Dr. Secord on Personalized Treatment in Ovarian Cancer

Angeles Alvarez Secord, MD, gynecologic cancers specialist, Duke Cancer Center, discusses the growing potential for personalized treatment in ovarian cancer.

In June 2018, the FDA approved bevacizumab (Avastin) for use in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel, followed by bevacizumab monotherapy, for the treatment of women with advanced ovarian cancer following initial surgical resection. Bevacizumab can therefore be instituted, followed by chemotherapy, and then followed by maintenance bevacizumab. After the May 2018 FDA approval of rucaparib (Rubraca), there are now 3 approved PARP inhibitors in the maintenance setting along with olaparib (Lynparza) and niraparib (Zejula). Secord hopes the plethora of PARP inhibitors will drive prices down. Mainly, she says, these 4 available agents provide options.

Furthermore, pembrolizumab (Keytruda) has shown promise in ovarian cancer. For women whose tumors express microsatellite instablity or mismatch repair deficiency, they can be considered candidates for immunotherapy. This extends into other gynecologic malignancies. The field is moving from a time of a one-size-fits-all approach to a more personalized treatment approach, Secord says.