGO stage IV ovarian cancer on overall survival.MethodsWe identified all patients diagnosed with FIGO stage IV disease between January 2008 and December 2015 from the Netherlands Cancer Registry. We analyzed the prognostic effect of FIGO IVa versus IVb. In addition, patients with extra-abdominal lymph node involvement as the only site of distant disease were analyzed separately. Overall survival was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariable Cox regression models.ResultsWe identified 2436 FIGO IV patients, of whom 35% were diagnosed with FIGO IVa disease. Five-year overall survival of FIGO IVa and IVb patients (including those with no or limited therapy) was 8.9% and 13.0%, respectively (p=0.51). Patients with only extra-abdominal lymph node involvement had a significant better overall survival than all other FIGO IV patients (5-year overall survival 25.9%, hazard ratio 0.77 [95% CI 0.62 to 0.95]).ConclusionOur study shows that the FIGO IV sub-classification into FIGO IVa and IVB does not provide additional prognostic information. Patients with extra-abdominal lymph node metastases as the only site of FIGO IV disease, however, have a better prognosis than all other FIGO IV patients. These results warrant a critical appraisal of the current FIGO IV sub-classification.

Poor chemotherapy response remains a major treatment challenge for high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC). Cancer stem cells are the major contributors to relapse and treatment failure as they can survive conventional therapy. Our objectives were to characterise stemness features in primary patient-derived cell lines, correlate stemness markers with clinical outcome and test the response of our cells to both conventional and exploratory drugs. Tissue and ascites samples, treatment-naive and/or after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, were prospectively collected. Primary cancer cells, cultured under conditions favouring either adherent or spheroid growth, were tested for stemness markers; the same markers were analysed in tissue and correlated with chemotherapy response and survival. Drug sensitivity and resistance testing was performed with 306 oncology compounds. Spheroid growth condition HGSC cells showed increased stemness marker expression (including aldehyde dehydrogenase isoform I; ALDH1A1) as compared with adherent growth condition cells, and increased resistance to platinum and taxane. A set of eight stemness markers separated treatment-naive tumours into two clusters and identified a distinct subgroup of HGSC with enriched stemness features. Expression of ALDH1A1, but not most other stemness markers, was increased after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and its expression in treatment-naive tumours correlated with chemoresistance and reduced survival. In drug sensitivity and resistance testing, five compounds, including two PI3K-mTOR inhibitors, demonstrated significant activity in both cell culture conditions. Thirteen compounds, including EGFR, PI3K-mTOR and aurora kinase inhibitors, were more toxic to spheroid cells than adherent cells. Our results identify stemness markers in HGSC that are associated with a decreased response to conventional chemotherapy and reduced survival if expressed by treatment-naive tumours. EGFR, mTOR-PI3K and aurora kinase inhibitors are candidates for targeting this cell population. (c) 2019 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

