How Quickly Can Ovarian Cancer Develop From Early to Advanced Stages?

If an annual screening test could detect ovarian tumors smaller than 0.5 cm, could it reduce deaths from serous ovarian cancer by 50%? What grade 3 or higher toxicities are associated with olaparib maintenance therapy. Test your knowledge in our latest quiz.

Question 1

Answer

A.0.8

A 2009 study published in PLOS Medicine, reported that early serous ovarian cancers had progressed to advanced-stage disease at a median of 0.8 years prior to their detection.

Question 2

Answer

D. Olaparib maintenance is approved for platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer with or without BRCA1 or BRCA2 germline mutations

Olaparib as maintenance treatment significantly improved progression-free survival among patients with platinum-sensitive, relapsed, high-grade serous ovarian cancer with or without BRCA1 or BRCA2 germline mutations. On Aug 17, 2017, the US Food and Drug Administration approved olaparib as maintenance therapy for platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer with or without BRCA1 or BRCA2 germline mutations.

Question 3

Answer

A.True

A 2009 study published in PLOS Medicine, reported that in order to achieve a 50% reduction in serous ovarian cancer mortality with an annual screen, “a test would need to detect tumors of 0.5 cm in diameter.” Additionally, in order for an annual screen to achieve a 50% detection sensitivity before tumors advanced to stage III, it would need to detect tumors of 1.3 cm in diameter.

Question 4

Answer

C. 8.4 months vs 4.8 months

In the 2012 study, which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, 136 patients were assigned to the olaparib group and 129 to the placebo group. Progression-free survival was significantly longer with olaparib than with placebo (median, 8.4 vs 4.8 months from randomization on completion of chemotherapy; hazard ratio for progression or death, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.25–0.49; P < .001).

Question 5

Answer

B.Anemia

Results of the study, which were published in Lancet Oncology, showed that toxicities from olaparib were mostly low-grade and manageable, apart from anemia. Grade 3 or higher anemia occurred in 19% of olaparib-treated patients compared with 2% in those who received placebo.