Real-world experience with trabectedin for the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer

ABSTRACT

Introduction: The efficacy and safety of trabectedin/pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (trabectedin/PLD) in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer have been demonstrated in randomized clinical studies. Real-world evidence is a subsequent necessary step for completing information from clinical practice. In the case of trabectedin/PLD, this evidence derives from prospective studies, retrospective analyses, and case series.

Areas covered: The present narrative review provides the most relevant data about efficacy and safety of trabectedin/PLD in real-world studies, and the interpretation of the experience with trabectedin/PLD in clinical practice for patients with recurrent ovarian cancer.

Expert opinion: Trabectedin/PLD has a proven antitumor activity that is maintained when administered in advanced lines. Trabectedin/PLD in patients who have relapsed between 6 and 12 months have showed comparable survival outcomes than platinum-based regimens. Moreover, the administration of trabectedin/PLD was associated with a positive survival trend after two previous platinum lines and a significantly superior PFS after subsequent platinum-based therapy. Additionally, the activity of trabectedin seems to be increased in patients with BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer. Overall, real-word evidence has confirmed that trabectedin/PLD is an effective and safe non-platinum combination for advanced lines of chemotherapy in patients with platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer.

KEYWORDS:

• Trabectedin
• real-world
• ovarian cancer
• efficacy
• safety

Article highlights

• Efficacy and safety of trabectedin/PLD in real-world are in concordance with trials

• Trabectedin/PLD have a maintained antitumor activity in advanced lines

• Trabectedin activity seems increased in patients with BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer

• Trabectedin/PLD is an effective option in platinum-sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer

• Trabectedin/PLD is the unique therapeutic combination that is not based on platinum

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their gratitude to Pablo Vivanco (PhD, Meisys) for helping in the elaboration of the manuscript.

Author contributions

I Romero, JA López-Guerrero and S Pignata have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, development of the review, critically revised the draft, and finally approved the version to be published.

Declaration of interest

I Romero declares having received honoraria for consulting or advisory role for Pharmamar, AstraZeneca Spain, GSK/Tesaro Spain, Roche Spain, Clovis Spain.

JA López-Guerrero declares having received honoraria for consulting or advisory role for AstraZeneca Spain, grants from AstraZeneca, Sophia Genetics and HTG Molecular Diagnostics.

S Pignata declares having received honoraria from MSD Pharmamar, Roche, AZ, Clovis and GSK.

The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

Pharmamar provided the financial support for the writing of the manuscript.