BACKGROUND: This is the second update of the review first published in the Cochrane Library (2010, Issue 2) and later updated (2014, Issue 9). Despite advances in chemotherapy, the prognosis of ovarian cancer remains poor. Antigen‐specific active immunotherapy aims to induce tumour antigen‐specific anti‐tumour immune responses as an alternative treatment for ovarian cancer. OBJECTIVES: Primary objective • To assess the clinical efficacy of antigen‐specific active immunotherapy for the treatment of ovarian cancer as evaluated by tumour response measured by Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) and/or cancer antigen (CA)‐125 levels, response to post‐immunotherapy treatment, and survival differences ◦ In addition, we recorded the numbers of observed antigen‐specific humoral and cellular responses Secondary objective • To establish which combinations of immunotherapeutic strategies with tumour antigens provide the best immunological and clinical results SEARCH METHODS: For the previous version of this review, we performed a systematic search of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2009, Issue 3), in the Cochrane Library, the Cochrane Gynaecological Cancer Group Specialised Register, MEDLINE and Embase databases, and clinicaltrials.gov (1966 to July 2009). We also conducted handsearches of the proceedings of relevant annual meetings (1996 to July 2009). For the first update of this review, we extended the searches to October 2013, and for this update, we extended the searches to July 2017. SELECTION CRITERIA: We searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs), as well as non‐randomised studies (NRSs), that included participants with epithelial ovarian cancer, irrespective of disease stage, who were treated with antigen‐specific active immunotherapy, irrespective of type of vaccine, antigen used, adjuvant used, route of vaccination, treatment schedule, and reported clinical or immunological outcomes. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two reviews authors independently extracted the data. We evaluated the risk of bias for RCTs according to standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane, and for NRSs by using a selection of quality domains deemed best applicable to the NRS. MAIN RESULTS: We included 67 studies (representing 3632 women with epithelial ovarian cancer). The most striking observations of this review address the lack of uniformity in conduct and reporting of early‐phase immunotherapy studies. Response definitions show substantial variation between trials, which makes comparison of trial results unreliable. Information on adverse events is frequently limited. Furthermore, reports of both RCTs and NRSs frequently lack the relevant information necessary for risk of bias assessment. Therefore, we cannot rule out serious biases in most of the included trials. However, selection, attrition, and selective reporting biases are likely to have affected the studies included in this review. GRADE ratings were high only for survival; for other primary outcomes, GRADE ratings were very low. The largest body of evidence is currently available for CA‐125‐targeted antibody therapy (17 studies, 2347 participants; very low‐certainty evidence). Non‐randomised studies of CA‐125‐targeted antibody therapy suggest improved survival among humoral and/or cellular responders, with only moderate adverse events. However, four large randomised placebo‐controlled trials did not show any clinical benefit, despite induction of immune responses in approximately 60% of participants. Time to relapse with CA‐125 monoclonal antibody versus placebo, respectively, ranged from 10.3 to 18.9 months versus 10.3 to 13 months (six RCTs, 1882 participants; high‐certainty evidence). Only one RCT provided data on overall survival, reporting rates of 80% in both treatment and placebo groups (three RCTs, 1062 participants; high‐certainty evidence). Other small studies targeting many different tumour antigens have presented promising immunological results. As these strategies have not yet been tested in RCTs, no reliable inferences about clinical efficacy can be made. Given the promising immunological results and the limited side effects and toxicity reported, exploration of clinical efficacy in large well‐designed RCTs may be worthwhile. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that despite promising immunological responses, no clinically effective antigen‐specific active immunotherapy is yet available for ovarian cancer. Results should be interpreted cautiously, as review authors found a significant dearth of relevant information for assessment of risk of bias in both RCTs and NRSs.

OBJECTIVE: A subset of patients with recurrent ovarian cancer (ROC) may benefit from antiestrogen therapy with higher response rates reported in tumors that are strongly estrogen receptor (ER)-positive (ER⁺). PARAGON is a basket trial that incorporates 7 phase 2 trials investigating the activity of anastrozole in patients with ER⁺ and/or progesterone receptor (PR)-positive (PR⁺) recurrent/metastatic gynecological cancers. METHODS: Postmenopausal women with ER⁺ and/or PR⁺ ROC, who were asymptomatic and had cancer antigen 125 (CA125) progression after response to first line chemotherapy, where chemotherapy was not clinically indicated. Patients received anastrozole 1 mg daily until progression or unacceptable toxicity. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients were enrolled (52 evaluable). Clinical benefit at three months (primary endpoint) was observed in 18 patients (34.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI]=23%-48%). Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 2.7 months (95% CI=2.1-3.1). The median duration of clinical benefit was 6.5 months (95% CI=2.8-11.7). Most patients progressed within 6 months of starting anastrozole but 12 (22%) continued treatment for longer than 6 months. Anastrozole was well tolerated. In the exploratory analysis, ER histoscores and the intensity of ER staining did not correlate with clinical benefit rate or PFS. CONCLUSION: A subset of asymptomatic patients with ER⁺ and/or PR⁺ ROC and CA125 progression had durable clinical benefit on anastrozole, with acceptable toxicity. Anastrozole may delay symptomatic progression and the time to subsequent chemotherapy. The future challenge is to identify the subset of patients most likely to benefit from an aromatase inhibitor and whether the clinical benefit could be increased by the addition of other agents. ispartof: JOURNAL OF GYNECOLOGIC ONCOLOGY vol:30 issue:5 ispartof: location:Korea (South) status: published

