Diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarkers of ovarian cancer

Abstract

<p>Ovarian cancer (OVCA) is the most lethal gynecological cancer, due mainly to late diagnosis, recurrence, and chemoresistance. The 2019 Canadian Cancer Statistics reports that 3000 OVCA cases were diagnosed whereas 1900 deaths were recorded. To date, the 5-year survival rate of OVCA patients is 45%. The situation is no different in the United States where OVCA incidence and mortality are 22,530 and 13,980, respectively. According to the US National Cancer Institute, the 5-year survival rate for various malignancies is: ovary (47.6%), breast (88%), cervical (72%), prostate (93%), bladder (75%), thyroid (98%) and melanoma (88%). Thus OVCA presents with one of the worst survival rates, making it the most deadly gynecological cancer. The standard first-line treatment for OVCA is a combination of surgical debulking and chemotherapy with derivatives of cisplatin and taxane. Although they are successful initially, chemoresistance is a major hurdle for long-term therapeutic success, and there have not been significant changes in the 5-year survival rate over the past 30 years. There have been novel developments in treatment approaches that have improved the survival of other cancer patients; however, this has provided no therapeutic success in OVCA patients.</p>