New Ovarian Cancer Treatment Advances: What You Should Know

Ovarian cancer treatment advances are moving quickly, and for many survivors and families, that progress can bring both hope and questions. In this episode of Teal Talk, we speak with Dr. Sarah Taylor from UPMC and Dr. Debra Richardson from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center about what is changing in ovarian cancer care.

Together, they explain complex research updates in a way that is practical and empowering. From biomarker testing to clinical trials, the message is clear: ovarian cancer care is becoming more personalized, and asking the right questions can help open the door to more informed treatment decisions.

This article is for education only. It should not replace medical advice from your care team.

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Ovarian cancer care is becoming more personalized

One of the biggest ovarian cancer treatment advances is the move toward more personalized care.

In the past, many people with ovarian cancer received similar treatment approaches. Today, doctors are learning more about the unique features of each tumor.

“We have talked for a long time about personalized medicine, but I actually think now we’ve really seen that come to fruition […] we’re treating the different histologic subtypes now differently. More targeted for the type of cancer that it is and for the biomarkers that they express.”

In simple terms, personalized medicine means your care team looks at the specific features of your cancer. These features may include the type of ovarian cancer, tumor markers, gene changes, and proteins found on or in the tumor.

As a result, treatment decisions may be based on more than the stage of the cancer. Your care team may also test the tumor for specific markers, such as:

Folate receptor alpha: A protein that may be found at high levels on some ovarian cancer cells. If present, it may help guide treatment with certain targeted therapies.

PD-L1: A protein that may help show whether some immunotherapy treatments could be an option.

HER2: A protein that can be found on some cancer cells. If the tumor has HER2, certain targeted treatments may be considered.

KRAS: A gene change that can be found in some ovarian cancers, especially some low-grade serous ovarian cancers. If present, it may help guide targeted treatment options.

These markers do not guarantee that a specific treatment will work. However, they can give your care team more information. They may also help identify treatment options or clinical trials that could be a good fit.

Dr. Taylor added:

“So the more that they can know about their tumor and the more their doctor can know about the tumor, the more we can open up options for them.”

That is why testing matters. It can help your doctor understand which treatments may be most appropriate now and which clinical trials may be available later.

Why biomarker and genetic testing matter early

Biomarker testing for ovarian cancer is one of the most important themes in this episode. Biomarkers can include genes, proteins, or other tumor characteristics that help doctors understand how cancer behaves.

Dr. Richardson shared:

“Biomarkers can also be genes. So for example, if patients have a germline mutation like a BRCA, that also is basically a biomarker.”

Genetic testing and tumor testing are related, but they are not the same.

• Germline genetic testing looks for inherited changes that may have been passed down from a parent. These results can help guide your care and may also give family members important information about their own risk.
• Tumor testing looks at changes in the cancer itself. These results may help guide targeted therapy, immunotherapy, or clinical trial options.

Dr. Richardson emphasized:

“Everybody with epithelial ovarian cancer should undergo germline testing, and that’s because up to 25% of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer have a germline mutation.”

Testing may also need to be revisited. As new ovarian cancer treatment advances become available, older tumor testing may not include newer biomarkers that are now important.

Dr. Richardson explained:

“So sometimes we have to repeat testing with new approvals and new drugs in development, and we’re gonna, I think, talk a little bit more about what some of those options are.”

In addition, some tests can sometimes be added to an existing tumor sample. Therefore, if you were diagnosed years ago or have experienced recurrence, it may be worth asking whether your tumor testing is up to date.

What ctDNA and liquid biopsy may mean for monitoring

Another ovarian cancer treatment advance discussed in the episode is ctDNA, or circulating tumor DNA. This is DNA from cancer cells that may be found in the blood.

Dr. Taylor explained:

“We know that these tumors kind of shed cells, and we can look at the DNA that’s inside those by just pulling out that sample from your blood.”

You may also hear this called a liquid biopsy. A liquid biopsy uses a blood sample instead of a tissue sample from the tumor.

This type of testing may be easier on the body than a tissue biopsy. However, researchers are still learning how ctDNA testing may be used in ovarian cancer care.

