Maintenance therapy in ovarian cancer: Molecular basis and therapeutic approach.

ABSTRACT: Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate among gynaecological tumours despite the fact that the majority of patients with advanced disease achieve complete remission after first-line surgery and chemotherapy. Unfortunately, disease recurrence occurs in the majority of patients and second-line treatments are not curative. Clearly, the persistence of dormant and drug-resistant cells after front-line treatments results in the inability to cure the disease. The identification of cancer-initiating cells or cancer stem cells as key players in the development of recurrence has opened up a novel field of research aimed at identifying additional innovative therapeutic approaches. Strategies of maintenance therapy to extend the survival of patients have been studied, but to date no overall surv

SUBMITTER: Binaschi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3440680 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature