For years, thousands of women around the world have been diagnosed Ovarian cancer Advanced disease meant embarking on a path with limited therapeutic options and an uncertain prognosis. After more than a decade with few relevant innovations for cases resistant to standard treatment, the introduction of a new targeted therapy – a drug-conjugated antibody (a drug that combines an antibody with chemotherapy and acts selectively on the tumor) – today marks a paradigm shift and opens a scenario of higher clinical expectations.
This new therapy is aimed at a subset of patients with advanced disease who are resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy, a group of drugs that damage the DNA of tumor cells.
In Argentina, around 2,200 cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed each year and around 70% of patients come for consultation in advanced stages, when the disease has already spread beyond the ovary and the chances of recovery are significantly lower. This pattern is repeated worldwide and largely explains the high mortality of this tumor.
One of the main obstacles is the lack of effective screening methods (early detection studies in people without symptoms). In addition, the first symptoms are usually vague or unspecific, such as persistent bloating, indigestion, abdominal pain or an early feeling of fullness. These symptoms, which are also common in benign diseases, are usually underestimated and contribute to a delay in diagnosis. For this reason, knowledge of warning signs and access to regular medical examinations remain important tools to improve prognosis.
In the past, treatment for ovarian cancer was based on a combination of surgery and chemotherapy. Although these strategies allow the disease to be controlled at an early stage, a significant number of patients experience relapses and resistance to standard therapies, particularly platinum-based chemotherapy. In this case, the previously available treatment options were scarce and the benefit was limited.
For more than a decade, no significant innovations were introduced for patients with platinum-resistant diseases, a situation that represented an unmet medical need worldwide. However, advances in knowledge of tumor biology have enabled the identification of specific molecular targets (structures in cancer cells that can be targeted), leading to the development of therapies that are completely different from traditional strategies.
There was a recent push in this regard could represent a relevant change in the approach to the treatment of ovarian cancer: the incorporation of a new therapeutic tool with a different mechanism of action than the treatments used to date. It is an antibody-drug conjugate (a drug that combines an antibody with chemotherapy) designed to selectively recognize a protein on the surface of some tumor cells, the alpha-folate receptor.
This kind of Treatment works as “Trojan Horse”: The antibody binds specifically to the cancer cell, penetrates it and releases the chemotherapy there. This increases the effectiveness on the tumor and reduces the burden on healthy tissue. The indication is aimed at patients with advanced ovarian cancer who are resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy.
“Unlike conventional chemotherapy, which acts systemically and non-specifically, this strategy allows the therapeutic effect to be focused on tumors that have certain biomarkers (measurable biological characteristics of the tumor),” explains Valeria Cáceres, medical oncologist and head of the medical field and career of clinical oncology specialists at the Ángel H. Roffo Oncology Institute of the University of Buenos Aires.
He added: “This is why studying the molecular profile of cancer is essential today as it allows us to identify which patients may benefit from these personalized therapies and make more precise decisions.”
Recent international clinical trials have shown that this new approach improves survival and disease control compared to previously used conventional therapies in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. For professionals, these data represent long-awaited news after years in which available alternatives offered modest benefits.
“Advances in genetic characterization of tumors have opened the door to truly personalized treatments. Today, not all patients receive exactly the same regimen: evaluation of biomarkers allows us to adapt therapy to each case,” said Ana Laura Mendaña, clinical oncologist at the Alexander Fleming Institute.
But experts warn that significant challenges remain. Equitable access to molecular diagnostics, state-of-the-art treatments and specialized centers remains an open issue to ensure that all patients have equal therapeutic options.
The approach to Ovarian cancer It is not limited to oncological treatment. It requires a comprehensive view that includes nutritional support, psychological support, social support and, if necessary, palliative care to improve quality of life.
Civil society organizations play a fundamental role in this journey. “Although we do not have prevention or early detection methods, information remains the most effective tool,” said María de San Martín, executive director of Fundación Donde Quiero Estar. Through the MAPEC (Mapping of People with Cancer) program, the organization works with patients to uncover needs, identify barriers to access and support them throughout the disease journey.
According to preliminary data collected by the foundation from interviews with patients, symptom counseling and routine examinations are the main methods for detecting ovarian cancer. The average time between the first medical consultation and the start of treatment is 172 days, and 65% of cases detected symptomatically were already in an advanced stage. Key difficulties include dismissal of symptoms, bureaucratic delays and coverage issues with study approval.
The current scenario opens a phase of greater hope for a disease that has historically been relegated to the background in terms of innovation. The inclusion of targeted therapies based on molecular targets not only expands options for patients with the greatest need, but also confirms that oncology research is making progress toward increasingly precise, effective and personalized treatments.
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