open access: Editorial - Ovarian cancer: breaking the silence : The Lancet Oncology (references Avastin studies and NEJM)

Ovarian cancer: breaking the silence

The Lancet Oncology

 

"The heterogeneous nature of cancer makes it a very difficult disease to manage. Although great progress has been made against many types of cancer (as highlighted by recent mortality data from the American Cancer Society), treatment of others has shown little change in the past few decades. Ovarian cancer, for example, has traditionally lagged behind: recent research, however, is starting to provide a better outlook for women with this cancer. Two phase 3 clinical trials published in December, 2011, in the New England Journal of Medicine (GOG018 and ICON7) showed that women with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer given concomitant bevacizumab with a paclitaxel and carboplatin chemotherapy regimen following surgery, and then maintenance bevacizumab, had significantly longer progression-free survival compared with those who received chemotherapy alone. On the basis of these results, on Dec 19, 2011, the European Medicines Agency approved bevacizumab for first-line treatment of ovarian cancer, although it is uncertain whether the US FDA will follow suit....."

"Ovarian cancer is the seventh most common cancer in women worldwide, with nearly a quarter of a million women diagnosed every year. 5-year survival is just 30%, a figure that has not changed for the past 30 years—this contrasts with breast cancer, in which 5-year survival has improved from 50% to 80% over the same period."