Further Research Needed to Improve Outcomes in Advanced Ovarian Cancer

Melissa M. Hardesty, a gynecologic oncologist at Alaska Women's Cancer Care, discusses the key takeaways of the phase 2 OVARIO study (NCT03326193) examining the combination of a PARP inhibitor and VEGF inhibitor in women with advanced ovarian cancer as well as research still needs to examine in this space.

According to findings of the study presented by Hardestly, this combination as maintenance therapy may be an efficacious strategy for this patient population.

Though the results of the study were favorable, oncologists working in this space still have numerous questions regarding how to optimize treatment for these patients. Experts, including Hardesty, now aim to figure out which agents are best, how to minimize toxicity, and how to ultimately provide their patients with the best outcomes.

Transcription:

0:08 | I presented a phase 2 non-randomized trial looking at a combination of a PARP inhibitor and a VEGF inhibitor. While the results are certainly favorable, more needs to be learned about for whom that combination is the most effective. All of the maintenance agents add significant financial toxicity for our patients as well, and I think that it's important for us to use targeted therapy and use them where they're going to be the most effective.

0:45 | If you asked me what I would advise for a patient following upfront therapy, a year from now. I may have a different answer. I certainly have a different answer now than I did a year ago. I think that that's going to be a moving target. Medical oncologists must know there's been a huge shift towards a much more aggressive maintenance strategy, among the gynecologic oncology community. We're going to continue to see that, but I think we're going to continue to need to fine tune it, to figure out for who these agents are best, and which agents are the best, and how to minimize the toxicity, both financial and symptomatic of these therapies so that we can have the best outcomes for our patients.