Dr. Taylor shared:

“Now, this is really early on, and we don’t exactly know how this is gonna be best used for people who have ovarian cancer, so that’s a lot of questions.”

For many people, CA-125 has been used as one tool to help monitor ovarian cancer. However, CA-125 does not answer every question.

Researchers are studying whether ctDNA may one day help doctors better understand:

• How well treatment is working
• Whether cancer may be more likely to come back
• Whether a treatment plan may need to change
• How long someone may need certain types of treatment

For now, the most important step is to talk with your care team. Ask whether ctDNA or liquid biopsy testing is helpful for your situation. You can also ask whether it is available through a clinical trial and what the results may or may not tell you.

New options are emerging for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer

Some of the most hopeful ovarian cancer treatment advances are happening for cancers that have been harder to treat.

This includes platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. This means the cancer has come back or continued to grow within a short time after platinum-based chemotherapy.

In the past, platinum-resistant ovarian cancer has been challenging to treat. However, newer therapies and clinical trials are creating more options.

Dr. Richardson discussed one newer treatment approach:

“Recently, we just had the B96 regimen approved this year, which is weekly Taxol with pembrolizumab, plus or minus bevacizumab, and that’s for tumors that are CPS positive.”

This treatment includes chemotherapy and immunotherapy. It may be an option for people whose tumors have a certain test result, called CPS positive.

She also discussed mirvetuximab:

“Basically, we have mirvetuximab, which we are aware of, which is, again, the first antibody drug conjugate that has been approved for the treatment of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer that expresses folate receptor.”

Mirvetuximab is a type of treatment called an antibody drug conjugate, or ADC. These treatments are designed to find a specific marker on a cancer cell and deliver medicine more directly to that cell.

Dr. Richardson described it this way:

“You can think about it like a smart bomb, or some people call it a Trojan horse where that antibody will bind to the surface of the cancer cell.”

In simple terms, an ADC has two main jobs:

• Find the cancer cell: The antibody looks for a specific marker on the cancer cell.
• Deliver treatment: The drug then brings a strong cancer-fighting medicine into the cell.

Researchers are also studying other ADC targets, such as B7-H4 and CDH-6. In addition, clinical trials are looking at new drug combinations.

However, not every treatment is right for every person. Your options may depend on:

• the type of ovarian cancer you have
• which treatments you have already received
• your biomarker test results
• your overall health
• whether a clinical trial is a good fit

Dr. Richardson summed up the hope behind this research:

“And that just is going to give us more options for patients.”

What is changing for low-grade serous ovarian cancer

Low-grade serous ovarian cancer is a rare subtype of ovarian cancer. It often behaves differently than high-grade serous ovarian cancer, and it may not respond to chemotherapy in the same way.

In the episode, Dr. Taylor discussed research looking at whether some patients with newly diagnosed low-grade serous ovarian cancer might be able to avoid chemotherapy and use letrozole alone after surgery.

However, the trial did not support skipping chemotherapy for most patients.

Dr. Taylor explained:

“And what we actually saw is that the people who got chemotherapy actually did do better. And so we really now think that we should not forego chemo.”

She added:

“But I think at this point, we all agree that the standard of care is really chemotherapy followed by maintenance letrozole.”

This update is important because it helps clarify care for a rare group of patients. At the same time, treatment decisions are still personal. If someone has no visible cancer left after surgery, Dr. Taylor noted that there may be specific cases where a one-on-one conversation is needed to weigh risks and benefits.

In addition, a major milestone happened for recurrent low-grade serous ovarian cancer with a KRAS mutation. The FDA granted accelerated approval to the combination of avutometinib and defactinib for adults with KRAS-mutated recurrent low-grade serous ovarian cancer who have received prior systemic therapy.

Conclusion

This Teal Talk episode reminds us that ovarian cancer research is moving forward in meaningful ways. Ovarian cancer treatment advances are helping doctors better understand each person’s tumor and personalize care in ways that were not possible before.

Still, no one should have to navigate these questions alone. Whether you are newly diagnosed, facing recurrence, exploring biomarker testing, or learning about clinical trials, knowledge can help you feel more prepared for conversations with your care team.

Frequently asked questions about ovarian cancer treatment advances