The genetics, screening, and treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer: an update.

Recent genetic findings are shedding light on who is at risk for epithelial ovarian cancer, by far the most common of ovarian malignancies. Current screening tests are inadequate, but a serum test of lysophosphatidic acid shows promise. Clinical trials show that cisplatin or carboplatin plus paclitaxel increases progression-free and overall survival times vs regimens that do not contain paclitaxel, and that a carboplatin-paclitaxel regimen is less toxic than cisplatin-paclitaxel and can be given on an outpatient basis. The development of newer cytotoxic drugs and alternative routes of administering chemotherapy offers hope of improved survival for women with advanced ovarian cancer.