Second-line treatment and consolidation therapies in advanced ovarian cancer

Cytoreductive surgery followed by platinum-and paclitaxel-based chemotherap y represents the standard((1,2)) therapeutic strategy for advanced ovarian cancer Current regimens are able to achieve a clinical complete response in 40-50% and a pathologic complete response only in 25-30% of cases, and mor eover, about half of complete responders will subsequently develop recurren t disease. On the basis of these data, there is a major interest to assess the role of consolidation therapies after first-line chemotherapy. On the o ther hands, more than 80% of patients with advanced ovarian cancer need a s econd-line treatment for persistent/recurrent disease.