Molecular Targeted Therapy for Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is associated with a variety of molecular and pathologic characteristics and has a spectrum of biological behavior. The current management of EOC is developing from traditional chemotherapy using cytotoxic agents to modern therapy using molecularly targeted agents, as the result of advances in translational research. This evolution has been based on our increased understanding of molecular pathology and numerous clinical trials in the field of gynecologic oncology. Current and future promising targeted therapy approaches for EOC can be classified into two types: (1) specific molecular targeting, using an apoptosis inducer associated with the unique molecular characteristics of the tumor, and (2) more generalized targeting strategies using angiogenesis and immune checkpoint inhibitors, which interact with the tumor microenvironment. Representative agents used in these two approaches include, respectively, (1) poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, such as olaparib and niraparib, and (2) the angiogenesis inhibitor bevacizumab and the immune checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab. In this review, we discuss the present status of these promising agents in regard to the molecular targeting of EOC.