Paradigm Shift: A Comprehensive Review of Ovarian Cancer Management in an Era of Advancements. Original paper
Researched by:
-
Divine Aleru
ID
Divine Aleru
Read MoreI am a biochemist with a deep curiosity for the human microbiome and how it shapes human health, and I enjoy making microbiome science more accessible through research and writing. With 2 years experience in microbiome research, I have curated microbiome studies, analyzed microbial signatures, and now focus on interventions as a Microbiome Signatures and Interventions Research Coordinator.
-
Women’s Health
Women’s Health
Women’s health, a vital aspect of medical science, encompasses various conditions unique to women’s physiological makeup. Historically, women were often excluded from clinical research, leading to a gap in understanding the intricacies of women’s health needs. However, recent advancements have highlighted the significant role that the microbiome plays in these conditions, offering new insights and potential therapies. MicrobiomeSignatures.com is at the forefront of exploring the microbiome signature of each of these conditions to unravel the etiology of these diseases and develop targeted microbiome therapies.
-
Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is one of the most lethal cancers affecting women worldwide. Known for its "silent" progression, this disease often goes undetected until it reaches advanced stages, making early diagnosis crucial for improving survival outcomes. With a variety of subtypes, ovarian cancer presents unique challenges in both treatment and prevention. Recent advancements in research are shining a light on the importance of the microbiome, particularly how microbial imbalances in the gut and vaginal microbiota can influence cancer progression. Repurposed drugs such as metformin and innovative interventions like probiotics, microbiota transplantation, and intratumoral microbiota therapies offer promising new avenues for improving ovarian cancer treatment.
-
Divine Aleru
Read More
Researched by:
-
Divine Aleru
ID
Divine Aleru
Read More
Microbiome Signatures identifies and validates condition-specific microbiome shifts and interventions to accelerate clinical translation. Our multidisciplinary team supports clinicians, researchers, and innovators in turning microbiome science into actionable medicine.
Divine Aleru
What was reviewed?
The focus keyphrase “Ovarian Cancer Management” guides this comprehensive narrative review of current strategies in preventing, diagnosing, and treating ovarian cancer. The article synthesizes advancements in surgical approaches, chemotherapy regimens, targeted therapies (including PARP inhibitors and anti-angiogenics), and emerging modalities such as immunotherapy, gene therapy, and drug repurposing.
Who was reviewed?
This review draws on peer-reviewed studies published between 2013 and 2023, identified via PubMed searches using terms like “ovarian cancer”, “ovarian tumour”, “ovarian carcinoma”, “advances”, “updates”, “overview”, “screening”, “prevention”, “diagnosis”, “prognosis”, “therapy” and “treatment” that appeared anywhere in the article. It includes evidence from clinical trials, molecular profiling projects (e.g., TCGA), and guideline recommendations from bodies such as NCCN and ESMO.
Most important findings
The review highlights that combining cytoreductive surgery with platinum-taxane chemotherapy remains standard frontline care, yet yields only marginal improvements in progression-free survival due to chemoresistance. Targeted agents—bevacizumab for VEGF inhibition and PARP inhibitors (olaparib, niraparib, rucaparib)—have improved outcomes, particularly in BRCA-mutant and homologous recombination-deficient tumors. Emerging treatments such as HIPEC, immunotherapies (e.g., anti-PD-1/PD-L1), gene therapy vectors, and small-molecule kinase inhibitors show promise in trials. Notably, the review does not address microbiome signatures or microbial associations, indicating a gap for future integration of microbiome research in OC management.
Key implications
This narrative underscores the paradigm shift toward personalized care in ovarian cancer management, driven by molecular profiling and targeted therapy development. It emphasizes the urgency of overcoming chemoresistance and tumor heterogeneity. The absence of microbiome data signals an opportunity for trials integrating microbial biomarkers to refine early detection, prognostication, and therapeutic stratification.
Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is one of the most lethal cancers affecting women worldwide. Known for its "silent" progression, this disease often goes undetected until it reaches advanced stages, making early diagnosis crucial for improving survival outcomes. With a variety of subtypes, ovarian cancer presents unique challenges in both treatment and prevention. Recent advancements in research are shining a light on the importance of the microbiome, particularly how microbial imbalances in the gut and vaginal microbiota can influence cancer progression. Repurposed drugs such as metformin and innovative interventions like probiotics, microbiota transplantation, and intratumoral microbiota therapies offer promising new avenues for improving ovarian cancer treatment.
Drug Repurposing
Drug repurposing involves identifying new therapeutic uses for existing drugs, offering a cost-effective and time-efficient pathway to enhance treatment options and address unmet medical needs.