The Road Ahead for Ovarian Cancer

Opening the 20th Annual Ovarian Cancer National Conference in Chicago, John Moroney, M.D., underscored the challenges that remain in the early detection and treatment of ovarian cancer, but also the tremendous hope that resides in robust clinical trial research. 

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Amgen Ovarian Cancer Drug Fails to Improve Overall Survival

Amgen Inc said its experimental ovarian cancer drug did not show statistically significant improvement in overall survival rate in a late-stage trial. Patients given the drug, trebananib, along with a chemotherapy agent paclitaxel, experienced overall survival of 19.3 months, compared with 18.3 months for the placebo group. Analysts said oncologists expect the drug to have little or no benefits in terms of overall survival and FDA approval seems unlikely.

Bevacizumab Plus Fosbretabulin Improves Progression-Free Survival in Ovarian Cancer Patients

The combination of the antiangiogenesis drug bevacizumab and the vascular-disrupting agent fosbretabulin is superior to bevacizumab alone in the treatment of recurrent ovarian, tubal, and peritoneal cancer, according to an oral presentation made at the biennial meeting of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society. A study found significant improvement in progression-free survival among patients treated with the combination of bevacizumab and fosbretabulin versus bevacizumab alone, with a median improvement of 2.5 months.

FDA Approves Avastin Plus Chemotherapy to Treat Women With Platinum-Resistant Recurrent Ovarian Cancer

November 14, 2014, the Food and Drug Administration announced the approval of Genentech’s Avastin (bevacizumab) in combination with chemotherapy for women with platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer.

The approval was based on the results of a Phase III clinical trial which showed women who received Avastin with chemotherapy had a 62% improvement in progression free survival (disease worsening) as compared to those who received chemotherapy alone.