BACKGROUND: High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) intratumoural vasculature evolution remains unknown. The study investigated changes in tumour microvessel density (MVD) in a large cohort of paired primary and recurrent HGSOC tissue samples and its impact on patients' clinico-pathological outcome. METHODS: A total of 222 primary (pOC) and recurrent (rOC) intra-patient paired HGSOC were assessed for immunohistochemical expression of angiogenesis-associated biomarkers (CD31, to evaluate MVD, and VEGF-A). Expression profiles were compared between pOCs and rOCs and correlated with patients' data. RESULTS: High intratumoural MVD and VEGF-A expression were observed in 75.7% (84/111) and 20.7% (23/111) pOCs, respectively. MVDhigh and VEGF(+) samples were detected in 51.4% (57/111) and 20.7% (23/111) rOCs, respectively. MVDhigh/VEGF(+) co-expression was found in 19.8% (22/111) and 8.1% (9/111) of pOCs and rOCs, respectively (p = 0.02). Pairwise analysis showed no significant change in MVD (p = 0.935) and VEGF-A (p = 0.121) levels from pOCs to rOCs. MVDhigh pOCs were associated with higher CD3(+) (p = 0.029) and CD8(+) (p = 0.013) intratumoural effector TILs, while VEGF(+) samples were most frequently encountered among BRCA-mutated tumours (p = 0.019). Multivariate analysis showed VEGF and MVD were not independent prognostic factors for OS. CONCLUSIONS: HGSOC intratumoural vasculature did not undergo significant changes during disease progression. High concentration of CD31(+) vessels seems to promote recruitment of effector TILs. The study also provides preliminary evidence of the correlation between VEGF-positivity and BRCA status. ispartof: BRITISH JOURNAL OF CANCER vol:119 issue:3 pages:330-338 ispartof: location:England status: published

Summary Purpose This phase 1 study examined safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and efficacy of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor ABT-767 in patients with advanced solid tumors and BRCA1/2 mutations or with high-grade serous ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer. Methods Patients received ABT-767 monotherapy orally until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Dose was escalated from 20 mg once daily to 500 mg twice daily (BID). Dose-limiting toxicities, recommended phase 2 dose (RP2D), food effect, objective response rate, and biomarkers predicting response were determined. Results Ninety-three patients were treated with ABT-767; 80 had a primary diagnosis of ovarian cancer. ABT-767 demonstrated dose-proportional PK up to 500 mg BID and half-life of ~2 h. Food had no effect on ABT-767 bioavailability. Most common grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events were nausea, fatigue, decreased appetite, and anemia. Anemia showed dose-dependent increase. RP2D was 400 mg BID. Objective response rate by RECIST 1.1 was 21% (17/80) in all evaluable patients and 20% (14/71) in evaluable patients with ovarian cancer. Response rate by RECIST 1.1 and/or CA-125 was 30% (24/80) in patients with ovarian cancer. Mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2, homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), and platinum sensitivity were associated with tumor response. Median progression-free survival was longer for HRD positive (6.7 months) versus HRD negative patients (1.8 months) with ovarian cancer. Conclusions ABT-767 had an acceptable safety profile up to the established RP2D of 400 mg BID and dose-proportional PK. Patients with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, HRD positivity, and platinum sensitivity were more sensitive to ABT-767.

