Clinical utility of trabectedin for the treatment of ovarian cancer: current evidence

Floriana Mascilini,* Giulia Amadio,* Maria Grazia Di Stefano, Manuela Ludovisi, Alessia Di Legge, Carmine Conte, Rosa De Vincenzo, Caterina Ricci, Valeria Masciullo, Vanda Salutari, Giovanni Scambia, Gabriella FerrandinaGynecologic Oncology Unit, Department of Oncology, Catholic University of Rome, Italy  *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Among the pharmaceutical options available for treatment of ovarian cancer, attention has been increasingly focused on trabectedin (ET-743), a drug which displays a unique mechanism of action and has been shown to be active in several human malignancies. Currently, single agent trabectedin is approved for treatment of patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma after failure of anthracyclines and ifosfamide, and in association with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin for treatment of patients with relapsed partially platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer. This review aims at summarizing the available evidence about the clinical role of trabectedin in the management of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. Novel perspectives coming from a better understanding of trabectedin mechanisms of action and definition of patients subgroups likely susceptible to benefit of trabectedin treatment are also presented. Keywords: ET-743, ovarian cancer, clinical trials