Efficacy and Safety of Farletuzumab in Ovarian Cancer: A Systematic Review and Single-Arm Meta-Analysis.

Folate receptor alpha (FRα) has emerged as a promising target in the treatment of ovarian cancer, with farletuzumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting FRα, showing potential in clinical settings. This systematic review and single-arm meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of farletuzumab in patients with solid tumors, particularly ovarian cancer. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we conducted a thorough search across PubMed, the Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) for clinical trials assessing farletuzumab in solid tumors. Data were extracted on study characteristics, patient demographics, treatment regimens, and efficacy outcomes including progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), response rates, and adverse events (AEs). The pooled analyses were performed using the Open Meta-Analyst software. In total, seven prospective studies were included, covering various farletuzumab regimens in ovarian cancer and other solid tumors. The pooled PFS was 10.5 months (95% CI: 8, 15.7) across three studies involving 925 patients, while the pooled OS was 36.7 months (95% CI: 26.6, 35) in two studies with 881 patients. Treatment response rates indicated a partial response in 55.25% of patients and stable disease in 28.68% of cases. Gastrointestinal and hematological AEs were frequently reported, with nausea (52.14%), neutropenia (50.65%), and anemia (39.76%) being the most common. Farletuzumab appears to offer a promising efficacy profile, particularly in ovarian cancer, with notable improvements in disease progression and survival. However, the treatment is associated with a high incidence of gastrointestinal and hematological AEs, raising the need for careful patient selection. Further studies are required to refine the therapeutic regimen and ensure an optimal balance between efficacy and safety.