Lurbinectedin for platinum resistant ovarian cancer


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Therapeutic Areas: Female Reproductive Cancer
Year: 2017

Ovarian cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. It is the fifth most common cancer in women in the UK. The ovaries are a pair of small organs located in the lower tummy and are part of the female reproductive system. Usually women who have been through menopause are more likely to be affected by ovarian cancer. Most cases are caused by gene changes that develop during a woman’s life and are not inherited.
The main treatment options for ovarian cancer are surgery and chemotherapy. The chemotherapy drugs used to treat ovarian cancer are relatively standard. Typically doctors combine a platinum-based drug with a taxane (which inhibits cancer cell division). Platinum resistant ovarian cancer is defined as progression during or within 6 months after completing platinum- based chemotherapy. More than half of patients with advanced disease develop platinum resistant ovarian cancer. Treatment options for these patients are sparse. Hence, lurbinectedin administered intravenously, if licenced, might be of significant benefit for patients with ovarian cancer who are platinum resistant.