Background: We compared survival outcomes and risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) among patients with advanced and early-stage ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC) and serous ovarian carcinoma (SOC), as well as potential links with interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels. Methods: A multicenter case-control study was conducted in 370 patients with OCCC and 938 with SOC. In a subset of 200 cases, pretreatment plasma IL-6 levels were examined. Findings: Patients with advanced OCCC had the highest 2-year cumulative VTE rates (advanced OCCC 43.1%, advanced SOC 16.2%, early-stage OCCC 11.9% and early-stage SOC 6.4%, P < 0.0001) and the highest median levels of IL-6 (advanced OCCC 17.8 pg/mL, advanced SOC 9.0 pg/mL, early-stage OCCC 4.2 pg/mL and early-stage SOC 5.0 pg/mL, P = 0.006). Advanced OCCC (hazard ratio [HR] 3.38, P < 0.0001), thrombocytosis (HR 1.42, P = 0.032) and elevated IL-6 (HR 8.90, P = 0.046) were independent predictors of VTE. In multivariate analysis, patients with advanced OCCC had significantly poorer 5-year progression-free and overall survival rates than those with advanced SOC (P < 0.01), and thrombocytosis was an independent predictor of decreased survival outcomes (P < 0.01). Elevated IL-6 levels led to poorer 2-year progression-free survival rates in patients with OCCC (50% versus 87.5%, HR 4.89, P = 0.016) than in those with SOC (24.9% versus 40.8%, HR 1.40, P = 0.07). Interpretation: Advanced OCCC is associated with an increased incidence of VTE and decreased survival outcomes, which has major implications for clinical management of OCCC.

Background: \ud \ud Rucaparib, a poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor, has anticancer activity in recurrent ovarian carcinoma harbouring a BRCA mutation or high percentage of genome-wide loss of heterozygosity. In this trial we assessed rucaparib versus placebo after response to second-line or later platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with high-grade, recurrent, platinum-sensitive ovarian carcinoma.\ud \ud Methods: \ud \ud In this randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial, we recruited patients from 87 hospitals and cancer centres across 11 countries. Eligible patients were aged 18 years or older, had a platinum-sensitive, high-grade serous or endometrioid ovarian, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube carcinoma, had received at least two previous platinum-based chemotherapy regimens, had achieved complete or partial response to their last platinum-based regimen, had a cancer antigen 125 concentration of less than the upper limit of normal, had a performance status of 0–1, and had adequate organ function. Patients were ineligible if they had symptomatic or untreated central nervous system metastases, had received anticancer therapy 14 days or fewer before starting the study, or had received previous treatment with a poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor. We randomly allocated patients 2:1 to receive oral rucaparib 600 mg twice daily or placebo in 28 day cycles using a computer-generated sequence (block size of six, stratified by homologous recombination repair gene mutation status, progression-free interval after the penultimate platinum-based regimen, and best response to the most recent platinum-based regimen). Patients, investigators, site staff, assessors, and the funder were masked to assignments. The primary outcome was investigator-assessed progression-free survival evaluated with use of an ordered step-down procedure for three nested cohorts: patients with BRCA mutations (carcinoma associated with deleterious germline or somatic BRCA mutations), patients with homologous recombination deficiencies (BRCA mutant or BRCA wild-type and high loss of heterozygosity), and the intention-to-treat population, assessed at screening and every 12 weeks thereafter. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01968213; enrolment is complete.\ud Findings: \ud \ud Between April 7, 2014, and July 19, 2016, we randomly allocated 564 patients: 375 (66%) to rucaparib and 189 (34%) to placebo. Median progression-free survival in patients with a BRCA-mutant carcinoma was 16·6 months (95% CI 13·4–22·9; 130 [35%] patients) in the rucaparib group versus 5·4 months (3·4–6·7; 66 [35%] patients) in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·23 [95% CI 0·16–0·34]; p

