Ovarian Cancer Treatments Strategy: Focus on PARP Inhibitors and Immune Check Point Inhibitors

Simple Summary Ovarian cancer treatment is the deadliest of gynecological cancers but the introduction of target therapies in its therapeutic algorithm has significantly improved outcomes. The aim of this article was to provide a review of completed and ongoing clinical trials involving the use of PARP inhibitors and/or immune checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of ovarian cancer in front line and relapse settings. We confirmed the role of bevacizumab and PARP inhibitors which have transformed OC into a chronic disease while almost all trials involving immunotherapy were disappointing. Ovarian cancer treatment strategy is mainly based on three pillars: cytoreductive surgery, platinum-based chemotherapy, and targeted therapies. The latter in the last decade has provided a remarkable improvement in progression free patients and, hopefully, in overall survival. In particular, poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors exploit BRCA 1/2 mutations and DNA damage response deficiencies, which are believed to concern up to 50% of high grade epithelial ovarian cancer cases. While these agents have an established role in ovarian cancer treatment strategy in BRCA mutated and homologous recombination deficient patients, an appropriate predictive molecular test to select patients is lacking in clinical practice. At the same time, the impressive results of immunotherapy in other malignancies, have opened the space for the introduction of immune-stimulatory drugs in ovarian cancer. Despite immune checkpoint inhibitors as a monotherapy bringing only modest efficacy when assessed in pretreated ovarian cancer patients, the combination with chemotherapy, anti-angiogenetics, PARP inhibitors, and radiotherapy is believed to warrant further investigation. We reviewed literature evidence on PARP inhibitors and immunotherapy in ovarian cancer treatment.

Automated summary

Ovarian cancer treatment relies on cytoreductive surgery, platinum-based chemotherapy, and targeted therapies. While PARP inhibitors have shown remarkable results, immunotherapy outcomes have been disappointing. Further research on combining different treatment modalities is warranted.