Survival in ovarian cancer patients extends beyond our expectations

Ovarian cancer is among the common cancers in women. Treatment success can be limited in advanced disease, particularly with aggressive tumors. Even patients predicted to have an unfavorable course have been observed living healthily for more than 5 years.

The study we share examined ovarian cancer patients surviving more than 5 years without recurrence after treatment. Its striking findings were published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The research followed patients diagnosed and treated in America between 1994-2001, more than 11 thousand, until 2011. Patients diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer who recovered after treatment were compared in groups surviving less than 2 years, 2 - 5 years, 5 - 10 years and more than 10 years. Among 11.541 total patients, 3.582 (% 31) lived more than 10 years. Of these, 954 had high cancer mortality risk at diagnosis (older age, high tumor grade, metastatic stage). Despite this, they lived more than 10 years, contrary to predictions.

Researchers questioned why survival exceeded expectations in such an aggressive cancer and associated it with better chemotherapy responses in patients carrying BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 gene mutations (breast-ovarian cancer genes). Biological differences are also important in advanced ovarian cancer. Assessing these and applying personalized treatments was concluded to positively affect outcomes and contribute to survival.

- Related topic: Is ovarian cancer hereditary? What are the genetic risk factors?

New chemotherapy drugs, targeted therapies and immunotherapies, oncology's bright face illuminating the future although not yet actively usable by us, are taking this success much further.

Dear friends, cancer knowledge and treatments are changing, and our hope grows exponentially every day!