BACKGROUND: Smoking has been linked to mucinous ovarian cancer, but its effects on other ovarian cancer subtypes and on overall ovarian cancer risk are unclear, and the findings from most studies with relevant data are unpublished. To assess these associations, we review the published and unpublished evidence. METHODS: Eligible epidemiological studies were identified by electronic searches, review articles, and discussions with colleagues. Individual participant data for 28,114 women with and 94,942 without ovarian cancer from 51 epidemiological studies were analysed centrally, yielding adjusted relative risks (RRs) of ovarian cancer in smokers compared with never smokers. FINDINGS: After exclusion of studies with hospital controls, in which smoking could have affected recruitment, overall ovarian cancer incidence was only slightly increased in current smokers compared with women who had never smoked (RR 1·06, 95% CI 1·01-1·11, p=0·01). Of 17,641 epithelial cancers with specified histology, 2314 (13%) were mucinous, 2360 (13%) endometrioid, 969 (5%) clear-cell, and 9086 (52%) serous. Smoking-related risks varied substantially across these subtypes (p(heterogeneity)

Background Risk of relapse or progression remains high in the treatment of most patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, and development of a molecular predictor could be a valuable tool for stratification of patients by risk. We aimed to develop a microRNA (miRNA)-based molecular classifier that can predict risk of progression or relapse in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.Methods We analysed miRNA expression profiles in three cohorts of samples collected at diagnosis. We used 179 samples from a Multicenter Italian Trial in Ovarian cancer trial (cohort OC179) to develop the model and 263 samples from two cancer centres (cohort OC263) and 452 samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas epithelial ovarian cancer series (cohort OC452) to validate the model. The primary clinical endpoint was progression-free survival, and we adapted a semi-supervised prediction method to the miRNA expression profile of OC179 to identify miRNAs that predict risk of progression. We assessed the independent prognostic role of the model using multivariable analysis with a Cox regression model.Findings We identified 35 miRNAs that predicted risk of progression or relapse and used them to create a prognostic model, the 35-miRNA-based predictor of Risk of Ovarian Cancer Relapse or progression (MiROvaR). MiROvaR was able to classify patients in OC179 into a high-risk group (89 patients; median progression-free survival 18 months [95% CI 15-22]) and a low-risk group (90 patients; median progression-free survival 38 months [24-not estimable]; hazard ratio [HR] 1.85 [1.29-2.64], p=0.00082). MiROvaR was a significant predictor of progression in the two validation sets (OC263 HR 3.16, 95% CI 2.33-4.29, p

Purpose: The mTOR pathway is frequently activated in ovarian cancers. mTOR inhibitors, such as everolimus, can reduce VEGF-A production by cancer cells. We investigated whether early everolimus treatment effects could be monitored by positron emission tomography (PET) with 89Zr-bevacizumab. Experimental Design: The effect of everolimus on VEGF-A secretion was determined in a panel of human ovarian cancer cell lines and in A2780luc+ ovarian cancer cells xenografted subcutaneously in BALB/c mice. Mice received daily 10 mg/kg everolimus intraperitoneally (i.p.) for 14 days. PET scans with the tracer 89Zr-labeled bevacizumab were conducted before and after treatment. Ex vivo89Zr-bevacizumab biodistribution and correlative tissue analyses were conducted. Tumor VEGF-A levels were measured with ELISA and mean vascular density (MVD) was determined with immunohistochemistry. Results: Everolimus treatment reduced VEGF-A levels in the supernatant of all cell lines. Everolimus lowered 89Zr-bevacizumab tumor uptake by 21.7% ± 4.0% [mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean) 2.3 ± 0.2 vs. 2.9 ± 0.2, P < 0.01]. Ex vivo biodistribution also showed lower tracer uptake in the tumors of treated as compared with control animals (7.8 ± 0.8%ID/g vs. 14.0 ± 1.7%ID/g, P < 0.01), whereas no differences were observed for other tissues. This coincided with lower VEGF-A protein levels in tumor lysates in treated versus untreated tumors (P = 0.04) and reduced MVD (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Tumor VEGF-A levels are decreased by everolimus. 89Zr-bevacizumab PET could be used to monitor tumor VEGF-A levels as an early biomarker of the antiangiogenic effect of mTOR inhibitor therapy. Clin Cancer Res; 18(22); 6306–14. ©2012 AACR.

