| Abstract: |
Cancers of the ovary can be classified as epithelial and nonepithelial ovarian cancers. Careful histologic review of the pathological specimen is required for determining best management of all ovarian cancers. This chapter focuses on details of chemotherapy for epithelial and nonepithelial ovarian cancers. Recommendations for chemotherapy differ according to tumor histology and disease stage. The majority of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer require post-cytoreductive surgery chemotherapy. Standard front-line therapy includes paclitaxel with carboplatin or cisplatin. Clinical complete response rates are high in first-line therapy, still majority of patients relapse and require second-line therapy. Nonepithelial ovarian cancers usually occur in young patients and have a greater likelihood of cure. Following surgery, patients are recommended chemotherapy that depends on the specific histology of tumor. Patients with completely resected stromal tumors do not require chemotherapy and are treated at the time of relapse with cisplatin-based regimens. However, patients with more advanced dysgerminomas and nondysgerminoma germ cell tumors are recommended cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy. © 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. |
