Systemic anti-cancer treatment in malignant ovarian germ cell tumours (MOGCTs): current management and promising approaches

Mario Uccello; Stergios Boussios; Eleftherios P Samartzis; Michele Moschetta

doi:10.21037/atm.2020.04.15

Systemic anti-cancer treatment in malignant ovarian germ cell tumours (MOGCTs): current management and promising approaches

Ann Transl Med. 2020 Dec;8(24):1713. doi: 10.21037/atm.2020.04.15.

Authors

Mario Uccello¹, Stergios Boussios², Eleftherios P Samartzis³, Michele Moschetta⁴

Affiliations

¹ Oncology Department, Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust, Northampton, UK.
² Department of Medical Oncology, Medway NHS Foundation Trust, Gillingham, UK.
³ Department of Gynecology and Gynecological Cancer Center, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
⁴ Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK.

Abstract

Malignant ovarian germ cell tumours (MOGCTs) are rare. Unlike epithelial ovarian cancer, MOGCTs typically occur in girls and young women. Fertility-sparing surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy remain the standard of care, providing high chance of cure at all stages. Given the lack of high-quality studies in this field, current practice guidelines recommend chemotherapy regimens adopted in testicular germ cell tumours. However, platinum-resistant/refractory MOGCTs retain a worse prognosis in comparison with their male counterpart. Herein, we focus on current systemic anti-cancer treatment options in MOGCTs and promising approaches. Future studies enrolling exclusively female participants or germ cell tumour trials allowing participation of MOGCT patients are strongly recommended in order to improve evidence on existing management and develop novel strategies.

Keywords: Ovarian; chemotherapy; germ cell tumour; targeted therapy.

Publication types

Review