This review discusses the results of different immunization strategies, identifies possible drawbacks in study design and provides potential solutions for augmentation of clinical efficacy. A potential target for cancer immunotherapy is p53, as approximately 50% of ovarian cancer cells carry p53 mutations. Therefore we review the immunological and clinical responses observed in ovarian cancer patients vaccinated with p53 targeting vaccines in particular. In most studies antigen-specific vaccine-induced immunological responses were observed. Unfortunately, no clinical responses with significant reduction of tumor-burden have been reported. Based on the currently available results we emphasize the necessity of multimodality treatment of ovarian cancer, combining classical cytoreductive surgery, (neo) adjuvant chemotherapy, immunotherapy and/or targeted therapy.

Ovarian cancer vaccines are one of the new treatment strategies under investigation in epithelial ovarian cancer. This article discusses the results of different immunization strategies, points out potential pitfalls in study designs and provides possible solutions for augmentation of clinical efficacy. Most ovarian cancer vaccines have not yet evolved beyond Phase I/II studies, which do not primarily evaluate clinical efficacy. Although different approaches of antigen-specific immunization generally result in antigen-specific immune responses, clinical benefit is not consistently observed. Based on the currently available results, we emphasize the necessity of multimodal treatment of ovarian cancer, combining classical cytoreductive surgery, (neo) adjuvant chemotherapy, immunotherapy and/or targeted therapy.

BACKGROUND: Despite advances in chemotherapy, prognosis of ovarian cancer remains poor. Antigen-specific active immunotherapy aims to induce tumour-antigen-specific anti-tumour immune responses as an alternative treatment for ovarian cancer.OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility of antigen-specific active immunotherapy for ovarian cancer. Primary outcomes are clinical efficacy and antigen-specific immunogenicity with carrier-specific immunogenicity and side effects as secondary outcomes.SEARCH METHODS: For the previous version of this review, a systematic search of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) 2009, Issue 3, Cochrane Gynaecological Cancer Group Specialized Register, MEDLINE and EMBASE databases and clinicaltrials.gov was performed (1966 to July 2009). We conducted handsearches of the proceedings of relevant annual meetings (1996 to July 2009).For this update of the review the searches were extended to October 2013.SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), as well as non-randomised non-controlled studies that included participants with epithelial ovarian cancer, irrespective of stage of disease, and treated with antigen-specific active immunotherapy, irrespective of type of vaccine, antigen used, adjuvant used, route of vaccination, schedule, and reported clinical or immunological outcomes.DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two reviews authors independently performed the data extraction. Risk of bias was evaluated for RCTs according to standard methodological procedures expected by The Cochrane Collabororation or for non-RCTs using a selection of quality domains deemed best applicable to the non-randomised non-controlled studies.MAIN RESULTS: Fifty-five studies were included (representing 3051 women with epithelial ovarian cancer). Response definitions showed substantial variation between trials, which makes comparison of trial results unreliable. Information on adverse events was frequently limited. Furthermore, reports of both RCTs and non-RCTs frequently lacked the relevant information necessary to assess risk of bias. Serious biases in most of the included trials can therefore not be ruled out.The largest body of evidence is currently available for CA-125 targeted antibody therapy (16 studies: 2339 participants). Non-RCTs of CA-125 targeted antibody therapy suggests increased survival in humoral and/or cellular responders. However, four large randomised placebo-controlled trials did not show any clinical benefit despite induction of immune responses in approximately 60% of participants.Other small studies targeting many different tumour antigens showed promising immunological results. As these strategies have not yet been tested in RCTs, no reliable inferences about clinical efficacy can be made. Given the promising immunological results, limited side effects and toxicity exploration of clinical efficacy in large well-designed RCTs may be worthwhile.AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that despite promising immunological responses, no clinically effective antigen-specific active immunotherapy is yet available for ovarian cancer. Results should be interpreted cautiously as there was a significant lack of relevant information for the assessment of risk of bias in both RCTs and non-RCTs.

Immunotherapy for ovarian cancer is one of the new treatment strategies currently investigated in epithelial ovarian cancer. This review discusses the results of different immunization strategies, identifies possible drawbacks in study design and provides potential solutions for augmentation of clinical efficacy. A potential target for cancer immunotherapy is p53, as approximately 50% of ovarian cancer cells carry p53 mutations. Therefore we review the immunological and clinical responses observed in ovarian cancer patients vaccinated with p53 targeting vaccines in particular. In most studies antigen-specific vaccine-induced immunological responses were observed. Unfortunately, no clinical responses with significant reduction of tumor-burden have been reported. Based on the currently available results we emphasize the necessity of multimodality treatment of ovarian cancer, combining classical cytoreductive surgery, (neo) adjuvant chemotherapy, immunotherapy and/or targeted therapy.

Ovarian cancer vaccines are one of the new treatment strategies under investigation in epithelial ovarian cancer. This article discusses the results of different immunization strategies, points out potential pitfalls in study designs and provides possible solutions for augmentation of clinical efficacy. Most ovarian cancer vaccines have not yet evolved beyond Phase I/II studies, which do not primarily evaluate clinical efficacy. Although different approaches of antigen-specific immunization generally result in antigen-specific immune responses, clinical benefit is not consistently observed. Based on the currently available results, we emphasize the necessity of multimodal treatment of ovarian cancer, combining classical cytoreductive surgery, (neo) adjuvant chemotherapy, immunotherapy and/or targeted therapy.

BACKGROUND: Despite advances in chemotherapy, prognosis of ovarian cancer remains poor. Antigen-specific active immunotherapy aims to induce a tumour-antigen-specific anti-tumour immune responses as an alternative treatment for ovarian cancer. OBJECTIVES: To assess feasibility of antigen-specific active immunotherapy for ovarian cancer. Primary outcomes are clinical efficacy and antigen-specific immunogenicity with carrier-specific immunogenicity and side-effects as secondary outcomes. SEARCH STRATEGY: A systematic search of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) Issue 3, 2009, Cochrane Gynaecological Cancer Group Specialized Register, MEDLINE and EMBASE databases and clinicaltrials.gov was performed (1966 to July 2009). Hand searches were conducted of the proceedings of relevant annual meetings (1996 to July 2009). SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), as well as non-randomised non-controlled studies that included patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, irrespective of stage of disease, and treated with antigen-specific active immunotherapy, irrespective of type of vaccine, antigen used, adjuvant used, route of vaccination, schedule, and reported clinical or immunological outcomes. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Data extraction was performed independently by two review authors. Risk of bias was evaluated with the Delphi-list for RCTs or a selection of quality domains pivotal to the assessment of non-RCTs and deemed best applicable to the non-randomised non-controlled studies. MAIN RESULTS: Thirty-six studies were included. Response definitions showed substantial variation between trials, which makes comparison of trial results unreliable. Information on adverse events was frequently limited. Furthermore, reports of both RCTs and non-RCTs frequently lacked information necessary to assess risk of bias. Serious biases in these trials can thus not be ruled out.The largest body of evidence is currently available for CA-125 targeted antibody therapy (15 studies: 1505 patients). Non-RCTs of this CA-125 targeted antibody therapy suggest increased survival in humoral and/or cellular responders. However, three large randomised placebo-controlled trials did not show any clinical benefit despite induction of immune responses in approximately 60% of patients.Other small studies targeting many different tumour antigens showed promising immunological results. As these strategies have not yet been tested in RCTs, no reliable inferences about clinical efficacy can be made. Given the promising immunological results, limited side effects and toxicity exploration of clinical efficacy in large well-designed RCTs may be worthwhile. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that despite promising immunological responses no clinically effective antigen-specific active immunotherapy is yet available for ovarian cancer. Furthermore, the adoption of guidelines to ensure uniformity in trial conduct, response definitions and trial reporting is recommended to improve quality and comparability of immunotherapy trials.

