Do we have a new standard in suboptimal debulked disease?

Abstract

Treatment options for patients with high-risk advanced-stage ovarian cancer continue to evolve, including consideration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), timing of cytoreductive surgery, utilization of intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy, adoption of dose-dense weekly paclitaxel (Taxol), addition of maintenance chemotherapy, and incorporation of bevacizumab. Overall, the proportion of patients with suboptimal residual disease has declined, partly as a result of more aggressive primary surgery, and partly through selection of patients for delayed surgery following NACT. However, the risk of recurrence in this population remains high, and treatment decisions need to be individualized, with consideration of clinical goals, avoidance of treatment-related toxicity, control of disease-related symptoms, and minimization of any negative impact on the quality of life. Innovative trials are needed to evaluate early predictors of primary platinum resistance and facilitate the development of non-platinum alternative treatment regimens. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society for Medical Oncology. All rights reserved.