BACKGROUND: Despite advances in chemotherapy, prognosis of ovarian cancer remains poor. Antigen-specific active immunotherapy aims to induce a tumour-antigen-specific anti-tumour immune responses as an alternative treatment for ovarian cancer.OBJECTIVES: To assess feasibility of antigen-specific active immunotherapy for ovarian cancer. Primary outcomes are clinical efficacy and antigen-specific immunogenicity with carrier-specific immunogenicity and side-effects as secondary outcomes.SEARCH STRATEGY: A systematic search of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) Issue 3, 2009, Cochrane Gynaecological Cancer Group Specialized Register, MEDLINE and EMBASE databases and clinicaltrials.gov was performed (1966 to July 2009). Hand searches were conducted of the proceedings of relevant annual meetings (1996 to July 2009).SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), as well as non-randomised non-controlled studies that included patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, irrespective of stage of disease, and treated with antigen-specific active immunotherapy, irrespective of type of vaccine, antigen used, adjuvant used, route of vaccination, schedule, and reported clinical or immunological outcomes.DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Data extraction was performed independently by two review authors. Risk of bias was evaluated with the Delphi-list for RCTs or a selection of quality domains pivotal to the assessment of non-RCTs and deemed best applicable to the non-randomised non-controlled studies.MAIN RESULTS: Thirty-six studies were included. Response definitions showed substantial variation between trials, which makes comparison of trial results unreliable. Information on adverse events was frequently limited. Furthermore, reports of both RCTs and non-RCTs frequently lacked information necessary to assess risk of bias. Serious biases in these trials can thus not be ruled out.The largest body of evidence is currently available for CA-125 targeted antibody therapy (15 studies: 1505 patients). Non-RCTs of this CA-125 targeted antibody therapy suggest increased survival in humoral and/or cellular responders. However, three large randomised placebo-controlled trials did not show any clinical benefit despite induction of immune responses in approximately 60% of patients.Other small studies targeting many different tumour antigens showed promising immunological results. As these strategies have not yet been tested in RCTs, no reliable inferences about clinical efficacy can be made. Given the promising immunological results, limited side effects and toxicity exploration of clinical efficacy in large well-designed RCTs may be worthwhile.AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that despite promising immunological responses no clinically effective antigen-specific active immunotherapy is yet available for ovarian cancer. Furthermore, the adoption of guidelines to ensure uniformity in trial conduct, response definitions and trial reporting is recommended to improve quality and comparability of immunotherapy trials.

BACKGROUND: Primary debulking surgery before initiation of chemotherapy has been the standard of care for patients with advanced ovarian cancer. METHODS: We randomly assigned patients with stage IIIC or IV epithelial ovarian carcinoma, fallopian-tube carcinoma, or primary peritoneal carcinoma to primary debulking surgery followed by platinum-based chemotherapy or to neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy followed by debulking surgery (so-called interval debulking surgery). RESULTS: Of the 670 patients randomly assigned to a study treatment, 632 (94.3%) were eligible and started the treatment. The majority of these patients had extensive stage IIIC or IV disease at primary debulking surgery (metastatic lesions that were larger than 5 cm in diameter in 74.5% of patients and larger than 10 cm in 61.6%). The largest residual tumor was 1 cm or less in diameter in 41.6% of patients after primary debulking and in 80.6% of patients after interval debulking. Postoperative rates of adverse effects and mortality tended to be higher after primary debulking than after interval debulking. The hazard ratio for death (intention-to-treat analysis) in the group assigned to neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking, as compared with the group assigned to primary debulking surgery followed by chemotherapy, was 0.98 (90% confidence interval [CI], 0.84 to 1.13; P=0.01 for noninferiority), and the hazard ratio for progressive disease was 1.01 (90% CI, 0.89 to 1.15). Complete resection of all macroscopic disease (at primary or interval surgery) was the strongest independent variable in predicting overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery was not inferior to primary debulking surgery followed by chemotherapy as a treatment option for patients with bulky stage IIIC or IV ovarian carcinoma in this study. Complete resection of all macroscopic disease, whether performed as primary treatment or after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, remains theobjective whenever cytoreductive surgery is performed. (Funded by the National Cancer Institute; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00003636.)